LOW-VOLTAGE ALKALINE PRODUCTION FROM BRINES

• US 20100200419A1
• Filed: 02/10/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Original Assignee: Calera Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Matt, Seeker, William Randall, Albrecht, Thomas A., Decker, Valentin, Gilliam, Ryan J., Jalani, Nikhil, Boggs, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US12/703,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20100200419A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/351
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/326 in electrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4618 for producing "ionised" acidic or basic water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/04 by electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/151 Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2

Abstract

An alkaline production system comprising an electrochemistry unit comprising a hydrogen-oxidizing anode in communication with a cathode electrolyte; wherein the electrochemistry unit is operably connected to a carbon sequestration system configured to sequester carbon dioxide with the cathode electrolyte. In another embodiment, an electrochemistry unit comprising a hydrogen-oxidizing anode in communication with a cathode electrolyte; and a carbon sequestration system configured to sequester carbon dioxide with the cathode electrolyte; and methods thereof.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an electrochemistry unit comprising a hydrogen-oxidizing anode in communication with a cathode electrolyte;

wherein

the electrochemistry unit is operably connected to a carbon sequestration system configured to sequester carbon dioxide with the cathode electrolyte.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a brine production system configured to provide cations to the cathode electrolyte.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the cathode electrolyte comprises added carbon dioxide.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the cathode electrolyte comprises hydroxide ions and/or carbonate ions.

8. The system of claim 5, configured to produce hydrogen and hydroxide ions at a cathode in contact with the cathode electrolyte, and oxidize hydrogen to protons at an anode in contact with an anode electrolyte without producing a gas at the anode, with a voltage applied across the anode and cathode.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the voltage is less than 3V.

10. The system of claim 9, configured to produce an acid in the anode electrolyte.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising an acid dissolution system configured to produce divalent cations with the acid.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein carbon dioxide is contained in an industrial waste gas.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the carbon dioxide is sequestered as carbonate and/or bicarbonate.

3. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. A method comprising:

oxidizing hydrogen to protons at a hydrogen-oxidizing anode in communication with a cathode electrolyte; and

sequestering carbon dioxide with the cathode electrolyte.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising providing cations from a brine to the cathode electrolyte.

23. The method of claim 20, comprising adding carbon dioxide to the cathode electrolyte.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising producing hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions at a cathode in contact with the cathode electrolyte without producing a gas at the anode, by applying a voltage across the anode and cathode.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the voltage is less than 3V.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the cathode electrolyte comprises hydroxide ions and/or bicarbonate ions and/or carbonate ions.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising separating cations and anions from the brine to produce an ion-depleted brine.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising producing an acid in the anode electrolyte.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein carbon dioxide is contained in an industrial waste gas.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the carbon dioxide is sequestered as carbonate and/or bicarbonate.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

34. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)

38. A system comprising:

a hydrogen-oxidizing anode in communication with a cathode electrolyte comprising bicarbonate ions; and

a

and a brine production system configured to provide cations to the cathode electrolyte.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the cathode electrolyte comprises added carbon dioxide.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the cathode electrolyte comprises hydroxide ions and/or carbonate ions.

43. The system of claim 41, wherein the cations comprises sodium ions.

44. The system of claim 43, configured to produce hydrogen and hydroxide ions at a cathode in contact with the cathode electrolyte, and oxidize hydrogen to protons at an anode in contact with an anode electrolyte without producing a gas at the anode, with a voltage applied across the anode and cathode.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the voltage is less than 3V.

50. The system of claim 45, further comprising a carbon sequestration system configured to sequester carbon dioxide with the cathode electrolyte.

51. The system of claim 41, wherein carbon dioxide is contained in an industrial waste gas.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the carbon dioxide is sequestered as carbonate and/or bicarbonate.

39. (canceled)

42. (canceled)

46. (canceled)

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

49. (canceled)

53. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

55. (canceled)

56. (canceled)

57. (canceled)

58. (canceled)

59. A method comprising:

oxidizing hydrogen to protons at a hydrogen-oxidizing anode in communication with a cathode electrolyte comprising bicarbonate ions; and

providing cations from a brine to the cathode electrolyte.

62. The method of claim 59, comprising adding carbon dioxide to the cathode electrolyte.

63. The method of claim 62, comprising producing hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions at a cathode in contact with the cathode electrolyte without producing a gas at the anode, by applying a voltage across the anode and cathode.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein the voltage is less than 3V.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the cathode electrolyte comprises hydroxide ions and/or carbonate ions.

66. The method of claim 65, comprising separating cations and anions from the brines to produce an ion-depleted brine.

67. The method of claim 66, comprising producing an acid in the anode electrolyte.

71. The method of claim 67, further comprising configuring a carbon sequestration system to sequester carbon dioxide with the cathode electrolyte.

72. The method of claim 62, wherein carbon dioxide is contained in an industrial waste gas.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the carbon dioxide is sequestered as carbonate and/or bicarbonate.

76. The method of claim 73, comprising generating hydrogen gas and hydroxide ions by reducing water at the cathode.

60. (canceled)

61. (canceled)

68. (canceled)

69. (canceled)

70. (canceled)

74. (canceled)

75. (canceled)

77. (canceled)

78. (canceled)

79. (canceled)

80. (canceled)