Brine electrolysis system for producing pressurized chlorine and hydrogen gases

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11118273-B1
Application number	US-202016916320-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 30, 2019
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A brine electrolysis system for producing pressurized chlorine and hydrogen gases. In its basic configuration, the brine electrolysis system may comprise: two liquid storage tanks for storing two liquid reactants; a tank having two interior spaces separated by a diaphragm for receiving the liquid reactants; two pumps for regulating the flow of the liquid reactants from the liquid storage tanks to the interior spaces of the tank, two open-bottom cylinders for storing and dispensing two gases; an electrolysis stack assembly for converting the liquid reactants into two gases; and two submersible pumps for pumping each liquid reactant into an electrolysis stack assembly. Each open-bottom cylinder may comprise a float sensor for determining the amount of fluid entering its cylindrical space. The system may further comprise controllers for regulating ionic concentrations within the two interior spaces. Dispense lines and valves may be utilized to release the gases.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A brine electrolysis system, comprising:
a tank having first and second interior spaces separated by a diaphragm for storing first and second liquid reactants respectively;
first and second pumps in fluid communication with said first and second interior spaces, respectively;
first and second open-bottom cylinder disposed within said tank and having first and second cylindrical spaces, respectively;
first and second dispense lines disposed outside said tank and in fluid communication with said first and second cylindrical spaces, respectively;
first and second submersible pumps disposed within said first and second interior spaces, respectively, and configured to pump first and second liquid reactants; and
an electrolysis stack assembly traversing across said first and second interior spaces of said tank and sealably through said diaphragm.

2. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 1 , characterized in that said electrolysis stack assembly comprises:
one or more electrolysis stacks for creating first and second gases based on said first and second liquid reactants, respectively;
first and second inlets in fluid communication with said first and second submersible pumps, respectively;
a first outlet supply line traversing into said first cylindrical space through a first bottom opening of said first open-bottom cylinder for releasing said first gas into said first cylindrical space; and
a second outlet supply line traversing into said second cylindrical space through a second bottom opening of said second open-bottom cylinder for releasing said second gas into said second cylindrical space.

3. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 2 , characterized in that said first and second liquid reactants are respectively a sodium chloride and a water; and
wherein said first and second gases are a chlorine gas and a hydrogen gas, respectively.

4. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 1 , characterized in that said electrolysis stack assembly is a chlor-alkali electrolysis stack assembly.

5. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 2 , wherein said diaphragm is constructed of an ion-selective membrane configured to permit a counterion (Na+) to flow across said diaphragm from said first interior space to said second interior space.

6. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 2 , further comprising first and second liquid storage tanks in fluid communication with first and second inlets of said first and second pumps, respectively; and
first and second motors operably coupled to said first and second pumps, respectively.

7. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 6 , further comprising a brine process controller and an ionic conductivity meter;
wherein said ionic conductivity meter is configured to measure a sodium chloride concentration within said first interior space of said tank; and
wherein said brine process controller is operably coupled to said first motor and said ionic conductivity meter and regulates said sodium chloride concentration within said first interior space based on said sodium chloride concentration measurements.

8. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 6 , further comprising an alkali process controller and a pH meter;
wherein said pH meter is configured to measure a sodium hydroxide concentration within said second interior space of said tank; and
wherein said alkali process controller is operably coupled to said second motor and said pH meter and regulates said sodium hydroxide concentration within said second interior space based on said sodium hydroxide concentration measurements.

9. A brine electrolysis system, comprising:
a tank having first and second interior spaces separated by a diaphragm;
first and second pumps in fluid communication with said first and second interior spaces of said tank, respectively;
a first open-bottom cylinder disposed within said first interior space and comprising:
a first cylindrical body having a first cylindrical space in fluid communication with said first interior space of said tank; and
a first float sensor adapted to raise and lower via buoyancy;

a second open-bottom cylinder disposed within said second interior space and comprising:
a second cylindrical body having a second cylindrical space in fluid communication with said second interior space of said tank; and
a second float sensor adapted to raise and lower via buoyancy;

first and second dispense lines disposed outside said tank and respectively coupled to said first and second open-bottom cylinders, such that said first and second dispense lines are in fluid communication with said first and second cylindrical spaces, respectively;
first and second submersible pumps disposed within said first and second interior spaces, respectively, and respectively configured to pump a sodium chloride and a water; and
a chlor-alkali electrolysis stack assembly traversing across said first and second interior spaces of said tank and sealably through said diaphragm.

10. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 9 , characterized in that said chlor-alkali electrolysis stack assembly comprises:
one or more chlor-alkali electrolysis stacks for creating a chlorine gas and a hydrogen gas based on said sodium chloride and said water, respectively;
first and second inlets in fluid communication with said first and second submersible pumps, respectively;
a first outlet supply line traversing into said first cylindrical space through a first bottom opening of said first open-bottom cylinder for releasing said chlorine gas into said first cylindrical space; and
a second outlet supply line traversing into said second cylindrical space through a second bottom opening of said second open-bottom cylinder for releasing said hydrogen gas into said second cylindrical space.

11. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 9 , further comprising first and second liquid storage tanks in fluid communication with first and second inlets of said first and second pumps, respectively, wherein said first and second liquid storage tanks store said sodium chloride and said water, respectively; and
first and second motors operably coupled to said first and second pumps, respectively.

12. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 11 , further comprising a brine process controller and an ionic conductivity meter;
wherein said ionic conductivity meter is configured to measure a sodium chloride concentration within said first interior space of said tank; and
wherein said brine process controller comprises a first variable frequency drive (VFD) operably coupled to said first motor for regulating said sodium chloride concentration within said first interior space based on said sodium chloride concentration measurements.

13. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 11 , further comprising an alkali process controller and a pH meter;
wherein said pH meter is configured to measure a sodium hydroxide concentration within said second interior space of said tank; and
wherein said alkali process controller comprises a second VFD operably coupled to said second motor for regulating said sodium hydroxide concentration within said second interior space based on said sodium hydroxide concentration measurements.

14. The brine electrolysis system recited in claim 9 , wherein said diaphragm is constructed of an ion-selective membrane configured to permit a counterion (Na+) to flow across said diaphragm from said first interior space to said second interior space.

Assignees

• Us Navy

Inventors

• Wilcox Benjamin

Classifications

• C25B9/13

  Single electrolytic cells with circulation of an electrolyte · CPC title

• C25B1/46 Primary

  in diaphragm cells · CPC title

• C25B15/08

  Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes · CPC title

• C25B9/23

  comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title