Optimization of process parameters using response surface methodology (RSM) for power generation via electrooxidation of glycerol in T-Shaped air breathing microfluidic fuel cell (MFC)

Abstract

The present work focuses on the optimization of operating parameters using Box Behnken design (BBD) in RSM to obtain maximum power density from a glycerol based air-breathing T-shaped MFC. The major parameters influencing the experiment for enhancing the cell performance in MFC are glycerol/fuel concentration, anode electrolyte/KOH concentration, anode electrocatalyst loading and cathode electrolyte/KOH concentration. The ambient oxygen is used as the oxidant. The acetylene black carbon (CAB) supported laboratory synthesized electrocatalyst Pd–Pt (16:4)/CAB is used as anode electrocatalyst and commercial Pt (40 wt%)/CHSA as the cathode electrocatalyst. The quadratic model predicts the appropriate operating conditions to achieve highest power density from the laboratory designed T-shaped MFC. The p-value of less than 0.0001 and F-value of greater than 1 i.e., 26.32 indicate that the model is significant. The optimum conditions predicted by the RSM model were glycerol concentration of 1.07 M, anode electrolyte concentration of 1.62 M anode electrocatalyst loading of 1.12 mg/cm2 and cathode electrolyte concentration of 0.69 M. The negligible deviation of only 1.07% between actual/experimental power density (2.76 mW/cm2) and predicted power density (2.79 mW/cm2) was recorded. This model reasonably predicts the optimum conditions using Pd–Pt (16:4)/CAB electrocatalyst to obtain maximum power density from glycerol based MFC. © 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC