Ricerc@Sapienza

The experimental study reports the performance of a three-chamber Microbial Electrolysis Cell equipped with a two-side cathode, which combines the COD removal in the intermediate anodic chamber, the CO2 removal from a gas mixture in the two-side cathode and the recovery of ammonium as a concentrate solution. The MEC anode was fed by a synthetic dark fermentation effluent with a nitrogen load rate of 1.7 g N/Ld while the two-side cathode was operated with a gas mixture containing CO2.

Here a three-chamber microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) has been developed to couple the CO 2 removal from a gas mixture to the ammonium nitrogen recovery. The here proposed MEC adopted an innovative two-side cathode configuration, where two identic cathodic chambers are connected in parallel by a titanium wire and separated from an intermediate anodic compartment by an anion and a cation exchange membrane (AEM and CEM).

Here, a 12-liter tubular microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) was developed as a post treatment unit for simultaneous biogas upgrading and ammonium recovery from the liquid effluent of an anaerobic digestion process. The MEC configuration adopted a cation exchange membrane to separate the inner anodic chamber and the external cathodic chamber, which were filled with graphite granules.

The utilization of a pilot scale tubular Microbial Electrolysis Cell (MEC), has been tested as an innovative biogas upgrading technology. The bioelectromethanogenesis reaction permits the reduction of the CO2 into CH4 by using a biocathode as electrons donor, while the electroactive oxidation of organic matter in the bioanode partially sustains the energy demand of the process. The MEC has been tested with a synthetic wastewater and biogas by using two different polarization strategies, i.e.