# US 2014/0151240 A1 · Electroylytic reduction of carbon capture solutions

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- Number: US 2014/0151240 A1
- Document ID: US20140151240A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/690,966
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
- Applicants: Alstom Technology Ltd
- Inventors: Stephen Allan Bedell; Michal Bialkowski; Turgay Pekdemir
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151240A1

## CPC

- B01D 53/1425: {Regeneration of liquid absorbents}
- B01D 53/1475: {Removing carbon dioxide}
- B01D 53/62: Carbon oxides
- B01D 53/965: {including an electrochemical process step}
- C25B 3/25: Reduction
- C25B 3/26: of carbon dioxide
- C25B 9/00: Cells or assemblies of cells; Constructional parts of cells; Assemblies of constructional parts, e.g. electrode-diaphragm assemblies; Process-related cell features
- C25B 9/19: with diaphragms
- C25B 13/00: Diaphragms; Spacing elements
- B01D 2251/206: Ammonium compounds
- B01D 2251/302: of lithium
- B01D 2251/304: of sodium
- B01D 2251/306: of potassium
- B01D 2251/60: Inorganic bases or salts
- B01D 2251/606: Carbonates
- B01D 2252/102: Ammonia
- B01D 2258/0283: Flue gases
- Y02C 20/40: of CO2
- Y02E 20/32: Direct CO2 mitigation
- Y02P 20/151: Reduction of greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions, e.g. CO2
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C25B: ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR (anodic or cathodic protection C23F13/00; single-crystal growth C30B)
- Y02C: CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system comprising an absorber; the absorber being operative to extract carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream to form a carbon capture solution that is rich in carbon dioxide; and an electrolytic cell disposed downstream of the absorber; where the electrolytic cell is operative to reduce carbon dioxide present in the carbon capture solution. Disclosed herein too is a method comprising discharging a flue gas stream from a flue gas generator to an absorber; contacting the flue gas stream with a carbon capture solution; extracting carbon dioxide from the flue gas stream to form a carbon dioxide rich carbon capture solution; discharging the carbon dioxide rich carbon capture solution to an electrolytic cell; and reducing the carbon dioxide to a hydrocarbon in the electrolytic cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
an absorber; the absorber being operative to extract carbon dioxide from a flue gas stream to form a carbon capture solution that is rich in carbon dioxide; and
an electrolytic cell disposed downstream of the absorber; where the electrolytic cell is operative to reduce carbon dioxide present in the carbon capture solution.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the carbon dioxide is reduced to form a hydrocarbon or organic acid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the carbon capture solution is recycled to the absorber from the electrolytic cell after the reduction of the carbon dioxide.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the carbon capture solution comprises a solvent that absorbs carbon dioxide.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the carbon capture solution comprises a carbonate, a bicarbonate, or a carbamate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the carbonate is ammonium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, lithium carbonate, or combinations thereof; the bicarbonate is ammonium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, lithium bicarbonate, or combinations thereof; and where the carbamate is ammonium carbamate, potassium carbamate, sodium carbamate, or combinations thereof.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the electrolytic cell comprises two chambers separated by an ion exchange membrane.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the carbon capture solution that is rich in carbon dioxide is a catholyte.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the electrolyte cell comprises an ammonium salt, a sodium salt, a potassium salt or a lithium salt as an anolyte.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the electrolyte cell comprises an acid as an anolyte.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, where the electrolyte cell comprises a single chamber.

### Claim 12

A method comprising:
discharging a flue gas stream from a flue gas generator to an absorber;
contacting the flue gas stream with a carbon capture solution;
extracting carbon dioxide from the flue gas stream to form a carbon dioxide rich carbon capture solution;
discharging the carbon dioxide rich carbon capture solution to an electrolytic cell; and
reducing the carbon dioxide to a hydrocarbon in the electrolytic cell.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, where the carbon capture solution comprises a solvent, a chilled ammonia solution or an alkaline solution.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising discharging a carbon dioxide lean carbon capture solution to the absorber from the electrolytic cell.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, where the hydrocarbon is an alkane, an alcohol or an alkylene.