Power Generation in Fed-Batch Microbial Fuel Cells as a Function of Ionic Strength, Temperature, and Reactor Configuration

Power density, electrode potential, coulombic efficiency, and energy recovery in single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were examined as a function of solution ionic strength, electrode spacing and composition, and temperature. Increasing the solution ionic strength from 100 to 400 mM by adding NaCl increased power output from 720 to 1330 mW/m2. Power generation was also increased from 720 to 1210 mW/m2 by decreasing the distance between the anode and cathode from 4 to 2 cm. The power increases due to ionic strength and electrode spacing resulted from a decrease in the internal resistance. Power output was also increased by 68% by replacing the cathode (purchased from a manufacturer) with our own carbon…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• PS
  Pennsylvania State University
• HI
  Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences