IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v254y2025ics0960148125013564.html

Microelectric field enhances microbial fuel cell liquid-phase mass transfer to increase power output: An experimental and multi-physics field simulation study

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Hongzhou
  • Chen, Tiezhu
  • Li, Jianchang

Abstract

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a renewable energy technology. However, low power output remains the primary constraint in their commercialization. We have previously shown that MFC-microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) coupling based on the principle of electric field superposition can improve the power output of MFC. In this study, a multiphysics field simulation model was developed based on the MFC-MEC. We further evaluated the effect of a microelectric field (MF) on liquid-phase mass transfer (LPMT). The results showed that the total electromigration and diffusion fluxes of the MFC-MEC with shared anode (SA-MFC) were approximately 2–5-fold higher compared to the control, suggesting that MF improved LPMT. Notably, electromigration fluxes of SA-MFC accounted for 51.1 % of LPMT fluxes, which were higher than those in the control group (31.7 %), indicating that electromigration dominated the electrode region. The LPMT exhibited a synergistic relationship with the internal resistance and reaction rate, and the enhancement of the LPMT was beneficial for reducing the internal resistance and accelerating the reaction rate, which effectively improved the performance of the MFC. Hence, the enhancement of the LPMT is a critical step in improving the performance of MFC and provides new insights for further improving the performance of MFC.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Hongzhou & Chen, Tiezhu & Li, Jianchang, 2025. "Microelectric field enhances microbial fuel cell liquid-phase mass transfer to increase power output: An experimental and multi-physics field simulation study," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:254:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125013564
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2025.123694
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148125013564
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2025.123694?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oliveira, V.B. & Simões, M. & Melo, L.F. & Pinto, A.M.F.R., 2013. "A 1D mathematical model for a microbial fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 463-471.
    2. Liu, Hong-zhou & Chen, Tie-zhu & Wang, Nan & Zhang, Yu-rui & Li, Jian-chang, 2024. "A new strategy for improving MFC power output by shared electrode MFC–MEC coupling," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 359(C).
    3. Li, Boyu & Fan, Xing & Yu, Senshen & Xia, Hongying & Nong, Yonghong & Bian, Junping & Sun, Mingyu & Zi, Wenhua, 2023. "Microwave heating of biomass waste residues for sustainable bioenergy and biomass materials preparation: A parametric simulation study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    4. Oliot, Manon & Galier, Sylvain & Roux de Balmann, Hélène & Bergel, Alain, 2016. "Ion transport in microbial fuel cells: Key roles, theory and critical review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1682-1704.
    5. Yang, Wei & Li, Jun & Fu, Qian & Zhang, Liang & Wei, Zidong & Liao, Qiang & Zhu, Xun, 2021. "Minimizing mass transfer losses in microbial fuel cells: Theories, progresses and prospectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rousseau, Raphaël & Etcheverry, Luc & Roubaud, Emma & Basséguy, Régine & Délia, Marie-Line & Bergel, Alain, 2020. "Microbial electrolysis cell (MEC): Strengths, weaknesses and research needs from electrochemical engineering standpoint," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    2. Theofilos Kamperidis & Asimina Tremouli & Antonis Peppas & Gerasimos Lyberatos, 2022. "A 2D Modelling Approach for Predicting the Response of a Two-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell to Substrate Concentration and Electrolyte Conductivity Changes," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    3. Fang, Shuo & Zhang, Yufeng & Zou, Yuezhang & Sang, Shengtian & Liu, Xiaowei, 2017. "Structural design and analysis of a passive DMFC supplied with concentrated methanol solution," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 50-61.
    4. Fang, Shuo & Zhang, Yufeng & Ma, Zezhong & Sang, Shengtian & Liu, Xiaowei, 2016. "Systemic modeling and analysis of DMFC stack for behavior prediction in system-level application," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 1015-1023.
    5. Sona Kazemi & Melissa Barazandegan & Madjid Mohseni & Khalid Fatih, 2016. "Systematic Study of Separators in Air-Breathing Flat-Plate Microbial Fuel Cells—Part 2: Numerical Modeling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-16, January.
    6. Mashkour, Mehrdad & Rahimnejad, Mostafa & Mashkour, Mahdi & Soavi, Francesca, 2021. "Increasing bioelectricity generation in microbial fuel cells by a high-performance cellulose-based membrane electrode assembly," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(PA).
    7. Yang, Jie & Li, Conghui & Ma, Kai & Liu, Hongru & Guo, Shiliang, 2024. "Multi-energy pricing strategy for port integrated energy systems based on contract mechanism," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    8. Hidalgo, Diana & Tommasi, Tonia & Cauda, Valentina & Porro, Samuele & Chiodoni, Angelica & Bejtka, Katarzyna & Ruggeri, Bernardo, 2014. "Streamlining of commercial Berl saddles: A new material to improve the performance of microbial fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 615-623.
    9. Ortiz-Martínez, V.M. & Salar-García, M.J. & Touati, K. & Hernández-Fernández, F.J. & de los Ríos, A.P. & Belhoucine, F. & Berrabbah, A. Alioua, 2016. "Assessment of spinel-type mixed valence Cu/Co and Ni/Co-based oxides for power production in single-chamber microbial fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1241-1249.
    10. Tafaoli-Masoule, M. & Bahrami, A. & Elsayed, E.M., 2014. "Optimum design parameters and operating condition for maximum power of a direct methanol fuel cell using analytical model and genetic algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 643-652.
    11. Singh, Aradhana & Ieropoulos, Ioannis A., 2025. "Enhancing microbial fuel cell performance using ceramic additive as biomedia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    12. Wang, Zhongli & Zhang, Baogang & Jiang, Yufeng & Li, Yunlong & He, Chao, 2018. "Spontaneous thallium (I) oxidation with electricity generation in single-chamber microbial fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 33-42.
    13. Raimonds Valdmanis & Maija Zake, 2025. "Selective Microwave Pretreatment of Biomass Mixtures for Sustainable Energy Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-20, July.
    14. Ismail, Zainab Z. & Habeeb, Ali A., 2017. "Experimental and modeling study of simultaneous power generation and pharmaceutical wastewater treatment in microbial fuel cell based on mobilized biofilm bearers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 1256-1265.
    15. Cerrillo, Míriam & Viñas, Marc & Bonmatí, August, 2018. "Anaerobic digestion and electromethanogenic microbial electrolysis cell integrated system: Increased stability and recovery of ammonia and methane," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 178-189.
    16. Christwardana, Marcelinus & Frattini, Domenico & Duarte, Kimberley D.Z. & Accardo, Grazia & Kwon, Yongchai, 2019. "Carbon felt molecular modification and biofilm augmentation via quorum sensing approach in yeast-based microbial fuel cells," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 239-248.
    17. Garg, A. & Lam, Jasmine Siu Lee, 2017. "Design of explicit models for estimating efficiency characteristics of microbial fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 136-156.
    18. Toczyłowska-Mamińska, Renata & Pielech-Przybylska, Katarzyna & Sekrecka-Belniak, Anna & Dziekońska-Kubczak, Urszula, 2020. "Stimulation of electricity production in microbial fuel cells via regulation of syntrophic consortium development," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    19. Olabi, A.G. & Abdelkareem, Mohammad Ali, 2022. "Renewable energy and climate change," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    20. Guo, Shuai & Wang, Xuhai & Gao, Long & Zhao, Chenchen & Li, Xingcan & Song, Dean, 2025. "Co-hydrothermal carbonization of tobacco stems assisted by activated carbon from coal-gasification fine slag: Efficient wastewater purification and enhanced combustion performance of co-hydrochar," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:254:y:2025:i:c:s0960148125013564. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.