CO 2 utilization in electrochemical systems
First Claim
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1. An electrochemical system comprising:
- (a) a cathode compartment comprising a cathode electrolyte in contact with a cathode, wherein the cathode produces hydrogen gas, and wherein the cathode compartment is operatively connected to a system selected from an industrial waste gas system that delivers carbon dioxide derived from combusting fossil fuels or cement plants to the cathode compartment;
a gas/liquid contactor operatively connected to the industrial waste gas system wherein the gas/liquid contactor contacts the cathode compartment with carbon dioxide from the industrial waste gas system;
or combination thereof;
(b) an anode compartment comprising an anode electrolyte in contact with an anode;
(c) the cathode electrolyte comprising bicarbonate ions wherein the anode electrolyte and the cathode electrolyte have a pH differential of between 6-12;
(d) a hydrogen gas delivery system configured to direct hydrogen gas from the cathode to the anode; and
a Nernst cell voltage of less than 0.8V across the anode and the cathode.
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Abstract
A low-voltage, low-energy electrochemical system and method of removing protons and/or producing a base solution comprising hydroxide and carbonate/bicarbonate ions, utilizing carbon dioxide in a cathode compartment that is partitioned into a first cathode electrolyte compartment and a second cathode electrolyte compartment such that liquid flow between the cathode electrolyte compartments is possible, but wherein gaseous communication between the cathode electrolyte compartments is restricted. Carbon dioxide gas in one cathode electrolyte compartment is utilized with the cathode electrolyte in both compartments to produce the base solution with less that 3V applied across the electrodes.
481 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An electrochemical system comprising:
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(a) a cathode compartment comprising a cathode electrolyte in contact with a cathode, wherein the cathode produces hydrogen gas, and wherein the cathode compartment is operatively connected to a system selected from an industrial waste gas system that delivers carbon dioxide derived from combusting fossil fuels or cement plants to the cathode compartment;
a gas/liquid contactor operatively connected to the industrial waste gas system wherein the gas/liquid contactor contacts the cathode compartment with carbon dioxide from the industrial waste gas system;
or combination thereof;(b) an anode compartment comprising an anode electrolyte in contact with an anode; (c) the cathode electrolyte comprising bicarbonate ions wherein the anode electrolyte and the cathode electrolyte have a pH differential of between 6-12; (d) a hydrogen gas delivery system configured to direct hydrogen gas from the cathode to the anode; and a Nernst cell voltage of less than 0.8V across the anode and the cathode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electrochemical method comprising:
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contacting an anode electrolyte with an anode in an anode compartment wherein the anode oxidizes hydrogen gas to hydrogen ions; contacting a cathode electrolyte with a cathode in a cathode compartment wherein the cathode produces hydroxide ions and hydrogen gas; directing hydrogen gas produced at the cathode to the anode; directing an industrial waste gas comprising carbon dioxide into the cathode electrolyte in the cathode compartment or directing carbon dioxide into the cathode electrolyte from a gas/liquid contactor that is in contact with an industrial waste gas; converting bicarbonate ions to carbonate ions in the cathode electrolyte and producing a pH differential between the anode electrolyte and the cathode electrolyte of between 6-12; and applying a Nernst cell voltage of less than 0.8V across the cathode and the anode. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification