Modeling and experimental investigation of the effect of carbon source on the performance of tubular microbial fuel cell

Abstract

Abstract Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) serve two main purposes: clean energy production and wastewater treatment. This study examines the impact of different carbon sources on MFC performance and develops a mathematical model to replicate the polarization curve. The biological reactor employed three types of carbon sources: glucose as a simple feed, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and a slurry of the organic component of municipal solid waste (SOMSW) as complex feeds. The MFCs were operated in both open and closed circuit modes. The maximum open circuit voltages achieved were 695 mV for glucose, 550 mV for MCC, and 520 mV for SOMSW as substrates. The influence of the substrate in closed circuit mode was also investigated, resulting in maximum power densities of 172 mW/m 2 , 55.5 mW/m 2 , and 47.9 mW/m 2 for glucose, MCC, and SOMSW as substrates, respectively. In the second section, a mathematical model was developed to depict the polarization curve while considering voltage losses, namely activation, ohmic, and concentration loss, with an average relative error (ARE) of less than 10%. The mathematical models demonstrated that the activation loss of voltage increased with the complexity of the substrate and reached its peak value when SOMSW was used as the substrate.

Key findings

• ▸Glucose as a simple feed achieved the highest maximum open circuit voltage of 695 mV.
• ▸Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and slurry of organic component of municipal solid waste (SOMSW) as complex feeds achieved lower maximum open circuit voltages of 550 mV and 520 mV, respectively.
• ▸The maximum power densities achieved in closed circuit mode were 172 mW/m², 55.5 mW/m², and 47.9 mW/m² for glucose, MCC, and SOMSW as substrates, respectively.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.1038/s41598-023-38215-5

Journal

Scientific Reports

Year

2023