Application of microbial fuel cell in wastewater treatment system by using algae as the oxygen supplier in cathodic chamber

Author

Juang, D.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Health Bus. Adm., Meiho Univ., Ping Tung, Taiwan

fYear

2012

fDate

Oct. 30 2012-Nov. 2 2012

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

A microbial fuel cell inoculated with activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant was constructed. Oxygen was provided by algal photosynthesis in the cathodic chamber and the electricity generation characteristics of the fuel cell were then investigated. Results showed that binary quadratic equations can express the relationships between COD degradation rate and COD loading and between COD removal rate and COD loading in the cell. The relationships between power output and COD removal rate and between power output and COD loading rate can also be expressed as binary quadratic equations. The optimum COD loading rate for the fuel cell to obtain higher power density and higher Coulombic efficiency is about 2.0 kg/m³/day (with a external resistance of 1000 Ω).

Keywords

electrochemical electrodes; fuel cell power plants; microbial fuel cells; microorganisms; oxygen; photosynthesis; sludge treatment; wastewater treatment; COD degradation rate; COD removal rate; Coulombic efficiency; activated sludge; algae; algal photosynthesis; binary quadratic equations; cathodic chamber; electricity generation characteristics; microbial fuel cell; oxygen supplier; power density; wastewater treatment plant; wastewater treatment system; Anodes; Cathodes; Fuels; Irrigation; Loading; Anode; Cathode; Fuel Cell; Power Density;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Power System Technology (POWERCON), 2012 IEEE International Conference on

Conference_Location

Auckland

Print_ISBN

978-1-4673-2868-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PowerCon.2012.6401459

Filename

6401459