Abstract
Soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) are a sub-class of the microbial fuel cells family, in which the soil acts as the electrolyte, and as the source of microorganisms and organic fuel. Given the great simplicity of the system design, SMFCs show a promising avenue for energy generation in remote areas. In this study, we investigate the influence that geometrical factors, such as the electrode orientation, have on the electrochemical performance of SMFCs. Two types of electrode orientations: horizontal and vertical, were tested. Additionally, the influence of anode and cathode immersion in soil was explored too. Our results demonstrate that vertical positioning of the cathode in soil is not a viable option. The increase in cathodic immersion leads to a more rapid performance decay, attributed to more anaerobic conditions along soil’s depth. The increase in anode immersion has a positive effect on the evolution of the negative electrode potential. However, with the increase in electrode spacing, the performance drops due to a greater internal resistance.
Highlights
The threat of climate change pushes the search for alternative energy sources that minimize carbon pollution
The soil acts as the electrolyte and as the source of both microorganisms and organic matter
To test whether a similar approach can be used in soil microbial fuel cells, in this study, we investigate the effect that positioning the electrodes vertically, rather than horizontally, has on electrochemical performance
Summary
The threat of climate change pushes the search for alternative energy sources that minimize carbon pollution. Walter et al showed a promising concept by submerging vertically positioned electrodes in urine fed microbial fuel cells [7] They found the performance improving with increased immersion of the device in urine, (with optimum immersion of 75%), due to enhancements in reduction reaction rates from better contact between the cathode and the electrolyte [7]. To test whether a similar approach can be used in soil microbial fuel cells, in this study, we investigate the effect that positioning the electrodes vertically, rather than horizontally, has on electrochemical performance. This geometrical approach has the potential to enhance output power densities, by allowing more SMFCs installed per surface area
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