Model Based Evaluation of the Effect of Redox Mediator Concentrations on Microbial Fuel Cell Performance

Abstract:

This study builds a mathematical model for microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with soluble chemical substrates, redox mediators and suspended cells. By modeling the biological growth, substrate degradation and the current generation process of anode chamber, analysis the variation of mediators and substrate over time, the influence of mediator concentrations on substrate degradation and current generation. The result showed that substrate concentrations≥2mg/L, Continue to increase the amount of mediator has no effect on the variation of mediator and the time it reaches the maximum, the oxidized and reduced mediator has the opposite change trends. Each mediator concentrations corresponding substrate have experienced slow degradation, rapid degradation and depletion three stages. The greater the concentrations of the initial mediator, the shorter time substrate reaches the rapid degradation, but the final amount of degradation of the substrate is not affected. Enough mediators produce more current than inadequate, substrate concentration≥2mg/L, the maximum current does not increase with increasing of the mediator concentrations, it achieves the maximum while mediator concentrations is 3mg/L.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 644-650)
• Pages: 5423-5426
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.644-650.5423
• Online since: September 2014
• Authors: Qiang Liu*, Di Hu, Yu Lan Tang, Jin Yu
• Keywords: Current Generation, Mathematical Models, Microbial Fuel Cells, Redox Mediator, Substrate Degradation

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