The effect of internal capacitance on power quality and energy efficiency in a tubular microbial fuel cell

作者：Fradler Katrin R; Kim Jung Rae^*; Boghani Hitesh C; Dinsdale Richard M; Guwy Alan J; Premier Giuliano C

来源：Process Biochemistry, 2014, 49(6): 973-980.

DOI：10.1016/j.procbio.2014.02.021

• Microbial fuel cell (MFC)
• Power quality
• Double layer capacitance
• Biofilm capacitance
• Charge accumulation

The pseudo-capacitive behaviour of a high surface area carbon veil electrode in a tubular microbial fuel cell (MFC) was investigated as a mechanism to enhance power quality and energy efficiency. Accumulated charge and energy from the anodic biofilm after prolonged open circuit times (1-120min) were compared against equivalent periods of steady state loading (R = 100-3000 Omega). A significant difference in the amount of accumulated charge with different loads was observed, resulting in 1.051 C (R= 100 Omega) compared to 0.006C (R = 3k Omega). The automated application of short open and closed circuit (0.5-10s) cycles resulted in an increase of power/current production (closed circuit alone), but presented lower efficiency considering entire open and closed period. The cumulative charge on the carbon veil electrode with biofilm was 39,807 Cm-2 at 100 Omega. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the Helmholtz layer presented a double layer capacitance of more than ten times the biofilm on electrode. The results indicate that the capacitive behaviour could be utilized to increase the power quality, i.e. its availability/applicability with respect to the operation of low power consuming devices.

• 出版日期2014-6