The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment
Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are yet to achieve commercial viability. Organic removal rates (ORR) and capital costs dictate an MEC’s financial competitiveness against activated sludge treatments. We used numerical methods to investigate the impact of acetate concentration and the distance bet...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-02-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Chemical Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2021.796805/full |
| _version_ | 1818330739897270272 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniel C. Aiken Thomas P. Curtis Elizabeth S. Heidrich |
| author_facet | Daniel C. Aiken Thomas P. Curtis Elizabeth S. Heidrich |
| author_sort | Daniel C. Aiken |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are yet to achieve commercial viability. Organic removal rates (ORR) and capital costs dictate an MEC’s financial competitiveness against activated sludge treatments. We used numerical methods to investigate the impact of acetate concentration and the distance between opposing anodes’ surfaces (anode interstices width) on MEC cost-performance. Numerical predictions were calibrated against laboratory observations using an evolutionary algorithm. Anode interstices width had a non-linear impact on ORR and therefore allowable cost. MECs could be financially competitive if anode interstices widths are carefully controlled (2.5 mm), material costs kept low (£5–10/m2-anode), and wastewater pre-treated, using hydrolysis to consistently achieve influent acetate concentrations >100 mg-COD/l. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:08:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9d2a4a53a1bb4793ac845598a6482879 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-2718 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T13:08:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Chemical Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-9d2a4a53a1bb4793ac845598a64828792022-12-21T23:44:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemical Engineering2673-27182022-02-01310.3389/fceng.2021.796805796805The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater TreatmentDaniel C. AikenThomas P. CurtisElizabeth S. HeidrichMicrobial electrolysis cells (MECs) are yet to achieve commercial viability. Organic removal rates (ORR) and capital costs dictate an MEC’s financial competitiveness against activated sludge treatments. We used numerical methods to investigate the impact of acetate concentration and the distance between opposing anodes’ surfaces (anode interstices width) on MEC cost-performance. Numerical predictions were calibrated against laboratory observations using an evolutionary algorithm. Anode interstices width had a non-linear impact on ORR and therefore allowable cost. MECs could be financially competitive if anode interstices widths are carefully controlled (2.5 mm), material costs kept low (£5–10/m2-anode), and wastewater pre-treated, using hydrolysis to consistently achieve influent acetate concentrations >100 mg-COD/l.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2021.796805/fullcostviabilityrationalcommericalanodedesign |
| spellingShingle | Daniel C. Aiken Thomas P. Curtis Elizabeth S. Heidrich The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment Frontiers in Chemical Engineering cost viability rational commerical anode design |
| title | The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment |
| title_full | The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment |
| title_fullStr | The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment |
| title_short | The Rational Design of a Financially Viable Microbial Electrolysis Cell for Domestic Wastewater Treatment |
| title_sort | rational design of a financially viable microbial electrolysis cell for domestic wastewater treatment |
| topic | cost viability rational commerical anode design |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fceng.2021.796805/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielcaiken therationaldesignofafinanciallyviablemicrobialelectrolysiscellfordomesticwastewatertreatment AT thomaspcurtis therationaldesignofafinanciallyviablemicrobialelectrolysiscellfordomesticwastewatertreatment AT elizabethsheidrich therationaldesignofafinanciallyviablemicrobialelectrolysiscellfordomesticwastewatertreatment AT danielcaiken rationaldesignofafinanciallyviablemicrobialelectrolysiscellfordomesticwastewatertreatment AT thomaspcurtis rationaldesignofafinanciallyviablemicrobialelectrolysiscellfordomesticwastewatertreatment AT elizabethsheidrich rationaldesignofafinanciallyviablemicrobialelectrolysiscellfordomesticwastewatertreatment |