Scaling up microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) for hydrogen production : Design, construction and operation of a 1 m3 pilot plant in an urban wastewater treatment plant
Guerrero-Sodric, Oscar (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Baeza Labat, Juan Antonio (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)
Guisasola, Albert (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament d'Enginyeria Química, Biològica i Ambiental)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are considered a breakthrough technology in the water-energy nexus frame due to the good results obtained at lab-scale conditions: organic matter degradation with low sludge production and energy recovery as hydrogen. However, the scaling-up of these systems has found significant hurdles and the lab-scale performance has not been achieved at a higher scale. This study comprehensively details the design, construction, and operation of a 1 m MEC pilot plant integrated into an urban wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and fed with primary effluent. The experimental trials conducted showcased the MEC performance under varying operational conditions, achieving a maximum organic matter removal efficiency of 51 % and continuous hydrogen production at a maximum rate of 8. 59 L m d (0. 094 m m d) with synthetic wastewater and 7. 29 L m d (0. 042 m m d at full capacity, 15 cassettes) with real urban primary effluent. These results are comparable to those obtained in pilot MEC at smaller scales (~100 L), demonstrating a good scalability of the proposed prototype. A techno-economic assessment was performed to evaluate the commercial potential of the pilot MEC, considering factors such as revenue from hydrogen production, electricity consumption costs and capital expenses. The outcomes of this study represent a significant advancement in the scale-up of MECs, offering valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with real-world implementation. Further improvements should focus on minimizing material costs, hydrogen leakages and voltage losses to enhance scalability, as well as exploring the applicability of MECs in niches other than urban WWTP.
Grants:	Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-515
Note:	Altres ajuts: acords transformatius de la UAB
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Bioelectrochemical systems ; Hydrogen ; Microbial electrochemical technology ; Microbial electrolysis cell ; Pilot scale ; Wastewater treatment
Published in:	Chemical engineering journal (1996), Vol. 523 (November 2025) , art. 168035, ISSN 1873-3212

DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2025.168035

12 p, 5.7 MB

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