Solid multi-component membranes, electrochemical reactor components, electrochemical reactors and use of membranes, reactor components, and reactor for oxidation reactions

An electrochemical reactor for reacting an oxygen-consuming gas with an oxygen-containing gas characterized by:

• a shell having an entrance end, an exit end and a passage therebetween for the movement of one or more gases from the entrance end to the exit end, and
• at least one electrochemical reactor cell positioned within the shell having an entrance end, an exit end and a passage therebetween for the movement of one or more gases from the entrance end to the exit end, so that the shell and the reactor cell together form a first zone for introducing, reacting and expelling a first gas or gas mixture and the passage through the reactor cell forms a second zone within the electrochemical reactor for introducing, reacting and expelling a second gas or gas mixture,
• wherein the electrochemical reactor cell comprises a solid multi-component membrane comprising (1) an intimate, gas-impervious, multi-phase mixture of an electronically-conductive phase and an oxygen ion-conductive phase or (2) a mixed metal oxide material having a perovskite structure represented by the formula:
• A.sub.s A'.sub.t B.sub.u B'.sub.v B".sub.w O.sub.x
• wherein A represents a lanthanide or Y, or a mixture thereof;
• A' represents an alkaline earth metal or a mixture thereof;
• B represents Fe;
• B' represents Cr or Ti, or a mixture thereof;
• and B" represents Mn, Co, V, Ni or Cu, or a mixture thereof and s, t, u, v, w, and x each represent a number such that:
• s/t equals from about 0.01 to about 100;
• u equals from about 0.01 to about 1;
• v equals from 0.01 to about 1;
• w equals from zero to about 1;
• x equals a number that satisfies the valences of the A, A', B, B' and B" in the formula;
• and
• 0.9<(s+t)/(u+v+W)<1.1

An electrochemical reactor for reacting an oxygen-consuming gas with an oxygen-containing gas characterized by:

• a shell having an entrance end, an exit end and a passage therebetween for the movement of one or more gases from the entrance end to the exit end, and
• a least one electrochemical reactor cell positioned within the shell having an entrance end, an exit end and a passage therebetween for the movement of one or more gases from the entrance end to the exit end, so that the shell and the reactor cell together form a first zone for introducing, reacting and expelling a first gas or gas mixture and the passage through the reactor cell forms a second zone within the electrochemical reactor for introducing, reacting and expelling a second gas or gas mixture,
• wherein the electrochemical reactor cell comprises an element comprising (A) a solid multi-component membrane characterized by (1) an intimate, gas-impervious, multi-phase mixture of an electronically-conductive phase and an oxygen ion-conductive phase or (2) a mixed metal oxide material having a perovskite structure represented by the formula:
• A.sub.s A'.sub.t B.sub.u B'.sub.v B".sub.w O.sub.x
• wherein A represents a lanthanide or Y, or a mixture thereof;
• A' represents an alkaline earth metal or a mixture thereof;
• B represents Fe;
• B' represents Cr or Ti, or a mixture thereof;
• and B" represents Mn, Co, V, Ni or Cu, or a mixture thereof and s, t, u, v, w, and x each represent a number such that:
• s/t equals from about 0.01 to about 100;
• u equals from about 0.01 to about 1;
• v equals from 0.01 to about 1;
• w equals from zero to about 1;
• x equals a number that satisfies the valences of the A, A', B, B' and B" in the formula;
• and
• 0.9<(s+t)/(u+v+W)<1.1

An electrochemical process for oxidizing a gas capable of reacting with oxygen characterized by

• (A) providing an electrochemical reactor cell comprising first and second zones separated by an element comprising (A) solid multi-component membrane characterized by (1) an intimate, gas-impervious, multi-phase mixture of an electronically-conductive phase and an oxygen ion-conductive phase or (2) a mixed metal oxide material having a perovskite structure and (B) a conductive coating, a catalyst, or a conductive coating comprising a catalyst
• (B) heating the electrochemical cell to a temperature of from about 300.degree. C. to about 1400.degree. C.,
• (C) passing an oxygen-containing gas in contact with the membrane in the first zone, and
• (D) passing a gas capable of reacting with oxygen in contact with the membrane in the second zone.

An electrochemical process for producing unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds from saturated hydrocarbon compounds characterized by

• (A) providing an electrochemical cell comprising an element having a first and second surface;
• (B) passing an oxygen-containing gas in contact with the first surface while
• (c) passing a saturated hydrocarbon-containing gas in contact with a dehydrogenation catalyst adjacent no the second surface and
• (D) recovering unsaturated hydrocarbons
• wherein the element comprising (A) a solid multi-component membrane characterized by (1) an intimate, gas-impervious, multi-phase mixture of an electronically-conductive phase and an oxygen ion-conductive phase or (2) a mixed metal oxide material having a perovskite structure and (B) a conductive coating, a catalyst, or a conductive costing comprising a catalyst.

An electrochemical process for substitution of aromatic compounds which comprises:

• (A) providing an electrochemical cell comprising
• (i) an element having a first surface capable of reducing oxygen to oxygen ions, a second surface capable of reacting oxygen ions with an oxygen-consuming gas, an electron-conductive path between the first and second surfaces and an oxygen ion-conductive path between the first and second surfaces,
• (ii) a first passageway adjacent to the first surface, and
• (iii) a second passageway adjacent to the second surface;
• and
• (B) passing an oxygen-containing gas through the first passageway while
• (C) passing an oxygen-consuming gas through the second passageway wherein the oxygen-consuming gas comprises a mixture of a hydrogen-containing aromatic compound and a second hydrogen-containing compound to produce the substituted aromatic compound.

An electrochemical process for producing hydrogen cyanide from methane and ammonia characterized by

• (A) providing an electrochemical reactor cell comprising first and second zones separated by an element, having a first surface capable of reducing oxygen to oxygen ions, a second surface capable of reacting oxygen ions with an oxygen-consuming gas, an electron-conductive path between the first and second surfaces and an oxygen ion-conductive path between the first and second surfaces;
• (B) heating the electrochemical reactor cell to a temperature of from about 1000.degree. C. to about 1400.degree. C.;
• (C) passing an oxygen-containing gas in contact with the element in the first zone;
• (D) passing methane and ammonia in contact with the membrane in the second zone;
• and
• (E) recovering hydrogen cyanide from the second zone.