title: Improved performance of the microbial electrolysis desalination and chemical-production cell using the stack structure.
abstract: The microbial electrolysis desalination and chemical-production cell (MEDCC) is a device to desalinate seawater, and produce acid and alkali. The objective of this study was to enhance the desalination and chemical-production performance of the MEDCC using two types of stack structure. Experiments were conducted with different membrane spacings, numbers of desalination chambers and applied voltages. Results showed that the stack construction in the MEDCC enhanced the desalination and chemical-production rates. The maximal desalination rate of 0.58 ± 0.02 mmol/h, which was 43% higher than that in the MEDCC, was achieved in the four-desalination-chamber MEDCC with the AEM-CEM stack structure and the membrane spacing of 1.5mm. The maximal acid- and alkali-production rates of 0.079 ± 0.006 and 0.13 ± 0.02 mmol/h, which were 46% and 8% higher than that in the MEDCC, respectively, were achieved in the two-desalination-chamber MEDCC with the BPM-AEM-CEM stack structure and the membrane spacing of 3mm.
authors.affiliation: School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Guangli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Renduo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bangyu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000592:standards*; D004560:Electricity; D004572:Electrolysis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D054712:Salinity; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial