Continuous electricity generation by a graphite granule baffled air–cathode microbial fuel cell

A baffled air–cathode microbial fuel cell (BAFMFC) was designed and operated under continuous flow. With glucose fed as substrate, an average voltage of 652 mV was obtained under the external resistance of 1000 Ω (30 °C). The maximum power density was 15.2 W/m3 with the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 88.0%. The overall resistance was 13.7 Ω while ohmic internal resistance was 10.8 Ω. Average COD removal rate was 69.7–88.0%, when COD loading varied from 4.11 kg COD/(m3 NAC d) to 16.0  kg COD/(m3 NAC d). The liquid from corn stover steam explosion process (COD = 7160 ± 50 mg/L) was treated by BAFMFC, and the maximum power density was 10.7 W/m3 with the average COD removal rate was 89.1%. The present study indicated BAFMFC can be comparable to the traditional anaerobic baffled reactor in COD removal rate for high-concentration wastewater and have an advantage in energy harvest from wastewater.