CO₂utilization in electrochemical systems

摘要

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.

主权项

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.