Varying microporous constructs for bipolar membranes in bipolar membrane electrodialysis
AssigneeW. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
InventorsJohn P. Hennessey, Rukmini B. Lobo, Varendra N. Silva, John E. Trouba, Holly R. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bipolar membrane composite including a first membrane, a second membrane, an optional additional membrane, a first ion exchange material, a second ion exchange material, and a catalyst. The bipolar membrane composite being configured to create an acidic solution and a basic solution when exposed to a main flow of fluid and an external current supply.
Claims20
A bipolar membrane composite that generates an acidic solution and a basic solution when the membrane composite is exposed to water and an electric current by enabling an oxidation-reduction reaction that dissociates water into a proton component and a hydroxide ion component with each component disposed on opposing sides of the bipolar membrane composite, the bipolar membrane composite comprising:
- an anion exchange layer (AEL) comprising an anion exchange polymer and optionally an AEL reinforcement layer at least partially embedded within the anion exchange polymer;
- a cation exchange layer (CEL) comprising a cation exchange polymer and optionally a CEL reinforcement layer at least partially embedded within the cation exchange polymer;
- wherein at least one of the AEL or CEL has a reinforcement layer having an open structure, defining a plurality of pores having an average pore size of 0.05 μm to 5.0 μm;
- a water dissociation catalyst at least partially embedded within at least one of the AEL or CEL such that the water dissociation catalyst is embedded extending from an interface between the AEL and CEL into less than 10% of a thickness of the at least one of the AEL or CEL.
A method of creating an acidic flow and a basic flow from a main flow of water, the method comprising:
- applying an electric current to a bipolar membrane composite in an electrochemical apparatus;
- wherein the bipolar membrane composite includes:
- an anion exchange layer (AEL) comprising an anion exchange polymer and optionally a AEL reinforcement layer at least partially embedded within the anion exchange polymer;
- a cation exchange layer (CEL) comprising a cation exchange polymer and optionally a CEL reinforcement layer at least partially embedded within the cation exchange polymer;
- wherein at least one of the AEL or CEL has a reinforcement layer having an open structure, defining a plurality of pores having an average pore size of 0.05 μm to 5.0 μm;
- a water dissociation catalyst at least partially embedded within at least one of the AEL or CEL such that the water dissociation catalyst is embedded extending from an interface between the AEL and CEL into less than 10% of a thickness of the at least one of the AEL or CEL;
- hydrating the bipolar membrane composite with water,
- dissociating water at the water dissociation catalyst;
- and
- separating the protons into a first flow and hydroxide ions into a second flow, the first flow disposed proximate to a first side of the bipolar membrane composite facing the first flow, the second flow disposed proximate to an opposing second side of the bipolar membrane composite facing the second flow;
- wherein the CEL faces the first flow and the AEL faces the second flow;
- wherein the first flow includes the acidic flow and the second flow includes the basic flow.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.