On the repeatability and reproducibility of experimental two-chambered microbial fuel cells

• Published in: Fuel (Guildford) Vol. 88; no. 10; pp. 1852 - 1857
• Main Authors: Larrosa, A., Lozano, L.J., Katuri, K.P., Head, I., Scott, K., Godinez, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-10-2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biochemical fuel cells; Biomass; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental capability; Fuel cells; Microbial fuel cell; Microorganisms; Natural energy; Repeatability; Reproducibility; Standard deviation; Voltage; Waste water; Microbial fuel cell; Biomass; Experimental capability; Waste water; Biotechnology; Polymer electrolytes; Reproducibility; Standards; Fuel cell
• ISSN: 0016-2361; 1873-7153
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fuel.2009.04.026

The capability of the experimental systems used in two-chambered microbial fuel cell experimentation was tested in terms of repeatability and reproducibility. The optimal number of replicates needed to discriminate between responses of technical interest, both in open-circuit and closed-circuit experiments was studied. For
N
=
4 replicates, these differences were set to 9.0% COD
R
units, 261
mV and 63
mg/L in VFAs for open-circuit experiments and 3.6%, 30.2
mV and 45
mg/L in closed circuit experiments. Cycling operation with several reactor refills using fresh wastewater and keeping the same biofilm between cycles almost has no influence in COD
R
and VFAs but voltage standard deviation reduces by one half between the first and fourth cycle. This study takes part by the option of increasing the number of replicates because although it may have lower repeatability, the amount of data generated per unit time is larger than running the experiments in cycles.