Generating and controlling magnetic fields for electrolyzer stacks

Abstract

An electrochemical reactor, including: a first magnetic field source; a second magnetic field source; and an electrochemical cell between the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source, the electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein the anode and the cathode are in a channel configured to contain an electrolyte stream comprising an iron-containing feedstock, and wherein the anode and the cathode are configured to contact the electrolyte stream, and wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to iron metal at the cathode and in a magnetic field provided by the first magnetic field source, the second magnetic field source, or a combination thereof.

1 . An electrochemical reactor, comprising:
 a first magnetic field source;   a second magnetic field source; and   an electrochemical cell between the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source, the electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode,   wherein the anode and the cathode are in a channel configured to contain an electrolyte stream comprising an iron-containing feedstock, and wherein the anode and the cathode are configured to contact the electrolyte stream, and   wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to iron metal at the cathode and in a magnetic field provided by the first magnetic field source, the second magnetic field source, or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source are each independently a field generating device,
 wherein the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source each independently comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or an electropermanent magnet,   wherein the magnetic field has a magnetic flux density of at least 250 gauss,   wherein the magnetic field has a gradient ranging from 10 to 1×106 gauss per meter, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         3 .- 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil and are arranged in a Helmholtz coil configuration,
 wherein the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil and are arranged in an anti-Helmholtz coil configuration,   wherein the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil and are arranged in a two-coil Maxwell coil configuration, or   wherein the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil, and wherein an axis common to the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source is transverse to a surface of the cathode at which the at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock is reduced to iron metal when the electrochemical reactor is in operation.   
     
     
         7 .- 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic field source is a field generating device, and the second magnetic field source is a field propagating device. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 10 , wherein the first magnetic field source comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or an electropermanent magnet. 
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the iron metal comprises an iron metal powder,   wherein the iron-containing feedstock comprises hematite, machemite, magnetite, goethite, limonite, pyrite, red mud, siderite, ankerite, turgite, bauxite, or a combination thereof,   wherein the electrolyte stream comprises an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, an organic hydroxide, or a combination thereof,   wherein the electrolyte stream comprises an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, an organic hydroxide, or a combination thereof and wherein the alkali metal hydroxide, the organic hydroxide, or the combination thereof is present in the aqueous solution in an amount of 20 to 50 weight percent, or 30 to 40 weight percent, based on a total weight of the aqueous solution,   wherein the electrolyte stream comprises from 0.1 to 30 weight percent of the iron-containing feedstock,   wherein the electrochemical reactor is operated at a temperature of 50° C. to 140° C. or a combination thereof.   
     
     
         13 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein each cathode independently comprises aluminum, carbon, copper, molybdenum, nickel, titanium, iron, an alloy thereof, or a combination thereof,
 wherein each anode independently comprises carbon, titanium, lead, nickel, iron, platinum, iridium, ruthenium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, vanadium, hafnium, aluminum, cobalt, antimony, tungsten, an alloy thereof, an oxide thereof, or a combination thereof, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the iron-containing feedstock is not subjected to electrochemical reduction before the electrochemical reduction in the magnetic field. 
     
     
         21 . The electrochemical reactor ofany of  claim 1 , wherein
 the channel is separated by a separator to provide a catholyte channel and an anolyte channel,   the catholyte channel is configured to contain a catholyte stream comprising the iron-containing feedstock, and   the anolyte channel is configured to contain an anolyte stream.   
     
     
         22 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 21 , wherein the catholyte stream comprises an aqueous solution of an alkali hydroxide, an organic hydroxide, or a combination thereof,
 wherein the catholyte stream comprises an aqueous solution of an alkali hydroxide, an organic hydroxide, or a combination thereof and wherein the alkali metal hydroxide, the organic hydroxide, or the combination thereof is present in the aqueous solution in an amount of 20 to 50 weight percent, or 30 to 40 weight percent, based on a total weight of the catholyte stream excluding the iron-containing feedstock,   wherein the catholyte stream comprises from 0.1 to 30 weight percent of the iron-containing feedstock, based on a total weight of the catholyte stream,   wherein the anolyte comprises an aqueous solution comprising a mineral acid; and optionally a supporting electrolyte compound,   wherein the anolyte comprises an aqueous solution comprising a mineral acid; and   optionally a supporting electrolyte compound and wherein the mineral acid comprises HCl, HNO3, H2SO4, HClO4, H3PO4, or a combination thereof,   wherein the anolyte comprises a supporting electrolyte compound, and the supporting electrolyte compound comprises a compound of the formula MClO4, MNO3, M2SO4, MF, MCl, MBr, MI, or a combination thereof, wherein M is Li, Na, or K, or tetra-n-butylammonium X, wherein X is F, CI, Br, I, or hexafluorophosphate, or a combination thereof, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         23 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 21 ,
 wherein at least one of the anode or the cathode is directly in contact with the separator, or   wherein   a first distance between a surface of the anode and the separator is 0.001 cm to 2 cm;   a second distance between a surface of the cathode and the separator is 0.001 cm to 2 cm; or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a plurality of electrochemical cells between the first magnetic field source and the second magnetic field source, and
 wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells comprises 2 to 500 electrochemical cells.   
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 30 , further comprising a bipolar plate between a pair of adjacent electrochemical cells. 
     
