Advanced manufactured vapor-fed electrochemical reactor (am-vfr) for improved performance for electrochemical conversion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022064806-A1
Application number	US-202017010680-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2020
Priority date	Sep 2, 2020
Publication date	Mar 3, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

System and method relates to an advanced manufactured vapor-fed electrochemical reactor (AM-VFR) system comprising a cathode gas compartment comprising a first inlet, and a first outlet, a catholyte compartment having a centrally located window for a cathode and a membrane, a second inlet, a second outlet, and a reference electrode, an anolyte compartment having a centrally located window for the membrane and an anode, a third inlet and a third outlet and an anode gas compartment having a fourth inlet and a fourth outlet, wherein the cathode, wherein the cathode is disposed between the cathode gas compartment and the catholyte compartment, wherein the membrane is disposed between the catholyte compartment and the anolyte compartment, wherein the anode is disposed between the anolyte compartment and the anode gas compartment, and wherein one or more of the cathode gas compartment, the catholyte compartment, the anolyte compartment and the anode gas compartment are made of a 3D printing plastic. Methods for making and using the system are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An advanced manufactured vapor-fed electrochemical reactor (AM-VFR) system comprising:
a) a cathode gas compartment having a first inlet, and a first outlet; b) a catholyte compartment having a centrally located window for a cathode and a membrane, a second inlet, a second outlet, and a reference electrode; c) an anolyte compartment having a centrally located window for the membrane and an anode, a third inlet and a third outlet; and d) an anode gas compartment having a fourth inlet and a fourth outlet; e) wherein the cathode is disposed between the cathode gas compartment and the catholyte compartment; f) wherein the membrane is disposed between the catholyte compartment and the anolyte compartment; g) wherein the anode is disposed between the anolyte compartment and the anode gas compartment; and wherein one or more of the cathode gas compartment, the catholyte compartment, the anolyte compartment and the anode gas compartment are made of a 3D printing plastic.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first inlet of the cathode gas compartment and the fourth inlet of the anode gas compartment are feed inlets for one or more of one or more of CH 4 , CO 2 , CO, H 2 , H 2 O and O 2 .

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises an electrocatalyst and wherein the electrocatalyst is one or more of Ag, Au, Cu, Fe, IrO 2 , Ni, Pd, Pt, Sn, metal alloys and metal oxides.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises a support and wherein the support is one or more of a fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), a perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), a polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE), an ethylene chlorotrifluoroethylene (ECTFE) and a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode is Cu-polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode, the membrane and the anode have a geometric surface area from about 1 cm 2 to about 100 cm 2 .

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cathode has a cathode geometric current density from about −35 mA/cm 2 to about −500 mA/cm 2 .

8 . A method of using an advanced manufactured vapor-fed electrochemical reactor (AM-VFR) comprising:
operating the AM-VFR reactor of claim 1 , wherein the AM-VFR reactor is fluidly connected to a feed and a buffer to produce a product.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the feed comprises one or more of CH 4 , CO 2 , CO, H 2 , H 2 O and O 2 .

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the feed comprises CO 2 .

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the feed comprises CO.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the feed has a flow rate of <about 15 sccm.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the feed has a flow rate of <about 5 sccm.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the buffer is from about 0.1 M to about 1 M HCO 3 in water.

15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the buffer has a flow rate of <about 100 mL/min.

16 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a cathode has a cathode geometric current density from about −35 mA/cm 2 to about −500 mA/cm 2 .

17 . The system of claim 8 , wherein a cathode has a cathode geometric current density from about −200 mA/cm 2 to about −500 mA/cm 2 .

18 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the product is one or more of CH 4 , CH 3 OH, CO 2 , CO, C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 4 O, C 2 H 4 O 2 , C 2 H 5 OH, C 3 H 7 OH, HCOOH, H+, H 2 , H 2 O and O 2 .

19 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the product comprises one or more of C 2 H 4 , C 2 H 5 OH and O 2 .

20 . A method of making an advanced manufactured vapor-fed electrochemical reactor (AM-VFR) comprising:
a) printing one or more of a cathode gas compartment, a catholyte compartment, an anolyte compartment and a anode gas compartment of the AM-VFR reactor using a 3D printing technique; and b) assembling the AM-VFR reactor such that a cathode is disposed between the cathode gas compartment and the catholyte compartment, a membrane is disposed between the catholyte compartment and the anolyte compartment, and an anode is disposed between the anolyte compartment and the anode gas compartment.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the 3D printing technique is a stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing technique, an extrusion 3D printing technique or a selective laser sintering 3D printing technique.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the 3D printing technique is a stereolithography (SLA) 3d printing technique.

23 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
c) fluidly connecting a plurality of AM-VFR reactors in parallel to increase productivity.

24 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising:
c) fluidly connecting a plurality of AM-VFR reactors in series to improve conversion.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Feaster Jeremy Taylor
• Baker Sarah
• Corral Daniel
• Duoss Eric

Classifications

• C25B11/075

  consisting of a single catalytic element or catalytic compound · CPC title

• C25B11/055

  characterised by the substrate or carrier material · CPC title

• C25B11/04

  characterised by the material · CPC title

• C25B15/08

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

• C25B11/089

  Alloys · CPC title