Effect of Low Temperature Thermo-Chemical Pretreatment of Dairy Waste Activated Sludge on the Performance of Microbial Fuel Cell

• Published in: International journal of electrochemical science 2014-10, Vol.9 (10), p.5732-5742
• Main Authors: Jayashree, C., Janshi, G., Yeom, I.T., Kumar, S. Adish, Banu, J. Rajesh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: microbial fuel cell; power density; sludge reduction; solubilization; waste activated sludge
• ISSN: 1452-3981; 1452-3981
• DOI: 10.1016/S1452-3981(23)08202-0

This study investigates the influence of low temperature thermo-chemical pretreatment of diary waste activated sludge on the performance of microbial fuel cell. First, effect of sludge pretreatment was evaluated by Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) solubilization and suspended solids (SS) reduction. At optimized condition (70°C for 24 hr), COD solubilization and SS reduction was 29% and 24% higher than control. Second, with 20 days operation at batch mode, H- type microbial fuel cell (MFC) was run with raw and pretreated sludge (external resistance - 300Q). Low temperature thermo-chemical pretreatment improved the Total Chemical Oxygen Demand (TCOD) removal and SS reduction efficiency in the microbial fuel cell up to 54% and 43%, gaining an overall efficiency of 54% TCOD removal and 50% reduction in SS. The power density of the MFC had increased from 0.5W/m3 (raw sludge) to 0.715W/m3 (pretreated sludge). Thus, by combining this pretreatment with MFC, renewable energy could be generated from sludge in addition to treatment.