Hydrogen production using single-chamber membrane-free microbial electrolysis cells
Abstract
Microbial electrohydrogenesis provides a new approach for hydrogen generation from renewable biomass. Membranes were used in all the reported microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) to separate the anode and cathode chambers. To reduce the potential losses associated with membrane and increase the energy recovery of this process, single-chamber membrane-free MECs were designed and used to investigate hydrogen production by one mixed culture and one pure culture: Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. At an applied voltage of 0.6 V, this system with a mixed culture achieved a hydrogen production rate of 0.53 m(3)/day/m(3) (0.11 m(3)/day/m(2)) with a current density of 9.3A/m(2) at pH 7 and 0.69 m(3)/day/m(3) (0.15m(3)/day/m(2)) with a current density of 14 A/m(2) at pH 5.8. Stable hydrogen production from lactic acid by S. oneidensis was also observed. Methane was detected during the hydrogen production process with the mixed culture and negatively affected hydrogen production rate. However, by employing suitable approaches, such as exposure of cathodes to air, the hydrogenotrophic methanogens can be suppressed. The current density and volumetric hydrogen production rate of this system have potential to increase significantly by further reduci...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Analysis of a microbial electrochemical cell using the proton condition in biofilm (PCBIOFILM) model
Hydrogen production in single chamber microbial electrolysis cells with different complex substrates
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