Simulation of the Discharge Performance of the Anode in Microbial Fuel Cells considering a mediated transfer mechanism

The microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are considered as a promising technology to harvestrenewable energy stored in organic waste to generate electricity.The overall working principle ofMFCs is the same as other fuel cells. Bacterial oxidation leads to electron generation which is a highly complex process due to the dynamic transport behavior of substrate, redox state (ROS)of bacteria, bacteria-substrate complex, and the mediator creates different potential changesinside the MFCs anode.Electron transfer to the anode surface via the biofilm occurs directly or by a mediated electron transfer mechanism. In present work, the effects of high Mediator concentration were studied numerically. Such an analysis requires a sufficiently detailed mathematical model. Therefore, a one-dimensional dynamic model was developed to simulate the discharge performance of the anode which is supported by acetate oxidation.This model can illustrate the dynamic phenomena of substrate diffusion, ROS of bacteria, production of bacteria-substrate complex with different potential changes created by the mediator

Keywords:

bioelectrocatalysis , dynamic model , microbial fuel cell(MFC)