United States Patent Application: 0130105304
We've presented you with a number of reports documenting the development, by scientists at New Jersey's Princeton University, of technologies whereby Carbon Dioxide, as reclaimed from whatever handy source, can be recycled and consumed in the synthesis of valuable and needed hydrocarbon compounds.
As seen, for one example, in:
West Virginia Coal Association | Princeton University November 20, 2012 CO2 to Ethanol | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent 8,313,634 - Conversion of Carbon Dioxide to Organic Products; 2012; Inventors: Andrew Bocarsly and Emily Barton Cole, NJ; Assignee: Princeton University; Abstract: The invention relates to various embodiments of an environmentally beneficial method for reducing carbon dioxide. Claims: A method of converting carbon dioxide to provide at least one product selected from the group consisting of glyoxal, isopropanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, acetone, acetaldehyde and mixtures thereof";
they've figured out how to make some rather interesting stuff out of Carbon Dioxide. And, their development of such technology, through work originating in the Princeton labs of Andrew Bocarsly, as we've seen and explained, for one instance, in:
West Virginia Coal Association | New Jersey Converts More CO2 into "Valuable Products" | Research & Development; concerning: "US Patent Application 20120132537 - Heterocycle Catalyzed Carbonylation and Hydroformylation with CO2; 2012; Inventors: Narayanappa Sivasankar, Emily Barton Cole and Kyle Teamey;
(Presumed eventual assignee of rights:) Liquid Light; "Liquid Light develops technology for conversion of carbon dioxide to chemicals and fuels. Clean, secure energy." Abstract: Methods and systems for heterocycle catalyzed carbonylation and hydroformylation with carbon dioxide ... to form a product mixture";
has led to the formation of a spin-off company that continues to refine and improve that body of CO2 utilization knowledge.
Much of that knowledge now being developed by Liquid Light concerns the nuts and bolts side of the gear needed to effect the profitable conversion of Carbon Dioxide into hydrocarbons, much as is the work being accomplished by another CO2-recycling enterprise about which we've reported, as in:
West Virginia Coal Association | Utah 2011 CO2 + H2O = Hydrocarbon Syngas | Research & Development; concerning: "United States Patent 8,075,746 - Electrochemical Cell for Production of Synthesis Gas Using Atmospheric Air and Water; 2011; Assignee: Ceramatec, Inc.; Abstract: A method is provided for synthesizing synthesis gas from carbon dioxide obtained from atmospheric air or other available carbon dioxide source and water using a sodium-conducting electrochemical cell. Synthesis gas is also produced by the coelectrolysis of carbon dioxide and steam in a solid oxide fuel cell or solid oxide electrolytic cell. The synthesis gas produced may then be further processed and eventually converted into a liquid fuel suitable for transportation or other applications".
And, which developments by the above Ceramatec are themselves derivative of work begun in one of our USDOE's National Laboratories, as seen, for one example, in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | More USDOE CO2 "Syntrolysis" | Research & Development; concerning:
"'Co-Electrolysis of Steam and Carbon Dioxide for Production of Syngas'; 2007; Idaho National Laboratory, USDOE; and Ceramatec, Inc.; Abstract: An experimental study has been completed to assess the performance of single-oxide electrolysis cells ... simultaneously electrolyzing steam and carbon dioxide for the direct production of syngas ... a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, can be used for the production of synthetic liquid fuels via Fischer-Tropsch processes".
In any case, the Princeton lab spin-off, Liquid Light, has been pursuing the development of their own Carbon Dioxide recycling technology at what seems now a feverish pace, as we see via the three very recent applications for United States Patents we bring to you herein. Our excerpts from the pertinent links will be brief, not only because we have a lot of ground to cover, but, also because the technology described is, so to speak, way above our pay grade.
Absent now the services of some of the more knowledgeable and fully-functional folks who used to advise us in our compositions, any attempt by us at explanation or illumination would likely lead to inaccuracies and misperceptions. Full exposition will likely have to wait upon one of Coal County's professional journalists getting motivated enough to get off their dead can, pull their nose out of the gas pipe, engage one of our local college technical experts, and pay a visit to Liquid Light with the expert in tow to make direct inquiry.
