Electricity generation from bio-treatment of sewage sludge with microbial fuel cell.
A two-chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC) with potassium ferricyanide as its electron acceptor was utilized to degrade excess sewage sludge and to generate electricity. Stable electrical power was produced continuously during operation for 250 h. Total chemical oxygen demand (TCOD) of sludge was reduced by 46.4% when an initial TCOD was 10,850 mg/l. The MFC power output did not significantly depend on process parameters such as substrate concentration, cathode catholyte concentration, and anodic pH. However, the MFC produced power was in close correlation with the soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) of sludge. Furthermore, ultrasonic pretreatment of sludge accelerated organic matter dissolution and, hence, TCOD removal rate in the MFC was increased, but power output was insignificantly enhanced. This study demonstrates that this MFC can generate electricity from sewage sludge over a wide range of process parameters.
Jiang
Junqiu
J
State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environments, School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China.
Zhao
Qingliang
Q
Zhang
Jinna
J
Zhang
Guodong
G
Lee
Duu-Jong
DJ
D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources; D019149:Bioreactors; D004560:Electricity; D004566:Electrodes; D004583:Electrons; D005292:Ferricyanides / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008829:Microbiology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry; D012722:Sewage / Q000737:chemistry*; D013010:Sonication; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods
D005292:Ferricyanides; D012722:Sewage; D010100:Oxygen; C028033:potassium ferricyanide