CO;utilization in electrochemical systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electrochemical method comprising:
- contacting an anode electrolyte with an anode in an anode compartment;
contacting a cathode electrolyte with a cathode in a cathode compartment wherein the cathode produces hydroxide ions;
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
contacting the cathode electrolyte with a divalent cation solution to produce divalent cation carbonate and/or bicarbonate compounds, wherein the divalent carbonate and/or bicarbonate compounds comprise calcium, magnesium, or both calcium and magnesium.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
543 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An electrochemical method comprising:
-
contacting an anode electrolyte with an anode in an anode compartment; contacting a cathode electrolyte with a cathode in a cathode compartment wherein the cathode produces hydroxide ions; 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 contacting the cathode electrolyte with a divalent cation solution to produce divalent cation carbonate and/or bicarbonate compounds, wherein the divalent carbonate and/or bicarbonate compounds comprise calcium, magnesium, or both calcium and magnesium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An electrochemical system comprising:
-
(a) a cathode compartment comprising a cathode electrolyte in contact with a cathode wherein the cathode is configured to produce hydroxide ions, 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 electrolyte with the 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; and (d) a carbonate and/or bicarbonate precipitation system operably connected to the cathode compartment and a source of divalent cations and configured to produce divalent cation carbonates and/or divalent cation bicarbonate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification