CO2 utilization in electrochemical systems

US8357270B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Calera Corporation · US

Inventors

• Ryan J. Gilliam · San Jose, US
• Thomas A. Albrecht · Mountain View, US
• Nikhil Jalani · Campbell, US
• Nigel Antony Knott · Campbell, US
• Valentin Decker · San Jose, US
• Michael Kostowskyj · Los Gatos, US
• Bryan Boggs · Eugene, US
• Alexander Gorer · Los Gatos, US
• Kasra Farsad · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 15, 2009
• Grant date: Jan 22, 2013
• Expiry date: Jul 19, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/151
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

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.