Multi-variable mathematical models for the air-cathode microbial fuel cell system

Ou, Shiqi; Kashima, Hiroyuki; Aaron, Douglas S.; Regan, John M.; Mench, Matthew M.

doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.02.064

Multi-variable mathematical models for the air-cathode microbial fuel cell system

Journal Article · Thu Mar 10 00:00:00 EST 2016 · Journal of Power Sources

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2016.02.064· OSTI ID:1302945

Ou, Shiqi ^[1]; Kashima, Hiroyuki ^[2]; Aaron, Douglas S. ^[1]; Regan, John M. ^[2]; Mench, Matthew M. ^[1]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA (United States). Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering

This research adopted the version control system into the model construction for the single chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC) system, to understand the interrelation of biological, chemical, and electrochemical reactions. The anodic steady state model was used to consider the chemical species diffusion and electric migration influence to the MFC performance. In the cathodic steady state model, the mass transport and reactions in a multi-layer, abiotic cathode and multi-bacteria cathode biofilm were simulated. Transport of hydroxide was assumed for cathodic pH change. This assumption is an alternative to the typical notion of proton consumption during oxygen reduction to explain elevated cathode pH. The cathodic steady state model provided the power density and polarization curve performance results that can be compared to an experimental MFC system. Another aspect we considered was the relative contributions of platinum catalyst and microbes on the cathode to the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). We found simulation results showed that the biocatalyst in a cathode that includes a Pt/C catalyst likely plays a minor role in ORR, contributing up to 8% of the total power calculated by the models.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: ORNL Program Development; US Army Research Office; USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1302945

Journal Information:: Journal of Power Sources, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources Journal Issue: C Vol. 314; ISSN 0378-7753

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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