Electricity production from beer brewery wastewater using single chamber microbial fuel cell

The performance of electricity production from beer brewery wastewater in a single chamber membrane-free microbial fuel cell (MFC) was investigated. Experimental results showed that the MFCs could generate electricity from full-strength wastewater (2,239 mg-COD/L, 50 mM PBS added) with the maximum power density of 483 mW/m2 (12 W/m3) at 30°C and 435 mW/m2 (11 W/m3) at 20°C, respectively. Temperature was found to have bigger impact on cathode potential than anode potential. Results suggested that it is feasible to generate electricity with the treatment of beer brewery wastewater.