Mathematical Modeling of Microbial Fuel Cells in Wastewater Treatment - Homotopy Perturbation Method

Abstract

Mathematical modeling of Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC), which accounts for the co-existence of methanogenic and anodophilic microbial populations for different operating modes and reactor configurations, is discussed. This model based on the system of non-linear rate equations, where the non-linear term is related to the rate of the reactions. The system of non-linear equations is solved by using homotopy perturbation method. In this paper closed form of analytical expression of the concentration of substrate, anodophilic, methanogenic, and the mediator is derived. The analytical expressions are compared with simulation results for the experimental values of parameters, and satisfactory agreement is noted. The influence of parameters on the concentration profiles are discussed.