ABSTRACT
A recently proposed flow-through microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) combined anaerobic and electricigenic degradation pathways of organic matter, resulting in enhanced wastewater treatment and methane production. Research efforts that aim at improving the design and optimizing operating conditions of the flow-through MEC can be accelerated by using a suitable process model. While several microbial fuel cell models have recently been developed, a dynamic model describing a flow-through MEC with a bioanode and a biocathode is still lacking. This work describes a dynamic MEC model where growth and metabolic activities of fermentative, hydrolytic, methanogenic and electroactive microbial populations are accounted for in the anode and cathode compartments. Furthermore, the model is used to compare different electrode compartment arrangements. The model analysis suggests that high purity methane can be produced in the flow-through MEC cathode compartment due to carbon dioxide conversion to methane. While experimental confirmation of these modeling results is required, we predict that wastewater treatment combined with insitu biogas upgrade can be achieved in a flow-through MEC.
