Thermal electrolytic production

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with thermal electrolytic production. According to one embodiment, a system includes a tower having an active reflux evaporator and a condenser system. The active reflux evaporator having a distributor pump assembly and an absorber. The distributor pump assembly pumps a heat pipe liquid metal to a distributor. The absorber receives the liquid metal from the distributor. The absorber facilitates evaporation of the liquid metal to form an evaporated metal. The condenser system includes a thermal load and a liquid pump assembly. The thermal load condenses the evaporated metal back to the liquid metal. The liquid pump assembly actively pumps the liquid metal to the distributor pump assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal electrolytic production system, comprising:
 a tower having:
 an active reflux evaporator having
 a distributor pump assembly to pump a heat pipe liquid metal to a distributor; 
 an absorber to receive the heat pipe liquid metal from the distributor, wherein the absorber facilitates evaporation of the heat pipe liquid metal to form an evaporated metal; and 
 
 a condenser system having:
 a thermal load to condense the evaporated metal back to the heat pipe liquid metal; and 
 a liquid pump assembly to actively pump the heat pipe liquid metal to the distributor pump assembly. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 1 , the liquid pump assembly using an external source to produce the force to move the heat pipe liquid metal to the distributor pump assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 1 , the active reflux evaporator further comprising an opening to receive solar flux and direct the solar flux to the absorber. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 1 , the absorber further comprising a wick structure having a porous structure to recirculate excess amounts of the heat pipe liquid metal. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal load is an array of isothermal loads. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electrolytic cell configured to receive thermal energy from the solar tower to facilitate production of a metal from a metal ore.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a heat pipe carrying the heat pipe liquid metal, wherein the heat pipe is associated electrolytic cell to transfer heat from the heat pipe liquid metal to the electrolytic cell.   
     
     
         8 . A thermal electrolytic production method, comprising:
 providing metal ore to electrolytic cell for electrolysis; wherein the electrolytic cell has a cathode and an anode;   isolating a liquid metal produced from the electrolysis in a shroud, wherein the shroud isolates the produced liquid metal at the cathode from products produced at the anode; and   retrieving the produced liquid metal from the shroud.   
     
     
         9 . The solar thermal electrolytic production method of  claim 8 , wherein a structure of the shroud is selected such that the electrical energy input is substantially the difference in free energy between the products and the reactants. 
     
     
         10 . The solar thermal electrolytic production method of  claim 8 , wherein the shroud is constructed from a metallic or ceramic mesh. 
     
     
         11 . The solar thermal electrolytic production method of  claim 8 , wherein the produced liquid metal is retrieved from the shroud by tapping. 
     
     
         12 . The solar thermal electrolytic production method of  claim 8 , wherein the produced liquid metal is retrieved from the shroud by flash vaporization. 
     
     
         13 . The solar thermal electrolytic production method of  claim 8 , wherein the electrolytic cell receives thermal energy from a tower. 
     
     
         14 . The solar thermal electrolytic production method of  claim 8 , wherein the metal ore is magnesium oxide, wherein the metal is magnesium, and wherein the inert gas is argon. 
     
     
         15 . A thermal electrolytic production system, comprising:
 a tower having:
 an active reflux evaporator having
 a distributor pump assembly to pump a heat pipe liquid metal to a distributor; 
 an absorber to receive the liquid metal from the distributor, wherein the absorber facilitates evaporation of the heat pipe liquid metal to form an evaporated metal; 
 
 a condenser system having:
 a thermal load to condense the evaporated metal back to the heat pipe liquid metal; and 
 a liquid pump assembly to actively pump the heat pipe liquid metal to the distributor pump assembly; and 
 
 an electrolytic cell configured to receive thermal energy from the tower to produce a metal from a metal ore. 
   
     
     
         16 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 15 , the liquid pump assembly using an external source to produce force to move the liquid metal to the distributor pump assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 15 , the electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode is separated from the cathode by shroud. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 17 , wherein the shroud is constructed from a metallic or ceramic mesh. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 15 , wherein the electrolytic cell utilizes thermal energy from the tower. 
     
     
         20 . The thermal electrolytic production system of  claim 15 , the active reflux evaporator further comprising an opening to receive solar flux and direct the solar flux to the absorber.