Electrochemical cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018171489-A1
Application number	US-201615579695-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2016
Priority date	Jun 10, 2015
Publication date	Jun 21, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrochemical cell ( 10 ) comprising four volumes ( 1, 2, 3, 4 ). A porous anode ( 5 ) is provided between a first volume ( 1 ) and a second volume ( 2 ). A ground electrode ( 6 ) is provided between the second volume ( 2 ) and the third volume ( 3 ). A porous cathode ( 7 ) is provided between the third volume ( 3 ) and the fourth volume ( 4 ).

First claim

1 .- 10 . (canceled)

11 . An arrangement for producing ammonia from first and second ionic components, comprising:
an electrochemical cell comprising four volumes; a porous anode between a first volume and a second volume; a ground electrode between the second volume and the third volume; a porous cathode between the third volume and the fourth volume; an introducer conduit that introduces steam H 2 O into the first volume; an introducer conduit that introduces nitrogen N 2 into the fourth volume; a first electrolyte between the anode and the ground electrode; a second electrolyte between the cathode and the ground electrode; and at least one power supply that applies a positive voltage +V to the anode, with respect to the voltage of the ground electrode, and that applies a negative voltage −V to the cathode, with respect to the voltage of the ground electrode.

12 . A method for production of ammonia using an electrochemical cell comprising four volumes, a porous anode between a first volume and a second volume, a ground electrode between the second volume and the third volume and a porous cathode between the third volume and the fourth volume, an introducer conduit that introduces steam H 2 O into the first volume, an introducer conduit that introduces nitrogen N 2 into the fourth volume, a first electrolyte between the anode and the ground electrode, a second electrolyte between the cathode and the ground electrode, said method comprising:
applying a positive voltage +V to the anode, with respect to the voltage of the ground electrode; applying a negative voltage −V to the cathode, with respect to the voltage of the ground electrode; introducing steam H 2 O into the first volume, said steam H 2 O reacting at the anode to provide protons H+ in said first electrolyte in the second volume; introducing nitrogen N 2 into the fourth volume, said nitrogen N 2 reacting at the cathode to provide nitride ions N 3− in said second electrolyte in the third volume; and generating ammonia at the ground electrode by reaction between the protons H+ and the nitride ions N 3− .

13 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising collecting the ammonia produced at the ground electrode.

14 . A method according to claim 12 , further comprising collecting a by-product generated at the anode or the cathode.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Hughes Timothy

Classifications

• C25B1/00

  Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals · CPC title

• C25B9/06 Primary

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic

• C25B1/27

  Ammonia · CPC title

• C25B1/042

  by electrolysis of steam · CPC title

• C25B11/00

  Electrodes; Manufacture thereof not otherwise provided for · CPC title