System and method for oxidizing organic compounds while reducing carbon dioxide

• US 8,821,709 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avantium Knowledge Centre B.V. (Avantium NV)
• Original Assignee: Liquid Light, Inc. (Avantium NV)
• Inventors: Teamey, Kyle, Kaczur, Jerry J., Sivasankar, Narayanappa, Majsztrik, Paul, Cole, Emily Barton, Bocarsly, Andrew B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Edna
• Application Number:
  US13/724,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20130118910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 620 Days
• Field of Search: 205/413, 205/440, 205/446, 205/448, 205/450, 205/455, 205/555, 205/464
• US Class Current: 205/413
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 1/26 starting from organic compounds containing only halogen atoms as hetero-atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/149 with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/58 by elimination of halogen, e.g. by hydrogenolysis, splitting-off C07C29/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/02 from salts of carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/15 by reaction of organic compounds with carbon dioxide, e.g. Kolbe-Schmitt synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 51/367 by introduction of functional groups containing oxygen only in singly bound form
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 67/08 by reacting carboxylic acids or symmetrical anhydrides with the hydroxy or O-metal group of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/00 Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 1/24 Halogens or compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 13/08 based on organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/00 Operating or servicing cells
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 15/08 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/00 Electrolytic production of organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/23 Oxidation halogenation C25B3/27
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/25 Reduction
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/27 Halogenation
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 3/29 Coupling reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/19 with diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/23 comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 : Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 : Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/582 : Recycling of unreacted starting or intermediate materials

Abstract

Methods and systems for electrochemically generating an oxidation product and a reduction product may include one or more operations including, but not limited to: receiving a feed of at least one organic compound into an anolyte region of an electrochemical cell including an anode; at least partially oxidizing the at least one organic compound at the anode to generate at least carbon dioxide; receiving a feed including carbon dioxide into a catholyte region of the electrochemical cell including a cathode; and at least partially reducing carbon dioxide to generate a reduction product at the cathode.

Claims

1. A method for at least partially simultaneously electrochemically generating carbon dioxide and a reduction product, the method comprising:

receiving a feed of at least one organic compound into an anolyte region of an electrochemical cell including an anode, the feed of at least one organic compound includes an aqueous solution of the organic compound, the at least one organic compound is selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, an aromatic, a carboxylic acid, an aldehyde, a ketone, an alcohol, a phenol, a sugar, a glycol, and a halogenated organic compound;

receiving a feed including carbon dioxide into a catholyte region of the electrochemical cell including a cathode; and

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient for at least partially oxidizing the at least one organic compound at the anode to generate at least carbon dioxide and at least partially reducing carbon dioxide at the cathode to generate a reduction product, wherein the feed including carbon dioxide includes at least one of a feed including the carbon dioxide generated at the anode and a supplemental feed including carbon dioxide.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the anode includes an electrocatalyst including at least one of lead dioxide, tin oxides, conductive titanium sub-oxides or boron doped diamond.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the feed including carbon dioxide includes at least one of a feed including the carbon dioxide generated at the anode and a supplemental feed including carbon dioxide.

3. A method for at least partially simultaneously electrochemically generating carbon dioxide and a reduction product, the method comprising:

receiving a feed of at least one organic compound into an anolyte region of an electrochemical cell including an anode, the at least one organic compound is selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, an aromatic, a carboxylic acid, an aldehyde, a ketone, an alcohol, a phenol, a sugar, a glycol, and a halogenated organic compound;

receiving a feed including carbon dioxide into a catholyte region of the electrochemical cell including a cathode; and

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient for at least partially oxidizing the at least one organic compound at the anode to generate at least carbon dioxide and at least partially reducing carbon dioxide at the cathode to generate a reduction product, wherein the feed of at least one organic compound includes an aqueous solution of the organic compound.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the anode includes an electrocatalyst including at least one of lead dioxide, tin oxides, conductive titanium sub-oxides or boron doped diamond.

6. A method for at least partially simultaneously electrochemically generating carbon dioxide and a reduction product, the method comprising:

receiving a feed of at least one organic compound into an anolyte region of an electrochemical cell including an anode, the at least one organic compound is selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, an aromatic, a carboxylic acid, an aldehyde, a ketone, an alcohol, a phenol, a sugar, a glycol, and a halogenated organic compound;

receiving a feed including carbon dioxide into a catholyte region of the electrochemical cell including a cathode; and

applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient for at least partially oxidizing the at least one organic compound at the anode to generate at least carbon dioxide and at least partially reducing carbon dioxide at the cathode to generate a reduction product, wherein the anode includes an electrocatalyst including at least one of lead dioxide, tin oxides, conductive titanium sub-oxides and boron doped diamond.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the feed including carbon dioxide includes at least one of a feed including the carbon dioxide generated at the anode and a supplemental feed including carbon dioxide.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the feed of at least one organic compound includes an aqueous solution of the organic compound.