Electrochemical apparatus to generate hydrogen and sequester carbon dioxide

A carbon dioxide negative electrochemical manufacturing apparatus to generate renewable hydrogen and sequester carbon dioxide from the air or gas streams comprising:

• a) a water electrolysis chamber, adapted to electrolyze water and to be electrically connected to a renewable energy source or other low-carbon energy source, comprising at least one cathode, at least one anode, and an aqueous alkali salt electrolyte solution that is substantially chloride-free, the electrolysis chamber further comprising a first region adapted to concentrate hydroxide ions produced at the cathode and a second region adapted to concentrate hydronium ions produced at the anode when direct current at a predetermined voltage to electrolyze water of the electrolyte solution is applied to the electrolysis chamber during use, wherein the electrolysis chamber is configured to produce up to about 40 kg of sodium hydroxide or a molar equivalent of potassium hydroxide for every kilogram of hydrogen produced and to produce up to about 49 kg of sulfuric acid for every kilogram of hydrogen produced;
• b) a gas contact assembly operably connected to the first region of the electrolysis chamber and adapted to receive hydroxide ions in solution from the electrolysis chamber and to contain a gas stream containing carbon dioxide;
• c) gas supply equipment adapted to provide the gas stream containing carbon dioxide to the gas contact assembly to contact carbon dioxide with the hydroxide ions in solution and react the carbon dioxide with the hydroxide ions to form bicarbonate or carbonate ions in solution;
• d) a separation chamber operably connected to the gas contact assembly and adapted to separate the bicarbonate or carbonate ions from the solution in the gas contact assembly;
• e) hydrogen collecting equipment to collect renewable hydrogen produced at the cathode during use;
• and
• f) optional oxygen collecting equipment to collect oxygen produced at the anode during use;
• wherein, the electrolysis chamber is configured to produce less than about 100 milligrams of chlorine per liter of the electrolyte solution.

An electrochemical apparatus to generate renewable hydrogen and sequester carbon dioxide from gas streams comprising:

• a) an electrolysis chamber, adapted to electrolyze water and to be electrically connected to a electrical energy source, comprising at least one cathode, at least one anode, and an aqueous electrolyte, the electrolysis chamber further comprising a first region adapted to concentrate hydroxide ions produced at the cathode from an initial concentration of hydroxide ions to a concentration of hydroxide ions that is between about 100 and about 10,000,000 times higher than the initial concentration of hydroxide ions when direct current is applied to the electrolysis chamber, and a second region adapted to concentrate hydronium ions produced at the anode from an initial concentration of hydronium ions to a concentration of hydronium ions that is between about 100 and about 10,000,000 times higher than the initial concentration of hydronium ions when direct current is applied to the electrolysis chamber;
• b) a gas contact assembly integral with the first region of the electrolysis chamber and adapted to contain a gas stream containing carbon dioxide;
• c) gas supply equipment adapted to provide the gas stream containing carbon dioxide to the gas contact assembly to contact carbon dioxide with the hydroxide ions in solution and react the carbon dioxide with the hydroxide ions to form bicarbonate or carbonate ions in solution;
• and
• d) a separation chamber operably connected to the gas contact assembly and adapted to separate the bicarbonate or carbonate ions from the solution in the gas contact assembly;
• wherein, the electrolysis chamber is configured to produce less than about 100 milligrams of chlorine per liter of the electrolyte solution.

A carbon-negative electrochemical apparatus to generate renewable hydrogen and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere or a gas streams comprising:

• a) an electrolysis chamber, adapted to electrolyze water and to be electrically connected to a renewable electrical energy source, comprising at least one cathode, at least one anode, and an aqueous electrolyte, the electrolysis chamber comprising a first region adapted to concentrate hydroxide ions produced at the cathode and a second region adapted to concentrate hydronium ions produced at the anode when direct current is applied to the electrolysis chamber;
• b) base supply equipment operably connected to the first region of the electrolysis chamber and adapted to receive aqueous hydroxide base from the electrolysis chamber;
• c) a gas contact assembly to contact the atmosphere or the gas stream containing carbon dioxide with the hydroxide base and react the carbon dioxide with the hydroxide base to form a solution of bicarbonate or carbonate ions;
• and
• d) a value-added product assembly configured to receive the solution of bicarbonate or carbonate ions from the gas contact assembly and to produce a secondary value-added product from the solution of bicarbonate or carbonate ions;
• wherein, the electrolysis chamber is configured to produce less than about 100 milligrams of chlorine per liter of the electrolyte solution.

An electrochemical apparatus to sequester carbon dioxide from gas streams and generate hydrogen comprising:

• a) an electrolysis chamber electrically connected to an electrical energy source and comprising at least one cathode, at least one anode, and an aqueous electrolyte solution, the electrolysis chamber further comprising a first region adapted to concentrate hydroxide ions produced at the cathode and a second region adapted to concentrate hydronium ions produced at the anode when direct current is applied to the electrolysis chamber, and wherein the electrolysis chamber is configured to produce substantially no chlorine gas when direct current is applied to the electrolysis chamber;
• b) a gas contact assembly operably connected to the first region of the electrolysis chamber and adapted to receive hydroxide ions in solution from the electrolysis chamber and to contain a gas stream containing carbon dioxide;
• c) gas supply equipment adapted to provide the gas stream containing carbon dioxide to the gas contact assembly to contact hydroxide ions in solution with the carbon dioxide and react the hydroxide ions with the carbon dioxide to form bicarbonate or carbonate ions in solution;
• and
• d) a separation chamber operably connected to the gas contact assembly and adapted to separate the bicarbonate or carbonate ions from the solution in the gas contact assembly;
• wherein, the electrolysis chamber is configured to produce less than about 100 milligrams of chlorine per liter of the electrolyte solution.