     
         33 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 32 ,
 wherein the electrochemical reactor comprises (n−1) bipolar plates, wherein n is the number of electrochemical cells in the plurality of electrochemical cells,   wherein the bipolar plate comprises:   an anode side in electrical contact with an anode of a first electrochemical cell; and   a cathode side in electrical contact with a cathode of a second electrochemical cell,   wherein the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell are adjacent, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The electrochemical reactor of any of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells are connected in series and configured to have a reactor potential applied between a cathode of an initial electrochemical cell and an anode of a final electrochemical cell, wherein the reactor potential is a cell potential multiplied by n, wherein n is a number of electrochemical cells in the plurality of electrochemical cells. 
     
     
         36 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 32 , wherein an additional magnetic field source is disposed between adjacent electrochemical cells, and wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to iron metal at the cathode of each of the electrochemical cells and in a magnetic field provided by the first magnetic field source, the second magnetic field source, the additional magnetic field source, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 36 , comprising (n/m−1) additional magnetic field sources, wherein m is a number of the electrochemical cells that are influenced by the magnetic field provided by a single pair of magnetic field sources. 
     
     
         38 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 30 , wherein adjacent electrochemical cells are arranged in a monopolar configuration such that the anodes of adjacent cells are adjacent and the cathodes of adjacent cells are adjacent. 
     
     
         39 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells are connected in parallel and configured to have a same cell potential applied between the cathode and the anode of each electrochemical cell. 
     
     
         40 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 38 , further comprising one or more additional magnetic field sources disposed between adjacent electrochemical cells, wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to iron metal at the cathode of each of the electrochemical cells and in a magnetic field provided by the first magnetic field source, the second magnetic field source, the one or more additional magnetic field sources, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 40 , comprising (n/m−1) additional magnetic field sources, wherein
 n is a number of electrochemical cells in the plurality of electrochemical cells; and 
 m is a number of the electrochemical cells that are influenced by the magnetic field provided by a single pair of magnetic field sources. 
 
     
     
         42 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 40 , wherein each additional magnetic field source is independently a field generating device or a field propagating device,
 wherein each additional magnetic field source independently comprises a permanent magnet, an electromagnet, or an electropermanent magnet,   wherein an additional magnetic field source and at least one of the first electromagnetic field source and the second electromagnetic field source are an electromagnetic coil, and wherein the additional magnetic field source and the at least one of the first electromagnetic field source and the second electromagnetic field source are arranged in a Helmholtz coil configuration, an anti-Helmholtz coil configuration, a two-coil Maxwell coil configuration, or a three-coil Maxwell coil configuration, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 36 , further comprising a first additional magnetic field source and a second additional magnetic field source. 
     
     
         46 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 45 , wherein the first additional magnetic field source and the second additional magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil,
 wherein the first additional magnetic field source and the second additional magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil and wherein the first additional magnetic field source and the second additional magnetic field source are arranged in a Helmholtz coil configuration, an anti-Helmholtz coil configuration, or a two-coil Maxwell coil configuration, or   wherein the first additional magnetic field source and the second additional magnetic field source are each an electromagnetic coil and wherein the first additional magnetic field source, the second additional magnetic field source, and one of the first electromagnetic field source and the second electromagnetic field source are arranged in a three-coil Maxwell coil configuration, and wherein the one of the first electromagnetic field source and the second electromagnetic field source is an electromagnetic coil.   
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . (canceled) 
     
     
         49 . The electrochemical reactor of claim  44 , wherein an axis common to each electromagnetic coil present in the electrochemical reactor is transverse to a surface of the cathode of the electrochemical cell at which the at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock is reduced to iron metal when the electrochemical reactor is in operation. 
     
     
         50 .- 57 . (canceled) 
     
     
         58 . An electrochemical reactor, comprising:
 an electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode; and   at least one electromagnetic coil disposed adjacent to the electrochemical cell,   wherein the anode and the cathode are in a channel configured to contain an electrolyte stream comprising an iron-containing feedstock, wherein the anode and the cathode are configured to contact the electrolyte stream, and   wherein the electrochemical reactor is configured to electrochemically reduce at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to iron metal at the cathode and in a magnetic field provided by the at least one electromagnetic coil.   
     
