Method for electrochemical reduction of co2 in an electrochemical cell

Abstract

The invention refers to method for electrochemical reduction of CO 2 in an electrochemical cell having a cathode and an anode. The method comprises: at the cathode, reducing the CO 2 ; at the anode, oxidizing a first hydrocarbon generating a second hydrocarbon.

1 . A method for electrochemical reduction of CO 2  in an electrochemical cell having a cathode and an anode, the method comprising
 at the cathode, reducing the CO 2 ,   at the anode, oxidizing a first hydrocarbon generating a second hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first hydrocarbon comprises at least one among ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ), coal, lignite, coke. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first hydrocarbon is ethane (C 2 H 6 ) and the second hydrocarbon is ethylene (C 2 H 4 ). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a body with a membrane defining a cathode chamber housing the cathode and an anode chamber housing the anode, the cathode chamber housing a catholyte surrounding the cathode, the method further comprising circulating the catholyte outside of the cathode chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the catholyte is a liquid catholyte. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the CO 2  is supplied into the catholyte circulating outside of the cathode chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a body with a membrane defining a cathode chamber housing the cathode and an anode chamber housing the anode, the anode chamber housing an anolyte surrounding the anode, the method further comprising circulating the anolyte outside of the anode chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the anolyte is a liquid anolyte. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first hydrocarbon is supplied into the anolyte circulating outside of the anode chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing the second hydrocarbon from the anode and separating the second hydrocarbon from impurities. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein impurities comprise the first hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anode is immersed in an anolyte containing a wetting agent and/or the anode has a hydrophobic coating. 
     
     
         13 . An electrochemical cell for electrochemical reduction of CO 2 , the electrochemical cell comprising
 a cathode for reducing the CO 2 ,   an anode for oxidizing a first hydrocarbon generating a second hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         14 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 13 , wherein the first hydrocarbon comprises at least one among ethane (C 2 H 6 ), propane (C 3 H 8 ), coal, lignite, coke. 
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 13 , further comprising a body with a membrane defining a cathode chamber housing the cathode and an anode chamber housing the anode, the cathode chamber housing a catholyte surrounding the cathode, the electrochemical cell further comprising a circulating path for the catholyte outside of the cathode chamber. 
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 15 , wherein the catholyte is a liquid catholyte. 
     
     
         17 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 15 , further comprising a CO 2  feeder into the circulating path for the catholyte. 
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 13 , wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a body with a membrane defining a cathode chamber housing the cathode and an anode chamber housing the anode, the anode chamber housing an anolyte surrounding the anode, the electrochemical cell further comprising a circulating path for the anolyte outside of the anode chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , wherein the anolyte is a liquid anolyte. 
     
     
         20 . The electrochemical cell of  claim 18 , further comprising a feeder for the first hydrocarbon into the circulating path for the anolyte.