Towards the practical application of bioelectrochemical anaerobic digestion (BEAD): Insights into electrode materials, reactor configurations, and process designs

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) 2020-10, Vol.184, p.116214-116214, Article 116214
• Main Authors: Park, Jun-Gyu, Jiang, Daqian, Lee, Beom, Jun, Hang-Bae
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bioelectrochemical anaerobic digestion (BEAD); Electrode materials; Practical application; Processes design; Reactor configurations
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2020.116214

•Mechanisms of BEAD are reviewed.•Engineering strategies for practical application of BEAD are summarized.•Stainless steel electrodes and bulk solution are potentially promising strategies to improve the scalability of BEAD.•Process integration and intermittent voltage supply can widen the applicability of BEAD. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is one of the most widely adopted bioenergy recovery technologies globally. Despite the wide adoption, AD has been challenged by the unstable performances caused by imbalanced substrate and/or electron availability among different reaction steps. Bioelectrochemical anaerobic digestion (BEAD) is a promising concept that has demonstrated potential for balancing the electron transfer rates and enhancing the methane yield in AD during shocks. While great progress has been made, a wide range of, and sometimes inconsistent engineering and technical strategies were attempted to improve BEAD. To consolidate past efforts and guide future development, a comprehensive review of the fundamental bioprocesses in BEAD is provided herein, followed by a critical evaluation of the engineering and technical optimizations attempted thus far. Further, a few novel directions and strategies that can enhance the performance and practicality of BEAD are proposed for future research to consider. This review and outlook aim to provide a fundamental understanding of BEAD and inspire new research ideas in AD and BEAD in a mechanism-informed fashion.