     
         59 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 58 , wherein the magnetic field has a magnetic flux density of at least 250 gauss,
 wherein the magnetic field has a gradient ranging from 10 to 1×106 gauss per meter,   comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils wherein a first electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a second electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnet coils are arranged in a Helmholtz coil configuration,   comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils wherein a first electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a second electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnet coils are in an anti-Helmholtz coil configuration,   comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils wherein a first electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a second electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnet coils are in an anti-Helmholtz coil configuration,   comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils wherein a first electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils, a second electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils, and a third electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils are in a three-coil Maxwell coil configuration,   comprising a plurality of electromagnetic coils wherein a first electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils and a second electromagnetic coil of the plurality of electromagnetic coils are in a two-coil Maxwell coil configuration, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         60 .- 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 58 , wherein
 the channel is separated by a separator to provide a catholyte channel and an anolyte channel,   the catholyte channel is configured to contain a catholyte stream comprising the iron-containing feedstock, and   the anolyte channel is configured to contain an anolyte stream.   
     
     
         75 .- 82 . (canceled) 
     
     
         83 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 58 , wherein the electrochemical cell is a plurality of electrochemical cells, wherein a plurality of electromagnetic coils are disposed around the plurality of electrochemical cells and wherein the plurality of electrochemical cells comprises 2 to 500 electrochemical cells,
 wherein the electrochemical cell is disposed along an axis common to a plurality of electromagnetic coils, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         84 .- 91 . (canceled) 
     
     
         92 . A method of processing an iron-containing feedstock to produce iron metal, the method comprising:
 flowing the electrolyte stream comprising the iron-containing feedstock through an electrochemical cell of the electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 ;   applying a magnetic field at the cathode of the electrochemical cell;   electrochemically reducing at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to produce the iron metal at the cathode while the magnetic field is applied at the cathode; and   collecting the iron metal to produce the iron metal, wherein the iron metal is optionally a powder.   
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the step of collecting further comprises
 stopping the electrochemical reduction of the iron-containing feedstock,   releasing the magnetic field from the cathode, and   flushing the iron metal from the cathode using the electrolyte stream.   
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 92 , wherein the iron-containing feedstock comprises iron in an oxidized state before the magnetic field is applied at the cathode,
 wherein at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock is reduced at the cathode while the magnetic field is applied to the cathode, or   a combination thereof.   
     
     
         95 . (canceled) 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 92 , further comprising:
 transporting the electrolyte stream to a separation unit located downstream of the channel;   separating at least a portion of the iron metal from the electrolyte stream; and   recirculating the electrolyte stream to an upstream region of the channel.   
     
     
         97 . An iron metal produced by the method of  claim 92 , wherein the iron metal has
 a specific total embedded emissions of less than 0.8 tons of CO2 per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to the European Union simplified bubble approach method for determining specific embedded emissions under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism;   a carbon emission intensity of less than 1100 kilograms of CO 2  per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to ISO 14404; a carbon emission intensity of less than 800 kilograms of CO 2  per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Methodology 2006 Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories;   a carbon emission intensity of less than 1500 kilograms of CO 2  per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to the 2017 World Steel Life Cycle Inventory Methodology;   a carbon emission intensity of less than 1300 kilograms of CO 2  per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to the 2008 World Resource Institute Iron and Steel Greenhouse Gas Protocol;   a carbon emission intensity of less than 750 kilograms of CO 2  per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to European Union Commission Implementing Regulation 2018/2066;   a specific total embedded emissions of less than 0 tons of CO 2  per ton of the iron metal, when determined according to the European Union simplified bubble approach method for determining specific embedded emissions under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism; or
 a combination thereof. 
   
     
     
         98 . An electrochemical reactor system comprising:
 the electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 ;   a feedstock handling system, wherein optionally the feedstock handling system comprises a mixing tank; and   a product handling system, wherein the product handling system comprises a separation unit.   
     
     
         99 . A method of operating the electrochemical reactor system of  claim 98 , comprising:
 flowing the electrolyte stream comprising the iron-containing feedstock from the feedstock handling system to the electrochemical reactor;   applying a magnetic field at the cathode of the electrochemical cell;   electrochemically reducing at least a portion of the iron-containing feedstock to produce the iron metal at the cathode while the magnetic field is applied at the cathode;   collecting the iron metal from the cathode by flowing the electrolyte stream to a product handling system;   separating the iron metal from unreacted iron-containing feedstock in the separation unit to produce iron metal.   
     
     
         100 .- 102 . (canceled)