Electrochemical Method of Ammonia Generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019161876-A1
Application number	US-201716320669-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2017
Priority date	Jul 28, 2016
Publication date	May 30, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electrolysis apparatus for producing ammonia, the apparatus comprising: a cathode; an anode; an electrolyte; a current source; a supply for nitrogen; and a supply for an acid, wherein the acid comprises at least one acid selected from the group consisting of: HCl, HBr, and HI.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electrolysis apparatus for producing ammonia, the apparatus comprising:
a cathode; an anode; an electrolyte; a current source; a supply for nitrogen; and a supply for an acid, wherein the acid comprises at least one acid selected from the group consisting of: HCl, HBr, and HI.

2 . The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises at least 10 wt. % of a metal selected from the group consisting of: Li, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, and Al, based on the total weight of the anode.

3 . The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a heater.

4 . The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a switch for reversing the polarity of the cathode and anode.

5 . The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a solid electrode or a coated conductive sheet.

6 . The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises a porous structure.

7 . The electrolysis apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte has a melting point below the decomposition temperature of ammonia.

8 . A method of electrolytically producing ammonia, the method comprising:
forming nitride ions from nitrogen at a cathode; forming metal ions from a metal at an anode comprising a metal; dissolving the nitride ions and metal ions in an electrolyte; and purging the electrolyte comprising the dissolved nitride ions and metal ions with an acid, wherein the acid is selected from a group consisting of: HCl, HBr, and HI.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of: Li, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Zn, and Al.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising heating the electrolyte to a temperature below 500° C.

11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising supplying nitrogen through the cathode.

12 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising supplying the acid through the anode.

13 . The method of any claim 8 , further comprising switching the polarity of the anode and cathode after production of ammonia.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising regenerating the anode after switching polarity of the anode and the cathode.

15 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising supplying the energy for the electrolysis from renewable sources.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Schmid Günter
• Hughes Timothy
• Taroata Dan

Classifications

• C25B1/00

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

• C25B15/08 Primary

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

• C25B9/00

  Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features · CPC title

• C25B15/02

  Process control or regulation · CPC title

• C25B11/0405

  Chemistry & Metallurgy · mapped topic