Hydrogen utilization and carbon recovery

Abstract

A method for upgrading bio-mass material is provided. The method involves electrolytic reduction of the material in an electrochemical cell having a ceramic, oxygen-ion conducting membrane, where the membrane includes an electrolyte. One or more oxygenated or partially-oxygenated compounds are reduced by applying an electrical potential to the electrochemical cell. A system for upgrading bio-mass material is also disclosed.

1 . A method for upgrading bio-mass material, the method comprising:
 providing an electrochemical cell comprising a ceramic, oxygen ion conducting membrane;   providing bio-mass to the electrochemical cell, wherein the bio-mass comprises one or more oxygenated or partially-oxygenated compounds; and   passing electrical current through the electrochemical cell.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bio-mass comprises bio-oil components selected from the group consisting of: carboxylic acids, ketones, furan derivatives, phenolic compounds, sugars, and mixtures of the same. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the bio-mass comprises bio-oil components selected from the group consisting of: acetic acid, propanoic acid, 2-butenal, 1-hydroxy-2-propane, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, 1-hydroxy-2-butanone, cyclopentanone, 3-furaldehyde, furfural, 2-cyclopenten-1-one, phenol, 2-cyclopenten-1-one, 2-methyl-2-cyclopentenone, 2-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, o-cresol, 1-hydroxy-2-propanoneacetate, p-cresol, m-cresol, 5-methyl-furfural, 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 3-methyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 2,4-dimethyl-phenol, o-methoxy-phenol, 2-methoxy-phenol, 2-furanone, 4-ethyl-phenol, 3-ethyl-phenol, 5-methyl-2-furanone, 1,2-benzenediol, 3-methyl-2-furanone, 6-ethyl-o-cresol, 2-methoxy-4-methyl-phenol, 4-methyl-guaiacol, 3-methyl-1,2-benzenediol, 4-methyl-1,2-benzenediol, p-ethyl-guaiacol, 4-methyl-5H-furan-2-one, 4-(2-propenyl)-phenol, 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-benzenediol, 4-ethyl-1,2-benzenediol, 2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenol, d-mannose, eugenol, 4-propyl-1,3-benzenediol, 2-methoxy-5-(1-propenyl)phenol, 2-methoxy-4-propenyl-phenol, vanilin, 4-hydroxy-3-mehoxy-benzaldehyde, 4-chromanol, 2-methoxy-4-propyl-phenol, Apocynin, Anhydro-d-mannosan, 1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-ethanone, guaiacylacetone, and, 1,2-ethoxy-6-(methoxy methyl)-phenol, and mixtures of the same. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising heating the bio-mass to a temperature between about 400° C. to about 1000° C. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing oxygen gas from the electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is operated substantially free of hydrogen gas. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the electrochemical cell comprises a cathode, an anode, and the ceramic, oxygen-ion conducting membrane comprises an electrolyte; the method further comprising:   contacting the bio-mass with the cathode;   applying an electric potential between the cathode and the anode; and   heating the bio-mass.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises zirconia doped with one or more trivalent cations selected from the group consisting of: yttria, scandia, ytterbia, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises ceria doped with one or more trivalent cations selected from the group consisting of: yttria, samaria, gadolinia, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the electrolyte comprises strontium and magnesium doped lanthanum gallate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the bio-mass is heated to a temperature between about 400° C. to about 1000° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising generating steam that contacts the cathode thereby ionizing the steam and producing reactive hydrogen. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the steam is generated by heating the biomass. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the hydrogen reacts with hydrocarbon ions formed in the electrochemical cell thereby producing one or more hydrocarbon compounds. 
     
     
         15 .- 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method for electrolytic reduction of bio-mass material, the method comprising:
 generating bio-mass vapor from bio-mass material using a pyrolyzer;   transporting the bio-mass vapor from the pyrolyzer to an electrochemical deoxygenation unit in fluid communication with the pyrolyzer, the electrochemical deoxygenation unit comprising at least one electrochemical cell comprising at least one ceramic, oxygen-ion conducting membrane; and   passing electrical current through the at least one electrochemical cell to deoxygenate hydrocarbon compounds in the bio-mass vapor.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises transporting the bio-mass material from a bio-mass container to the pyrolyzer, wherein the bio-mass material comprises one or more oxygenated or partially-oxygenated hydrocarbon compounds. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises collecting oxygen from the deoxygenated hydrocarbon compounds in an oxygen vessel coupled to the electrochemical deoxygenation unit via an oxygen conveyance outlet. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the method further comprises transporting hydrocarbon vapors from the electrochemical deoxygenation unit to a condenser to condense the hydrocarbon vapors into a mixture of hydrocarbon gases and liquids, the electrochemical deoxygenation unit coupled to the condenser via a hydrocarbon conveyance outlet. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one electrochemical cell further comprises:
 an anode configured for residing in an oxidizing environment;   a cathode comprising a first surface and a second surface;   a fluid conduit adjacent to a first surface of the cathode, the fluid conduit adapted to facilitate contact between the bio-mass vapor and the first surface of the cathode;   a power source that applies electrical potential between the cathode and the anode; and   wherein the at least one ceramic, oxygen-ion conducting membrane is positioned between the second surface of the cathode and the anode, whereby the fluid conduit and the at least one ceramic, oxygen-permeable membrane are configured such that the bio-mass vapor is not in contact with the anode.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the electrochemical cell is operated substantially free of hydrogen gas.