Photolytic oxygenator with carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen separation and fixation

• US 7,883,610 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Original Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
• Inventors: Burckle, Eric C., Monzyk, Bruce F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam X
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh; Bach T
• Application Number:
  US10/525,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20060102468A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,728 Days
• Field of Search: 204/292, 204/275, 204/252, 422/186.3, 422/186
• US Class Current: 204/252
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/62 Carbon oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/965 including an electrochemical process step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 13/0207 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 15/01 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/042 Decomposition of water
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/55 Photoelectrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/00 Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 of CO2
• 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

Apparatus for oxygenating an enclosed space as well as removing carbon dioxide from the enclosed space. The apparatus comprises a photolytic cell (16) having an anode compartment with a photo-active surface having the ability to convert water to oxygen; a cathode compartment having the ability to convert carbon dioxide and hydrogen to a solid or liquid medium; and a light source (20) for providing light photons (21) to said photolytic cell and activating the photo-reactive surface.

Claims

1. A photolytic apparatus for oxygenating and removing carbon dioxide from a confined volume comprising:

a photolytic cell having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment;

the anode compartment containing, in sequence, a transparent window or waveguide, an anode conductor layer, a photo-reactive surface having the ability to convert water to oxygen, and an anolyte flowpath;

the cathode compartment having an inlet, an outlet, and a cathode having the ability to convert carbon dioxide, electrons, and hydrogen ions into a solid or liquid medium;

a light source for providing light photons to said photolytic cell and activating the photo-reactive surface;

a carbon source connected to a gas/liquid contactor that is connected to into the cathode compartment inlet; and

a liquid/solid separator connected to the cathode compartment outlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said photo-reactive surface comprises a light-activated catalyst.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light activated catalyst is a metal oxide catalyst comprising anatase (TiO₂), WO₃ or ZnO, combinations thereof, with or without performance enhancing dopants.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said light-activated catalyst converts, when photolytically irradiated, water to hydrogen ions, electrons and active oxygen.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said active oxygen formed during photolysis is hydrogen peroxide or other forms of oxygen gas precursors.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said electrons generated during photolysis are then electrically conducted away to avoid reversal of the reaction.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said active oxygen formed during photolysis is converted by a disproportionation catalyst into dissolved oxygen.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said disproportionation catalyst is MnO₂.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light at 350-500 nm.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide and hydrogen ion are converted to a carbonate solid.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrogen ion is reacted with a substrate to produce a non-gaseous substance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate is an electrochemically reducible compound.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the photo-reactive surface comprises a light transparent substrate and a photolytic coating.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said photolytic coating comprises a layer of a light activated catalyst which converts, when photolytically irradiated, water to hydrogen ions, electrons and active oxygen.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said photolytic coating further comprises a disproportionation catalyst which converts active oxygen to dissolved oxygen.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide and hydrogen ion are converted to an inorganic or organic carbon based compound.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the confined volume is a breathing space.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the confined volume is a confined volume of gas.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source emits visible light.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source emits ultraviolet light.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cathode is electrically connected to the anode.

22. A photolytic apparatus for oxygenating and removing carbon dioxide in order to maintain a proper physiological environment comprising:

a photolytic cell having an anode compartment and a cathode compartment,

(a) said anode compartment having an inlet, an outlet, an anode conductor, and a photo-reactive surface which has the ability to convert water in an aqueous solution to dissolved oxygen, hydrogen ions and electrons upon light activation, and

(b) said cathode compartment having an inlet, an outlet, and a cathode conductor, wherein said cathode conductor is connected to said anode conductor;

a light source adapted to provide photons to the photo-reactive surface;

an O₂ gas separator having an inlet, a gas outlet, and a liquid outlet;

a gas/liquid contactor having a gas inlet, a liquid inlet, and an outlet;

a carbon source; and

a liquid/solid separator;

wherein the O₂ gas separator inlet is connected to the anode compartment outlet, the O₂ gas separator liquid outlet is connected to the anode compartment inlet, and the O₂ gas separator gas outlet is connected to an associated gas source;

the liquid inlet of the gas/liquid contactor is connected to the carbon source, the gas inlet of the gas/liquid contactor is connected to the associated gas source, and the outlet of the gas/liquid contactor is connected to the cathode compartment inlet; and

the cathode compartment outlet is connected to the liquid/solid separator.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the anode compartment and the cathode compartment are separated by a membrane.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said membrane allows for the flow of hydrogen ions from the anode compartment to the cathode compartment.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the photolytic cell comprises a mesoporous material.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said photo-reactive surface comprises a layer of a light activated photolytic catalyst.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said light activated photolytic catalyst is a metal oxide comprising TiO₂ (anatase), WO₃, ZnO, or combinations thereof.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said light-activated photolytic catalyst converts water into active oxygen.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the light activated photolytic catalyst further comprises a performance enhancing dopant.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light at 350-500 nm.

31. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said photo-reactive surface further comprises a disproportionation catalyst.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein said disproportionation catalyst includes at least one of Fe^II, Fe^III, Cu^I, Cu^II, Co^II, Co^III, Mn^II, Mn^III, Mn^IV, and MnO₂.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said catalyst is MnO₂.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said disproportionation catalyst converts active oxygen to dissolved oxygen.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said cell is constructed from mesoporous materials.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said cell is constructed of self-assembled monolayers on mesoporous supports.

37. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said photolytic cell comprises a transparent substrate and a photolytic coating comprising a first disposed layer of TiO₂ (anatase) and a second disposed layer of MnO₂.

38. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said cell is constructed from mesoporous materials.

39. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the anode compartment and the cathode compartment are separated by a cationic membrane.

40. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the anode conductor and cathode conductor are located on opposite surfaces of the photolytic cell.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the anode conductor and cathode conductor are located on opposite walls of the photolytic cell.

42. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the anode conductor and the cathode conductor are electrically connected to each other.