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Self-standing Electrochemical Set-up to Enrich Anode-respiring Bacteria On-site

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Published on: July 24, 2018

High-rate microbial electrosynthesis using a zero-gap flow cell and vapor-fed anode design.

Gahyun Baek¹, Ruggero Rossi², Pascal E Saikaly³

¹Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Penn State University, 231Q Sackett Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States; Environmental Research Group, Research Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (RIST), 67 Cheongam-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 37673 Republic of Korea.

|May 24, 2022

Summary

This study improved microbial electrosynthesis (MES) by using a novel zero-gap reactor design. This enhanced renewable energy conversion to valuable chemicals like methane and acetate, overcoming previous rate limitations.

Keywords:

Carbon capture and utilization Microbial electrosynthesis Vapor-fed anode Zero-gap electrode design

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Electrochemically and Bioelectrochemically Induced Ammonium Recovery

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Published on: January 22, 2015

Area of Science:

Bioelectrochemical Engineering
Renewable Energy Conversion
Microbial Electrosynthesis (MES)

Background:

Microbial electrosynthesis (MES) offers a sustainable route for converting CO2 into valuable chemicals using renewable energy.
Low production rates and pH instability in conventional MES systems limit their practical application.
Existing bioelectrochemical systems suffer from high internal resistance, hindering efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and evaluate a novel MES reactor configuration to enhance chemical production rates.
To overcome limitations of low efficiency and pH fluctuations in microbial electrosynthesis.
To investigate the impact of a zero-gap electrode configuration and vapor-fed anode on MES performance.

Main Methods:

Developed a zero-gap MES reactor utilizing a cation exchange membrane (CEM) for low internal resistance.
Employed a vapor-fed anode design to maintain near-neutral pH conditions in the catholyte.
Operated the reactor with a carbon felt cathode inoculated with anaerobic digester sludge and a Ti/Pt catalyst anode.

Main Results:

Achieved significantly low ohmic resistance (2.4 ± 0.5 mΩ m²), a substantial improvement over previous systems.
Maintained stable catholyte pH (6.6–7.2) throughout the operation.
Demonstrated high methane production rates (2.9 ± 1.2 L/L-d) and significant acetate (940 ± 250 mmol/m²-d) and propionate (180 ± 30 mmol/m²-d) production.

Conclusions:

The zero-gap configuration and vapor-fed anode effectively enhance MES performance.
This innovative design overcomes key limitations, enabling higher rates of valuable chemical production.
The study highlights the potential of advanced MES reactor designs for sustainable chemical synthesis.