Electrochemical Oxidation of Organic Matter

• US 20100059388A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Intellectual Capital Limited
• Original Assignee: Aic Nevada, Inc.
• Inventors: Kerr, John, Clarke, Robert Lewis, Nair, Vinoid
• Application Number:
  US12/297,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20100059388A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/343
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/092 Wood, cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/093 Coal
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0943 Coke
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0983 Additives
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0989 Hydrocarbons as additives to gasifying agents to improve caloric properties
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1659 to liquid hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/02 Hydrogen or oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0612 from carbon-containing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Carbonaceous feedstock is at least partially oxidized using a concentrated metal ion solution that is regenerated in an electrochemical hydrogen gas producing process. The at least partially oxidized feedstock and/or hydrogen are then advantageously used as an energy carrier in a downstream process.

Claims

1. A method of oxidizing a carbonaceous feedstock, comprising:

combining a metal and a solubility-enhancing compound to form a metal-containing solution;

wherein the solubility-enhancing compound is present at a concentration and has a composition effective to increase solubility of the metal over solubility of the same metal in sulfuric acid in an amount of at least 10%;

wherein the solubility-enhancing compound has a composition effective to resist oxidation under conditions at which the metal is electrochemically oxidized from a reduced form;

combining the carbonaceous feedstock with the metal-containing solution to thereby at least partially oxidize the feedstock and form the reduced form of the metal;

optionally electrochemically regenerating the metal from the reduced form of the metal, wherein the step of regenerating is carried out under conditions effective to produce hydrogen; and

using at least one of the hydrogen and the at least partially oxidized feedstock as an energy carrier in a subsequent reaction.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the carbonaceous feedstock comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a cellulosic material, lignocellulosic material, paper, cotton, plant materials, coal, tar, and coke.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal is a transition metal ion.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the transition metal ion is a period 4 transition metal ion.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the transition metal ion is selected from the group consisting of an iron ion, a copper ion, and a manganese ion.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the solubility-enhancing compound comprises an organic acid that comprises a sulfur atom, and wherein the solubility-enhancing compound is not sulfuric acid.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the solubility-enhancing compound is an optionally substituted alkyl sulfonic acid or an optionally substituted alkyl sulfamic acid.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the solubility-enhancing compound is present at a concentration effective to increase solubility of the metal over solubility of the same metal in sulfuric acid in an amount of at least 50%.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the solubility-enhancing compound is present at a concentration effective to increase solubility of the metal over solubility of the same metal in sulfuric acid in an amount of at least 100%.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal-containing solution has an acid pH of between pH 2.0 and pH 6.0.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of at least partially oxidizing the feedstock is performed at a temperature between 20°

C. and 50°

C.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of at least partially oxidizing the feedstock is performed at a temperature between 50°

C. and 300°

C.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal is electrochemically regenerated.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal is electrochemically regenerated in a divided cell under conditions such that the hydrogen is produced in only one side of the cell without oxygen production in another side of the cell.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrogen is used in a fuel cell to generate energy.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least partially oxidized feedstock is used as a feed component in a fermentation.

17. A liquid intermediate in the oxidation of a carbonaceous feedstock comprising (1) an organic acid other than sulfuric acid, (2) a transition metal ion, and (3) a carbonaceous feedstock selected from the group consisting of an oligosaccharide, a polysaccharide, coal, tar, and coke.

18. The intermediate of claim 17 wherein the organic acid comprises an optionally substituted alkyl sulfonic acid or an optionally substituted alkyl sulfamic acid, optionally further comprising a complexing agent.

19. The intermediate of claim 17 wherein the transition metal ion is selected from the group consisting of an iron ion, a copper ion, and a manganese ion.

20. The intermediate of claim 17 wherein the intermediate is an aqueous intermediate having a pH between 2.0 and 6.0.