Unless, of course, those journalists have bought into the mindset exposed in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | CO2 and The Price fo Willful Ignorance | Research & Development; concerning the report, as summarized by: "'Study: Carbon Tax Could Raise $1.5 Trillion'; By Zack Colman - 08/27/12; Taxing carbon would generate $1.5 trillion, potentially giving politicians cover from making politically difficult decisions on taxes and social spending cuts, according to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) released Monday. A carbon tax would take pressure off Congress to find “tradeoffs” between closing the deficit gap and reviving the economy, according to John Reilly, an author of the study. “Congress will face many difficult tradeoffs in stimulating the economy and job growth while reducing the deficit,” Reilly, the co-director of MIT’s Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, said in a statement. “But with the carbon tax there are virtually no serious tradeoffs";wherein the Carbon Dioxide issue is just another opportunity for the greedy and venal to promote and, at the expense of consumers of economical and abundant Coal-based electrical power, finance their own causes.
That said, first up, as excerpted from the initial link in this dispatch, we have:
"United States Patent Application 20130105304 - High Surface Area Electrodes for the Electrodes for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide
Date: May 2, 2013
Inventors: Jerry Kaczur, et. al., FL, NY, NJ, and CA
(For the sake of brevity, as is our usual practice, we're not naming all of the inventors. But, note the states where they all are from. We know, in effect, all across our nation that Carbon Dioxide can be profitably reclaimed and recycled. Why don't we know it, yet, publicly, in United States Coal Country?)
Assignee: Liquid Light, Inc., NJ
Abstract: Methods and systems for electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to organic products including formate and formic acid are provided. A system may include an electrochemical cell including a cathode compartment containing a high surface area cathode and a bicarbonate-based catholyte saturated with carbon dioxide. The high surface area cathode may include an indium coating and having a void volume of between about 30% to 98. The system may also include an anode compartment containing an anode and an acidic anolyte. The electrochemical cell may be configured to produce a product stream upon application of an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode.
Background and Field: The present disclosure generally relates to the field of electrochemical reactions, and more particularly to methods and/or systems for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide using high surface area electrodes.
The combustion of fossil fuels in activities such as electricity generation, transportation, and manufacturing produces billions of tons of carbon dioxide annually. A mechanism for mitigating emissions is to convert carbon dioxide into economically valuable materials such as fuels and industrial chemicals. If the carbon dioxide is converted using energy from renewable sources, both mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions and conversion of renewable energy into a chemical form that can be stored for later use may be possible.
A mechanism for mitigating emissions is to convert carbon dioxide into economically valuable materials such as fuels and industrial chemicals. If the carbon dioxide is converted using energy from renewable sources, both mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions and conversion of renewable energy into a chemical form that can be stored for later use may be possible.
Summary: The present invention is directed to using high surface area electrodes and particular electrolyte solutions to produce single carbon (C1) chemicals, including formic acid, and multi-carbon (C2+) based chemicals (i.e., chemicals with two or more carbon atoms in the compound). The present invention includes the process, system, and various components thereof."
-------------------------
We know that products like "formic acid" might not get everyone's hearts going pitter-patter, even though, as was explained in our report of:
West Virginia Coal Association | United Technologies Converts CO2 to Formic Acid | Research & Development; concerning, in part: "The Electrochemical Conversion of Carbon Dioxide into Methanol: The Formic Acid Reduction Step; 1984; Research Department, Naval Weapons Research Center";
it can be used to synthesize some perhaps more intriguing materials; but, "multi-carbon (C2+) based chemicals" would include stuff, as can be learned via:
Hydrocarbon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; like ethane, ethylene and acetylene, all of which have value, and all of which can be used in well-established processes for the further synthesis of higher hydrocarbons, including liquid fuels and plastics. As we will see further on, Liquid Light themselves have some things in mind for some of them.
