Abstract
This study demonstrates microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) scale-up from a 50mL to a 10L cell. Initially, a 50mL membraneless MEC with a gas diffusion cathode was operated on synthetic wastewater at different organic loads. It was concluded that process scale-up might be best accomplished using a “reactor-in-series” concept. Consequently, 855mL and 10L MECs were built and operated. By optimizing the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the 855mL MEC and individually controlling the applied voltages of three anodic compartments with a real-time optimization algorithm, a COD removal of 5.7g LR-1d-1 and a hydrogen production of 1.0–2.6L LR-1d-1 was achieved. Furthermore, a two MECs in series 10L setup was constructed and operated on municipal wastewater. This test showed a COD removal rate of 0.5g LR-1d-1, a removal efficiency of 60–76%, and an energy consumption of 0.9Whperg of COD removed.
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