Electric power production using aqueous multi-electron oxidants

Abstract

A method for producing electric power and regenerating an aqueous multi-electron oxidant (AMO) and a reducer in an energy storage cycle is provided. A discharge system includes a discharge unit, an acidification reactor, and a neutralization reactor. The acidification reactor converts an oxidant fluid including the AMO into an acidic oxidant fluid. The discharge unit generates electric power and a discharge fluid by transferring electrons from a positive electrode of an electrolyte-electrode assembly (EEA) to the AMO and from a reducer to a negative electrode of the EEA. The neutralization reactor neutralizes the discharge fluid to produce a neutral discharge fluid. The regeneration system splits an alkaline discharge fluid into a reducer and an intermediate oxidant in a splitting-disproportionation reactor and releases the reducer and a base, while producing the AMO by disproportionating the intermediate oxidant. The regenerated AMO and reducer are supplied to the discharge unit for power generation.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A discharge system for storing energy and producing electric power, comprising:
 one or more electrolytic cell stack, said electrolytic cell stack comprising a plurality of electrolytic cells, wherein each of said electrolytic cells comprises an electrolyte-electrode assembly, wherein chemical energy of an oxidant fluid and a reducer fluid is stored in said discharge system, wherein said discharge system facilitates producing electric power by converting chemical energy of said oxidant fluid and said reducer fluid into said electrical power, wherein said producing electric power is facilitated by a comproportionation reaction, wherein said oxidant fluid comprises one or more forms of one or more aqueous multi-electron oxidant, wherein said reducer fluid comprises a reducer, and wherein said aqueous multi-electron oxidant is selected from a group consisting of a perchlorate, a chlorate, a chlorite, a hypochlorite, a perbromate, a bromate, a bromite, a hypobromite, a periodate, an iodate, an iodite, and a hypoiodite, and wherein said reducer is selected from a group consisting of hydrogen, ammonia, hydrazine, hydroxylamine, phosphine, methane, a hydrocarbon, an alcohol, an aldehyde, a carbohydrate, a hydride, an oxide, a sulfide, an organic compound, and an inorganic compound.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said comproportionation reaction is facilitated by a pH change. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said pH change is facilitated by an orthogonal ion migration across laminar flow. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein said comproportionation reaction proceeds in an ignition regime. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte-electrode assembly comprises a cation-exchange membrane.