In any case, the devices disclosed in the above "United States Patent Application 20130105304 - High Surface Area Electrodes for the Electrodes for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide" might be intended for use in a companion, coincident technology, as disclosed via:
"United States Patent Application: 0130105330 - Co-Production of Products with Carbon-Based Reactant Feed to Anode
Date: May 2, 2013
Inventors: Kyle Teamey, et. al., DC and FL
Assignee: Liquid Light, Inc., NJ
Abstract: The present disclosure is a system and method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode. The method may include a step of contacting the first region with a catholyte comprising carbon dioxide. The method may include another step of contacting the second region with an anolyte comprising a recycled reactant and at least one of an alkane, haloalkane, alkene, haloalkene, aromatic compound, haloaromatic compound, heteroaromatic compound or halo-heteroaromatic compound. Further, the method may include a step of applying an electrical potential between the anode and the cathode sufficient to produce a first product recoverable from the first region and a second product recoverable from the second region.Claims: A method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode (and) wherein said first product includes at least one of CO, formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, methane, oxalate, oxalic acid, glyoxylic acid, glyoxylate, glycolic acid, glycolate, glyoxal, glycolaldehyde, ethylene glycol, acetic acid, acetate, acetaldehyde, ethanol, ethane, ethylene, lactic acid, lactate, propanoic acid, propionate, acetone, isopropanol, 1-propanol, 1,2-propylene glycol, propane, propylene, 1-butanol, 2-butanone, 2-butanol, butane, butane, a carboxylic acid, a carboxylate, a ketone, an aldehyde, and an alcohol.
Summary: The present disclosure includes a system and method for producing a first product from a first region of an electrochemical cell having a cathode and a second product from a second region of the electrochemical cell having an anode. The method may include a step of contacting the first region with a catholyte comprising carbon dioxide."
------------------------
The above "US Patent Application 0130105330" is a little confusing since it really concerns the further reactions of "CO, formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, methane", all of which, though, are derived, as immediately above, from "catholyte comprising carbon dioxide".
And, all of that is sort of wrapped up by additional technology, disclosed one week later via:
"United States Patent Application: 0130116474 - Electrochemical Co-Production of a Glycol and an Alkene Employing Recycled Halide
Date: May 9, 2013
Inventors: Kyle Teamey, et. al., DC, FL and TX
Assignee: Liquid Light, Inc., NJ
Abstract: The present disclosure is a method and system for electrochemically co-producing a first product and a second product. The system may include a first electrochemical cell, a first reactor, a second electrochemical cell, at least one second reactor, and at least one third reactor. The method and system for co-producing a first product and a second product may include co-producing a glycol and an alkene employing a recycled halide.
Claims: A method for co-producing a first product and a second product, the method comprising the steps of: applying an electrical potential between a cathode of a first region of a first electrochemical cell, including a catholyte comprising carbon dioxide, and an anode of a second region of a first electrochemical cell, the second region including an anolyte (as specified, and) applying an electrical potential between a cathode of a first region of a second electrochemical cell, including a catholyte comprising the carboxylic acid, and an anode of a second region of a second electrochemical cell ... sufficient to produce at least one of another carboxylic acid, an aldehyde, a ketone, a glycol or an alcohol recoverable from the first region of the second electrochemical cell and a halogen recoverable from the second region of the second electrochemical cell; reacting the halogen from the second region of the first electrochemical cell and from the second region of the second electrochemical cell with an alkane, aromatic compound, or other carbon compound, to produce a halogenated compound and (a product to be) recycled back to the second region of the second electrochemical cell and to the input of the secondary reactor; and reacting the halogenated compound via at least a third reactor to produce at least one of an alkene, alkyne, alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, or longer-chain alkane, and (a product to be) recycled back to the second region of the second electrochemical cell and to the input of the secondary reactor.The system ... wherein the halogen includes at least one of (Flourine, Chlorine, Bromine of Iodine) and wherein the alkane, aromatic compound, or other carbon compound includes at least one of methane, ethane, propane, or butane.
