US 2019/0077673 A1Published application

Apparatus and process for the production of soda ash

AssigneeIonic Solutions Ltd.

InventorAzaroghly YAZDANBOD

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Abstract

A device and process for the separate removal of oppositely charged ions from electrolyte solutions and recombining them to form new chemical compositions. The invention provides the ability to create multiple ion flow channels and then form new chemical compositions therefrom. The process is accomplished by selectively combining oppositely charged ions of choice from different electrolyte solutions via the capacitive behavior of high electrical capacitance electrodes confined in insulated containers. Industrial plants employing the inventive process can have the flexibility to produce needed industrial chemical compounds such as Soda Ash, Caustic Soda, hydrochloric acid and chlorine gas, based on market demand, and can be located near points of consumption to significantly reduce transportation costs.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A process for capacitive generation of ion streams, comprising;

a) providing a first electrolyte solution in a first hydraulically isolated section and a second electrolyte solution in a second hydraulically isolated section, wherein each electrolyte solution comprises positive ions and negative ions;
b) separating the positive ions from the negative ions in each of the first and second electrolyte solutions, wherein separating comprises the steps of:
i) placing a first EDLC electrode inside the first electrolyte solution;
ii) placing a second EDLC electrode inside the second electrolyte solution;
and
iii) applying an electric potential difference between the EDLC electrodes such that two capacitors in series are formed in each of the first and second electrolyte solutions;
c) electrically drawing the ions out of each of the first and second electrolyte solutions as oppositely charged ion streams, wherein the positive and negative ion streams are generated in a continuous fashion and are selectively drawn through an ion selective membrane selective to the ion stream;
and
d) pooling the ion stream from the first electrolyte solution and the oppositely charged ion stream from the second electrolyte solution into a third hydraulically isolated section with sides made up of the ion selective membranes of the first and the second hydraulically isolated sections.

6 more elements

An apparatus for separation and selective recomposition of ions, comprising:

a) a cell comprising:
a first insulated container;
a first ion selective membrane;
iii) a second ion selective membrane, wherein the first and second ion selective membranes divide the volume of the first insulated container into a first hydraulically isolated volume, a second hydraulically isolated volume and a third hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the third hydraulically isolated volume is located between, the first and the second hydraulically isolated volumes;
iv) a first EDLC electrode secured within the first hydraulically isolated volume;
and
v) a second EDLC electrode secured within the second hydraulically isolated volume;
and
b) an electric current supply source for connecting to and controlling the polarities of the first and second EDLC electrodes.

6 more elements

An apparatus for separation and selective recomposition of ions, comprising in combination:

a) a first cell comprising:
i) a first insulated container;
ii) a first ion selective membrane;
iii) a second ion selective membrane, wherein the first and second ion selective membranes divide the volume of the first insulated container into a first hydraulically isolated volume, a second hydraulically isolated volume and a third hydraulically isolated volume wherein the third hydraulically isolated volume is located between the first and the second hydraulically isolated volumes;
iv) a first EDLC electrode secured within the first hydraulically isolated volume;
and
v) a second EDLC electrode secured within the second hydraulically isolated volume;
b) a second cell comprising:
i) a second insulated container;
ii) a third ion selective membrane;
iii) a fourth ion selective membrane, wherein the third and fourth ion selective membranes divide the volume of the second insulated container into a fourth hydraulically isolated volume, a fifth hydraulically isolated volume and a sixth hydraulically isolated volume wherein the sixth hydraulically isolated volume is located between the fourth and the fifth ones;
iv) a third EDLC electrode secured within the fourth hydraulically isolated volume;
and
v) a fourth EDLC electrode secured within the fifth hydraulically isolated volume;
c) a first electric current supply source for connecting to and controlling the polarities of the first and second electrodes;
and
d) a second electric current supply source for connecting to and controlling the polarities of the third and fourth electrodes.

14 more elements

An apparatus for separation and selective recomposition of ions, comprising in combination:

a) a first cell comprising:
i) a first insulated container;
ii) a first ion selective membrane;
iii) a second ion selective membrane, wherein the first and second ion selective membranes divide the volume of the first insulated container into a first hydraulically isolated volume, a second hydraulically isolated volume and a third hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the third hydraulically isolated, volume is located between the first and the second hydraulically isolated volumes;
iv) a first electrode secured within the first hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the first electrode is a low electrical capacitance electrode which allows the occurrence of electrode reactions:
and
v) a second electrode secured within the second hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the second electrode is an EDLC electrode;
b) a second cell comprising:
i) a second insulated container;
ii) a third ion selective membrane;
iii) a fourth ion selective membrane, wherein the third and fourth ion selective membranes divide the volume of the second insulated container into a fourth hydraulically isolated volume, a fifth hydraulically isolated, volume and a sixth hydraulically isolated volume wherein the sixth hydraulically isolated volume is located between the fourth and the fifth hydraulically isolated volumes;
iv) a half fuel cell device placed within the fourth isolated volume;
and
v) a third electrode secured within the fifth hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the third electrode is an EDLC electrode;
c) a first electric current supply source for connecting to and controlling the polarities of the first and second electrodes;
and
d) a second electric current supply source for connecting to, and controlling the polarities of the third and fourth electrodes,
wherein the first hydraulically isolated volume includes a cap, the cap including a tube connecting the empty space above the first electrolyte solution to the half fuel cell device, and
wherein the second current supply source includes a resistive or capacitive load that can consume the electric energy generated between its two ends so that the energy is used.

16 more elements

An apparatus for separation and selective recomposition of ions, comprising in combination:

a) a first cell comprising:
i) a first insulated container;
ii) a first ion selective membrane;
iii) a second ion selective membrane, wherein the first and second ion selective membranes divide the volume of the first insulated container into a first hydraulically isolated volume, a second hydraulically isolated volume and a third hydraulically isolated volume wherein the third hydraulically isolated volume is located between the first and the second hydraulically isolated volumes;
iv) a first electrode secured within the first hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the first electrode is a low electrical capacitance electrode which allows the occurrence of electrode reactions;
and
v) a second electrode secured within the second hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the second electrode is an EDLC electrode;
b) a second cell comprising:
i) a second insulated container;
ii) a third ion selective membrane;
iii) a fourth ion selective membrane, wherein the third and fourth ion selective membranes divide the volume of the second insulated container into a fourth hydraulically isolated volume, a fifth hydraulically isolated volume and a sixth hydraulically isolated volume wherein the sixth hydraulically isolated volume is located between the fourth and the fifth hydraulically isolated volumes;
iv) a third electrode secured within the fourth hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the third electrode is a low electrical capacitance electrode which allows the occurrence of electrode reactions;
and
v) a fourth electrode secured within the fifth hydraulically isolated volume, wherein the fourth electrode is an EDLC electrode;
c) a first electric current supply source for connecting to and controlling the polarities of the first and second electrodes;
and
d) a second electric current supply source for connecting to and controlling the polarities of the third and fourth electrodes.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/700,794Filed 11 Sep 2017
Published: 14 Mar 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

C01D 7/07
Carbonates of sodium, potassium or alkali metals in general: preparation from the hydroxides
B01D 61/428
Electrodialysis; Electro-osmosis ; Electro-ultrafiltration; Membrane capacitive deionization: membrane capacitive deionization
B01D 61/44
Electrodialysis; Electro-osmosis ; Electro-ultrafiltration; Membrane capacitive deionization: ion-selective electrodialysis
C01D 1/28
Hydroxides: purification; Separation