System for chemical conversion and electrical energy generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11655548-B2
Application number	US-201816625270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2018
Priority date	Jun 21, 2017
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods to upgrade a feedstock include a metal/oxygen electrochemical cell having a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte in which the cell is configured to produce superoxide. The superoxide can react or complex with a feedstock to upgrade the feedstock.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A process to upgrade a feedstock, the process comprising:
supplying a feedstock to a metal/oxygen electrochemical cell while operating the cell to generate current and to upgrade the feedstock, wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises: i) isomerizing the feedstock, ii) oligomerizing hydrocarbons, or iii) carboxylating hydrocarbons; and
recovering the upgraded feedstock.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte in which the cell is configured to produce superoxide.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises carbon dioxide, liquid hydrocarbons, natural gas, heavy/low-value hydrocarbon distillates, sulfur, hydrogen sulfide or a combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein an alkane is supplied to the cell and longer chain alkanes are produced and recovered.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises isomerizing the feedstock.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises oligomerizing hydrocarbons.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises carboxylating hydrocarbons.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the negative electrode comprises aluminum metal.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an ionic liquid and a metal salt.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock comprises (i) hydrocarbons, or (ii) carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein hydrogen or hydrogen sulfide is added to the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell to react with the feedstock.

12. A process to upgrade a feedstock, the process comprising:
supplying a feedstock to a metal/oxygen electrochemical cell while operating the cell to generate current and to upgrade the feedstock, wherein an alkane is supplied to the cell and longer chain alkanes are produced and recovered; and
recovering the upgraded feedstock.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte in which the cell is configured to produce superoxide.

14. The process of claim 12 , wherein the feedstock comprises carbon dioxide, liquid hydrocarbons, natural gas, heavy/low-value hydrocarbon distillates, sulfur, hydrogen sulfide or a combination thereof.

15. The process of claim 12 , wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises i) isomerizing the feedstock, ii) oligomerizing hydrocarbons, or iii) carboxylating hydrocarbons.

16. The process of claim 12 , wherein the negative electrode comprises aluminum metal.

17. The process of claim 12 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an ionic liquid and a metal salt.

18. The process of claim 12 , wherein the feedstock comprises (i) hydrocarbons, or (ii) carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons.

19. The process of claim 12 , wherein hydrogen or hydrogen sulfide is added to the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell to react with the feedstock.

20. A process to upgrade a feedstock, the process comprising:
supplying a feedstock to a metal/oxygen electrochemical cell while operating the cell to generate current and to upgrade the feedstock, wherein the feedstock comprises (i) hydrocarbons, or (ii) carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons; and
recovering the upgraded feedstock.

21. The process of claim 20 , wherein the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte in which the cell is configured to produce superoxide.

22. The process of claim 20 , wherein the feedstock comprises carbon dioxide, liquid hydrocarbons, natural gas, heavy/low-value hydrocarbon distillates, sulfur, hydrogen sulfide or a combination thereof.

23. The process of claim 20 , wherein an alkane is supplied to the cell and longer chain alkanes are produced and recovered.

24. The process of claim 20 , wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises i) isomerizing the feedstock, ii) oligomerizing hydrocarbons, or iii) carboxylating hydrocarbons.

25. The process of claim 20 , wherein the negative electrode comprises aluminum metal.

26. The process of claim 20 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an ionic liquid and a metal salt.

27. The process of claim 20 , wherein hydrogen or hydrogen sulfide is added to the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell to react with the feedstock.

28. A process to upgrade a feedstock, the process comprising:
supplying a feedstock to a metal/oxygen electrochemical cell while operating the cell to generate current and to upgrade the feedstock, wherein hydrogen or hydrogen sulfide is added to the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell to react with the feedstock; and
recovering the upgraded feedstock.

29. The process of claim 28 , wherein the metal/oxygen electrochemical cell comprises a positive electrode, a negative electrode and an electrolyte in which the cell is configured to produce superoxide.

30. The process of claim 28 , wherein the feedstock comprises carbon dioxide, liquid hydrocarbons, natural gas, heavy/low-value hydrocarbon distillates, sulfur, hydrogen sulfide or a combination thereof.

31. The process of claim 28 , wherein an alkane is supplied to the cell and longer chain alkanes are produced and recovered.

32. The process of claim 28 , wherein operating the cell to upgrade the feedstock comprises i) isomerizing the feedstock, ii) oligomerizing hydrocarbons, or iii) carboxylating hydrocarbons.

33. The process of claim 28 , wherein the negative electrode comprises aluminum metal.

34. The process of claim 28 , wherein the electrolyte comprises an ionic liquid and a metal salt.

35. The process of claim 28 , wherein the feedstock comprises (i) hydrocarbons, or (ii) carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons.

Assignees

• Univ Cornell

Inventors

• Archer Lynden A
• Al Sadat Wajdi Issam

Classifications

• H01M4/133

  Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx · CPC title

• H01M4/583

  Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx · CPC title

• C25B5/00

  Electrogenerative processes, i.e. processes for producing compounds in which electricity is generated simultaneously · CPC title

• H01M12/08

  composed of a half-cell of a fuel-cell type and a half-cell of the secondary-cell type · CPC title

• Y02E60/10

  Energy storage using batteries · CPC title