The Effect of Organic Substrate on the Energy Output in Microbial Fuel Cells
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
10th Grade
Presentation Topic
Engineering
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Abstract
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a potential source of affordable and renewable energy production. However, they currently are only known to produce small amounts of power, and are not practical for power production. One large factor of the energy output of a MFC is the substrate used. In this experiment, three different substrates, acetic acid, glucose, and a control test of distilled water, were compared in order to determine which would lead to the most power production. It was hypothesized that if acetic acid was used as the substrate, then the energy output would be at its highest. This hypothesis was tested by constructing thirty single-chambered MFCs and using them to test these three substrates thirty times each. Power output was determined by taking voltage readings 3 times a day for four days, and determining an average and peak voltage for each trial. For the purpose of this experiment the direction of the current was not considered. Once average and peak voltages for all trials had been collected, two one-way ANOVA tests were completed to determine if there was a significant difference between the substrates. At α = 0.05, it was found that there was no significant difference between the means of average voltages, F(2.71) = 0.269, p = 0.7648, and that there was no significant difference between the means of the peak voltages, F(2.71) = 1.437, p = 0.2432. It was concluded that there was no significant difference between the the substrates tested, and that the hypothesis was not supported.
Recommended Citation
Drescher, Frederick A., "The Effect of Organic Substrate on the Energy Output in Microbial Fuel Cells" (2015). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 241.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2015/all/241
Start Date
4-11-2015 1:30 PM
End Date
4-11-2015 1:45 PM
The Effect of Organic Substrate on the Energy Output in Microbial Fuel Cells
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a potential source of affordable and renewable energy production. However, they currently are only known to produce small amounts of power, and are not practical for power production. One large factor of the energy output of a MFC is the substrate used. In this experiment, three different substrates, acetic acid, glucose, and a control test of distilled water, were compared in order to determine which would lead to the most power production. It was hypothesized that if acetic acid was used as the substrate, then the energy output would be at its highest. This hypothesis was tested by constructing thirty single-chambered MFCs and using them to test these three substrates thirty times each. Power output was determined by taking voltage readings 3 times a day for four days, and determining an average and peak voltage for each trial. For the purpose of this experiment the direction of the current was not considered. Once average and peak voltages for all trials had been collected, two one-way ANOVA tests were completed to determine if there was a significant difference between the substrates. At α = 0.05, it was found that there was no significant difference between the means of average voltages, F(2.71) = 0.269, p = 0.7648, and that there was no significant difference between the means of the peak voltages, F(2.71) = 1.437, p = 0.2432. It was concluded that there was no significant difference between the the substrates tested, and that the hypothesis was not supported.