Description and Field: The present disclosure generally relates to the field of electrochemical reactions, and more particularly to methods and/or systems for electrochemical co-production of a glycol and an alkene employing a recycled reactant.
A mechanism for mitigating emissions is to convert carbon dioxide into economically valuable materials such as fuels and industrial chemicals. If the carbon dioxide is converted using energy from renewable sources, both mitigation of carbon dioxide emissions and conversion of renewable energy into a chemical form that can be stored for later use will be possible.
Summary: The present disclosure includes a system and method for electrochemically co-producing a first product and a second product. The system may include a first electrochemical cell, a first reactor, a second electrochemical cell, at least one second reactor, and at least one third reactor. The method and system for co-producing a first product and a second product may include co-producing a glycol and an alkene employing a recycled halide. In one embodiment, the system may co-produce monoethylene glycol (MEG) and ethylene.
In an advantageous aspect of the present disclosure, chemicals may be co-produced at both the anode and the cathode of each electrochemical cell. The cathode may be used to reduce carbon dioxide to carbon-containing chemicals. The anode may be used to make an oxidation product for subsequent employment in producing another carbon compound. By co-producing chemicals, the overall energy requirement for making each chemical may be reduced by 50% or more. In addition, the cell may be capable of simultaneously making two or more products with high selectivity. In another advantageous aspect of the present disclosure, carbon dioxide may act to oxidize organic compounds, and the organic compounds may act to reduce carbon dioxide. The organic compound, such as ethane, may be the sole source of hydrogen used in the reduction of carbon dioxide. Halogens utilized to couple the oxidation of organics to the reduction of carbon dioxide may be recycled in the process."-------------------------
Our read of this - and, again, we emphasize our limitations - is that such things asethane and ethylene, as could be produced, from Carbon Dioxide, in the process disclosed by the initial subject of this dispatch, "United States Patent Application 20130105304 - High Surface Area Electrodes for the Electrodes for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide", are cycled into the further process of the immediately above "United States Patent Application 0130116474 - Electrochemical Co-Production of a Glycol and an Alkene Employing Recycled Halide", for reaction with additional Carbon Dioxide and the ultimate production of higher, more complex hydrocarbons, such as "alcohol" and "monoethylene glycol (MEG)".
The whole thing can be, we expect, wrapped up in one, complete, integrated system.
Liquid fuel and other value of the "alcohol" aside, the "monoethylene glycol", as explained by the Dow Chemical Company via:
Monoethylene Glycol and Polyester Resins, "Monoethylene glycol (MEG) is an important raw material for industrial applications. A primary use of MEG is in the manufacture of polyester (PET) resins, films and fibers. Ethylene glycols are used as a reactant in the manufacture of polyester resins. Dow produces ethylene glycols for use in polyester fiber, films and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin production, as well as alkyd resins used in paints. The uses for polyester resins are extremely varied, and include boat and marine, construction materials, automotive and aircraft bodies, luggage, furnishings, appliances, textiles and packaging";
can be consumed in the further synthesis of a range of commodity plastics and resins, wherein all of the Carbon Dioxide consumed, via the combined processes of our subjects herein, "United States Patent Applications "20130105304 - High Surface Area Electrodes for the Electrodes for the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide", "0130105330 - Co-Production of Products with Carbon-Based Reactant Feed to Anode", and "0130116474 - Electrochemical Co-Production of a Glycol and an Alkene Employing Recycled Halide", would be forever, and productively and profitably, "sequestered".
And, all of that could provide - - quite unlike venal counter proposals, as embodied in our above-cited report concerning: "Carbon Tax Could Raise $1.5 Trillion';Taxing carbon would generate $1.5 trillion, potentially giving politicians cover from making politically difficult decisions on taxes and social spending cuts" - - more jobs and more prosperity for US Coal Country, indeed, for the entire United States of America.