Use of reactor outputs to purify materials, and related systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023174396-A1
Application number	US-202117922126-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 29, 2021
Priority date	May 1, 2020
Publication date	Jun 8, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods of using reactor outputs to purify materials. For example, methods of using acid and/or base produced in a reactor to purify materials (e.g., limestone, dolomite, waste streams, and/or ash) are described herein. Related systems are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method, comprising:
producing acid and/or base in a reactor; dissolving a first substance comprising a first concentration of an impurity in a first solution; and precipitating a second substance comprising a second concentration of the impurity in a second solution; wherein at least one of the first solution and the second solution comprises the acid and/or base; and wherein the second concentration of the impurity is lower than the first concentration of the impurity.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second concentration of the impurity is at least 10% lower, on a mass basis, relative to the first concentration of the impurity.

3 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first substance comprises a metal salt, metal oxide, silicate, and/or metal alloy.

4 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first substance comprises limestone, lime, and/or dolomite.

5 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the first substance comprises a waste stream.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the waste stream comprises ash, kiln dust, sewage sludge, slag from a metallurgical process, and/or metal ores.

7 . The method of any preceding claim, comprising producing acid in the reactor.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first solution comprises the acid.

9 . The method of any preceding claim, comprising producing base in the reactor.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second solution comprises the base.

11 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the second substance comprises an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal oxide, a transition metal hydroxide, a transition metal oxide, and/or an elemental metal.

12 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the second substance comprises calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium oxide, and/or magnesium oxide.

13 . The method of any preceding claim,
further comprising precipitating a third substance comprising a third concentration of the impurity in a third solution; wherein the third concentration of the impurity is lower than the first concentration of the impurity; wherein the first solution has a first pH, the second solution has a second pH, and the third solution has a third pH; and wherein the third pH is higher than the second pH.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the third concentration of the impurity is at least 10% lower, on a mass basis, relative to the first concentration of the impurity.

15 . The method of any one of claims 13 - 14 , wherein the third substance comprises an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal oxide, a transition metal hydroxide, a transition metal oxide, and/or an elemental metal.

16 . The method of any one of claims 13 - 15 , wherein the third substance comprises calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium oxide, and/or magnesium oxide.

17 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the reactor is fluidically connected to an apparatus containing the first substance.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the acid and/or base flows from the reactor to the apparatus containing the first substance.

19 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the reactor is fluidically connected to an apparatus in which the second substance is precipitated.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the acid and/or base flows from the reactor to the apparatus in which the second substance is precipitated.

21 . The method of any preceding claim, wherein the reactor is fluidically connected to an apparatus in which the third substance is precipitated.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the acid and/or base flows from the reactor to the apparatus in which the third substance is precipitated.

23 . The method of any one of claims 19 - 22 , wherein the apparatus containing the first substance, the apparatus in which the second substance is precipitated, and/or the apparatus in which the third substance is precipitated are the same apparatus.

24 . The method of any one of claims 19 - 22 , wherein the apparatus containing the first substance, the apparatus in which the second substance is precipitated, and/or the apparatus in which the third substance is precipitated are different apparatuses.

25 . The method of any one of claims 19 - 24 , wherein the apparatus containing the first substance, the apparatus in which the second substance is precipitated, and/or the apparatus in which the third substance is precipitated are fluidically connected.

26 . The method of any one of claims 1 - 25 , wherein precipitating the second substance comprises use of electrowinning.

27 . The method of any one of claims 13 - 26 , wherein precipitating the third substance comprises use of electrowinning.

28 . A system for processing ash including a component, comprising:
a reactor configured to provide a liquid solvent stream; and a vessel for placing the ash in contact with the liquid solvent stream.

29 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the liquid solvent stream is acidic.

30 . The system of claim 28 , wherein the liquid solvent stream is basic.

31 . The system of any one of claims 28 - 30 , wherein the reactor comprises an electrochemical reactor.

32 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the electrochemical reactor comprises a neutral-water electrolyzer configured to produce an acid stream at an oxygen-evolving cathode and an alkaline stream at a hydrogen-evolving anode.

33 . The system of claim 32 , wherein the neutral-water electrolyzer is configured to direct the acid stream to selectively dissolve a metal salt, metal oxide, silicate, and/or metal alloy present in the ash.

34 . The system of any one of claims 32 - 33 , wherein the neutral-water electrolyzer is configured to direct the acid stream to selectively dissolve a calcium salt.

35 . The system of any one of claims 31 - 34 , wherein the neutral-water electrolyzer is configured to direct the alkaline stream to be used to precipitate an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, a transition metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal oxide, a transition metal oxide, an elemental metal, and/or hydrated lime.

36 . The system of any one of claims 28 - 35 , wherein the reactor comprises a chlor-alkali reactor and/or a non-electrolytic reactor.

37 . The system of claim 36 , wherein the reactor is configured to produce an acid stream and an alkaline stream, and wherein the reactor is configured to direct the acid stream to selectively dissolve a metal salt, metal oxide, silicate, and/or metal alloy present in the ash.

38 . The system of claim 37 , wherein the reactor is configured to direct the acid stream to selectively dissolve a calcium salt.

39 . The system of any one of claims 37 - 38 , wherein the reactor is configured to direct the alkaline stream to be used to precipitate an alkaline earth metal hydroxide, a transition metal hydroxide, an alkaline earth metal oxide, a transition metal oxide, an elemental metal, and/or hydrated lime.

40 . The system of any one of claims 28 - 39 , wherein the system is configured such that the component is selectively precipitated fro

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Chiang Yet-Ming
• Ellis Leah

Classifications

• C25B1/04

  by electrolysis of water · CPC title

• Y02E60/36

  Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis · CPC title

• C22B3/02

  Apparatus therefor · CPC title

• C22B3/22

  by physical processes, e.g. by filtration, by magnetic means {, or by thermal decomposition} (treatment or purification of solutions by liquid-liquid extraction C22B3/26) · CPC title

• C22B7/006

  Wet processes · CPC title