기질 농도에 따른 미생물전기분해전지의 운전 특성

Effect of substrate concentration on the operating characteristics of microbial electrolysis cells

본 연구는 주입 기질 농도에 따른 미생물전기분해전지 (Microbial electrolysis cell, MEC)의 운전성능을 조사하였다. 주입 기질 농도에 따른 MEC의 운전 성능을 비교하기 위해 6 개의 실험실 규모 MEC를 2, 4, 6 g/L Sodium acetate 조건으로 순서대로 주입 농도를 증가시켜 운전하였다. 전류밀도, 수소 생산량, SCOD 제거율을 분석하였고, 에너지 효율, cathodic hydrogen recovery를 계산하여 주입 기질 농도 별 MEC의 운전성능을 비교하였다. 체적 전류밀도는 4 g/L 조건에서 76.3 A/m3였고, 6 g/L로 주입 농도를 증가시켰을 때 19.0 A/m3로 4 g/L 주입 조건에 비해 75% 감소하였다. 수소 생산량은 4 g/L 주입 조건이 47.3 ± 16.8 mL로 가장 높았으나 수소 수율은 2 g/L 주입 조건이1.1 L H2/g CODin로 가장 높았다. 에너지 효율 역시 2 g/L 조건에서 가장 높았고, 6 g/L 조건에서 가장 낮은 결과를보여주었다. 최대 전기에너지 효율은 76.4%였으며, 2 g/L 조건에서 최대 전체에너지 효율은 39.7%였다. 그러나기질 농도가 6 g/L로 증가하였을 때, 성능이 급격히 감소하였다. Cathodic hydrogen recovery 역시 에너지 효율과유사한 경향을 보였으며, 가장 낮은 농도 조건에서 가장 높은 성능을 보여주었다. 따라서 MEC 운전에 있어서SCOD 제거율뿐만 아니라 에너지 효율 등을 고려한 최적 운전을 위해서는 낮은 주입 농도 조건에서 운전하는것이 바람직할 것으로 판단된다.

This study examined the effect of input substrate concentration on hydrogen production of microbial electrolysis cells. To compare the performance of MEC according to the input substrate concentration, six laboratory-scale MEC reactors were operated by sequentially increasing the input substrate concentration from 2 g/L of sodium acetate, to 4 g/L, and 6 g/L. The current density, hydrogen production, and SCOD removal rate were analyzed, and energy efficiency and cathodic hydrogen recovery were calculated to compare the performance of MEC. The maximum volumetric current density was obtained at 4 g/L condition (76.3 A/m3) and it decreased to 19.0 A/m3, when the input concentration was increased to 6 g/L, which was a 75% decrease compared to the 4 g/L input condition. Maximum hydrogen production was obtained also at 4 g/L condition (47.3 ± 16.8 mL), but maximum hydrogen yield was obtained at 2 g/L input condition (1.1 L H2/g CODin). Energy efficiencies were also highest in 2 g/L condition; the lowest result was observed at 6 g/L condition. Maximum electrical energy efficiency was 76.4%, and the maximum overall energy efficiency was 39.7% at 2 g/L condition. However, when the substrate concentration increased to 6 g/L, the performance was drastically decreased. Cathodic hydrogen recovery also showed a similar tendency with energy efficiency, with the lowest concentration condition showing the best performance. It can be concluded that operating at low input substrate concentration might be better when considering not only hydrogen yield but also energy efficiency.