Methods and apparatus for converting metal carbonate salts to metal hydroxides
AssigneeThe University of British Columbia
InventorsCurtis BERLINGUETTE, Zishuai ZHANG, Benjamin MOWBRAY
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Abstract
Methods and apparatuses for converting metal carbonate salts to metal hydroxides are disclosed. The methods involve electrochemical production of hydrogen ions (H+) for decarbonating the metal carbonate salt to generate metal ions in a chemical compartment of the electrochemical cell. The metal ions are transported to a cathode compartment where they combine with hydroxide (OH−) to form metal hydroxides. The methods and apparatus may be applied to produce calcium hydroxide which may be used as a precursor for cement clinker. In some embodiments electrochemically produced hydrogen and oxygen are burned to produce heat for production of cement clinker.
Claims32
A method of producing metal hydroxide from metal carbonate salt in an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
- applying an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a chemical compartment between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, a first ion exchange membrane separating the anode chamber and the chemical compartment, and a second ion membrane separating the cathode chamber and the chemical compartment;
- oxidizing a first hydrogen-containing reactant, at the anode, to form hydrogen ions;
- permeating the hydrogen ions through the first ion exchange membrane into the chemical compartment;
- supplying a metal carbonate salt to the chemical compartment;
- reacting, at the chemical compartment, the metal carbonate salt with the hydrogen ions to form metal ions;
- permeating the metal ions through the second ion exchange membrane into the cathode chamber;
- reducing a second hydrogen-containing reactant, at the cathode, to form hydroxide ions;
- and
- removing metal hydroxide formed from reacting the metal ions with the hydroxide ions from the cathode chamber.
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A method of producing metal hydroxide from metal carbonate salt in an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
- applying an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a chemical compartment between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, a first ion exchange membrane separating the anode chamber and the chemical compartment, and a second ion membrane separating the cathode chamber and the chemical compartment;
- oxidizing a first hydrogen-containing reactant, at the anode, to form water;
- permeating the water into a bipolar membrane, the bipolar membrane having an anion exchange layer facing the anode and a cation exchange layer facing the chemical compartment;
- dissociating, in the bipolar membrane, the water to produce hydrogen ions;
- permeating the hydrogen ions through the cation exchange layer into the chemical compartment;
- supplying a metal carbonate salt to the chemical compartment;
- reacting, at the chemical compartment, the metal carbonate salt with the hydrogen ions to form metal ions;
- permeating the metal ions through the second ion exchange membrane into the cathode chamber;
- reducing a second hydrogen-containing reactant, at the cathode, to form hydroxide ions;
- and
- removing metal hydroxide formed from reacting the metal ions with the hydroxide ions from the cathode chamber.
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A method for producing calcium hydroxide from calcium carbonate, the method comprising:
- supplying calcium carbonate (CaCO3) to an electrochemical cell;
- applying an electrical potential of 5 Volts or less between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell while maintaining an average current density of at least 100 mA cm−2;
- at the cathode generating hydroxide ions (OH−);
- at the anode generating hydrogen ions (H+);
- in the electrochemical cell, dissociating carbon carbonate into calcium ions (Ca2+) and bringing the calcium ions together with the hydroxide ions;
- and
- removing the calcium hydroxide from the electrochemical cell.
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A method of producing metal hydroxide from metal carbonate salt in an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
- applying an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a chemical compartment between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, a first ion exchange membrane separating the anode chamber and the chemical compartment, and a second ion membrane separating the cathode chamber and the chemical compartment;
- oxidizing a first hydrogen-containing reactant, at the anode, to form hydrogen ions;
- permeating the hydrogen ions through the first ion exchange membrane into the chemical compartment;
- supplying a metal carbonate salt to the chemical compartment;
- reacting, at the chemical compartment, the metal carbonate salt with the hydrogen ions to form metal ions;
- permeating the metal ions through the second ion exchange membrane into the cathode chamber;
- reducing a second hydrogen-containing reactant, at the cathode, to form a reduced reaction product;
- supplying a solution comprising hydroxide ions to the cathode chamber;
- and
- removing metal hydroxide formed from reacting the metal ions with the hydroxide ions from the cathode chamber.
A method of producing metal hydroxide from metal carbonate salt in an electrochemical cell, the method comprising:
- applying an electrical potential between an anode and a cathode of the electrochemical cell, wherein the electrochemical cell comprises an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a chemical compartment between the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, a first ion exchange membrane separating the anode chamber and the chemical compartment, and a second ion membrane separating the cathode chamber and the chemical compartment;
- oxidizing a first hydrogen-containing reactant, at the anode, to form water;
- permeating the water into a bipolar membrane, the bipolar membrane having an anion exchange layer facing the anode and a cation exchange layer facing the chemical compartment;
- dissociating, in the bipolar membrane, the water to produce hydrogen ions;
- permeating the hydrogen ions through the cation exchange layer into the chemical compartment;
- supplying a metal carbonate salt to the chemical compartment;
- reacting, at the chemical compartment, the metal carbonate salt with the hydrogen ions to form metal ions;
- permeating the metal ions through the second ion exchange membrane into the cathode chamber;
- reducing a second hydrogen-containing reactant, at the cathode, to form a reduced reaction product;
- supplying a solution comprising hydroxide ions to the cathode chamber;
- and
- removing metal hydroxide formed from reacting the metal ions with the hydroxide ions from the cathode chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.