Apparatuses and methods for multi-stage electrolysis

An electrolytic method, comprising the steps of:

• (a) applying an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode;
• (b) supplying an anolyte solution into an anode chamber within which the anode is exposed;
• (c) supplying a catholyte solution into a cathode chamber within which the cathode is exposed;
• (d) oxidizing, at the anode, an anode reactant in the anolyte solution to form an oxidation product;
• (e) reducing, at the cathode, a cathode reactant in the catholyte solution to form a reduction product;
• (f) transporting, within one or both of the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, the respective anolyte solution and/or catholyte solution sequentially through a plurality of process stages, from a first process stage to an adjacent second process stage through to a final one of the process stages, wherein the transporting of the anolyte solution and/or catholyte solution sequentially through the plurality of process stages comprises flowing substantially all of the anolyte solution and/or catholyte solution from a preceding one of the plurality of process stages to an adjacent subsequent one of the plurality of process stages after circulating within the preceding one of the plurality of process stages;
• (g) separating a gas from the respective anolyte solution and/or catholyte solution generated at the oxidizing and/or reducing steps at one or more of the process stages;
• (h) discharging the gas out of one or both of the anode and cathode chambers;
• (i) discharging the anolyte solution and/or catholyte solution out of the respective anode and cathode chambers after circulating within the final one of the process stage;
• and
• (j) transferring ions between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber through at least two ion exchange membranes.