Electrochemical reactor and method for reducing iron from an iron-containing feedstock

An electrochemical reactor, comprising:

• a channel for containing and directing flow of an electrolyte stream, wherein the electrolyte stream comprises an electrolyte and an iron-containing feedstock;
• an anode and a cathode positioned in contact with the channel;
• and
• a source of a magnetic field positioned in proximity to the cathode,
• wherein the electrochemical reactor electrochemically reduces at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to an iron metal at a surface of the cathode and in the magnetic field of the source, and
• wherein the iron-containing feedstock comprises magnetite or hematite.

An electrochemical reactor, comprising:

• a catholyte channel for containing and directing flow of a catholyte stream, wherein the catholyte stream comprises a catholyte and an iron-containing feedstock;
• an anolyte channel for containing and directing flow of an anolyte stream;
• a cathode positioned in contact with the catholyte channel;
• an anode positioned in contact with the anolyte channel;
• a source of a magnetic field positioned in proximity to the cathode;
• and
• a separator disposed between the catholyte channel and the anolyte channel,
• wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to iron metal at a surface of the cathode and in the magnetic field of the source, and
• wherein the at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock is electrochemically reduced to the iron metal at a current efficiency ratio of at least 0.75, wherein the current efficiency is a ratio of charge used for the reduction of the iron-containing feedstock to a total charge provided to the cathode.

A method of processing an iron-containing feedstock to produce iron metal, the method comprising:

• flowing an electrolyte stream comprising the iron-containing feedstock through a channel of an electrochemical cell, the electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode disposed in the channel;
• applying a magnetic field at the cathode of the electrochemical cell;
• electrochemically reducing at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to produce the iron metal on a surface of the cathode while the magnetic field is applied at the cathode;
• and
• collecting the iron metal from the surface of the cathode using the electrolyte stream,
• wherein the electrochemically reducing is at a current efficiency of at least 0.75, wherein the current efficiency is a ratio of charge used for the reduction of the iron-containing feedstock to a total charge provided to the cathode.