Modeling of a membraneless single-chamber microbial fuel cell with molasses as an energy source

Abstract

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a novel bio-electrochemical system that can use various organic substances as energy source. Computational models of MFC are needed for prediction and optimization of the MFC performance. A comprehensive computational modeling of a membraneless single-chamber MFC, in which bacteria consumed molasses as a substrate, is reported here. The simulated cathode had a layer of polytetrafluoroethylene, which allowed oxygen molecules to diffuse through to take part in the reduction reaction. The substrate molecules diffused through the biofilm, which deposited on the anode surface, and were oxidized by the bacteria localized within the film. The simulation program accepted inputs such as the initial amount of molasses, thickness of the biofilm layer, and dimensions of the MFC chamber. Some outputs of the program include concentration profiles of molasses and oxygen as functions of time and location, and the open-circuit voltage of the MFC as a function of time. As the cathode thickness decreased or the biofilm increased, the voltage increased. To obtain a higher voltage, increasing the biofilm thickness was more effective than decreasing the cathode thickness when the initial COD levels were >5,000 mg/L.