Fluid Dynamic Modeling for Microbial Fuel Cell Based Biosensor Optimization

The present work investigates the fluid dynamic distribution in two different geometries of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs), a squared shape MFC and a drop‐like one, and explores their use as possible biosensors. For both architectures, air‐cathode single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) with an in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fuel cells (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2017-10, Vol.17 (5), p.627-634
Main Authors: Massaglia, G., Gerosa, M., Agostino, V., Cingolani, A., Sacco, A., Saracco, G., Margaria, V., Quaglio, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biochemical fuel cells
Biosensors
Computational fluid dynamics
Computer simulation
Drop‐like SCMFC
Dynamic models
Electrical measurement
Electrolytic cells
Flow velocity
Fluid Dynamic Simulations
Fluid dynamics
Fuel cells
Microorganisms
Navier-Stokes equations
Sensitivity analysis
Single Chamber Microbial Fuel Cell (SCFMC)
Sodium acetate
Sodium Acetate Biosensor
Square SCMFC
Three dimensional printing
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Summary:The present work investigates the fluid dynamic distribution in two different geometries of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs), a squared shape MFC and a drop‐like one, and explores their use as possible biosensors. For both architectures, air‐cathode single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) with an inner volume of 12.5 mL have been developed. Simulations based on Navier‐Stokes equations were used to investigate the motion of fluid, i.e., the electrolyte, inside the MFCs. The aim was to define the effective exposed area for each introduced architecture, and to correlate this parameter to the variation of the device performances in terms of current densities, together with their response to the variation of sodium acetate concentration. For this purpose, the fluid dynamic simulations have been implemented using two different flow rate values, namely, 12.5 mL h−1 and 100 mL h−1. The experimental amperometric response of drop‐like SCMFCs and squared shape SCMFCs, fabricated by 3D printing, have been correlated with the variation of sodium acetate concentration and the relative sensitivity analyzed. The optimized drop‐like SCMFC showed the better behavior, with an effective concentration of sodium acetate close to the nominal one and an improved sensitivity for high flow rates.
ISSN:1615-6846
1615-6854
DOI:10.1002/fuce.201700026