Performance of microbial fuel cell in different anode and cathode electrode sizes

Power generation in microbial fuel cell (MFC) at different cathode electrode surface area was examined in two-chambered system with sodium acetate as carbon sources. When the anode surface area of 66 cm2 was used, the maximum power density increased by 44% when the cathode surface areas were increased from 66 cm2 to 336 cm2 and decreased by 21% when the cathode surface area was reduced to 14 cm2, primarily as a result of the variation of cathode potential. The power increased from 2.56 W/m3 to 3.29 W/m3 with the cathode increasing from 14 cm2 to 336 cm2 when the anode surface area of 14 cm2 was used. But a decreased power output of 2.40 W/m3 was observed when the relative electrode area of cathode and anode was 5AAn=Acat, the main reason may be the decreased in both anode and cathode potential. The low CE was in the range from 10% to 15% was obtained.