Electrochemical processes for producing different ratios of h2 to co2 gases

Abstract

Aspects and embodiments disclosed herein include an apparatus for generation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen from a saline water source. The apparatus comprises an electrolytic-cation exchange module (E-CEM) cell unit and at least one electrolyzer, each of the E-CEM cell unit and the at least one electrolyzer disposed between a set of endplates and endblocks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for generation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen from a saline water source, the apparatus comprising:
 an electrolytic-cation exchange module (E-CEM) cell unit including:
 an E-CEM anodic compartment; 
 an E-CEM cathodic compartment; 
 a center compartment defined between the E-CEM anodic compartment and the E-CEM cathodic compartment; 
 a first E-CEM cation permeable fluidic separator disposed between the center compartment and the E-CEM anodic compartment; and 
 a second E-CEM cation permeable fluidic separator disposed between the center compartment and the E-CEM cathodic compartment; and 
   at least one electrolyzer including:
 an electrolyzer anodic compartment; 
 an electrolyzer cathodic compartment; and 
 an electrolyzer cation permeable fluidic separator disposed between the electrolyzer anodic compartment and the electrolyzer cathodic compartment, 
   each of the E-CEM cell unit and the at least one electrolyzer disposed between a set of endplates and endblocks.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising two electrolyzers, a first of the two electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the E-CEM anodic compartment from the center compartment, a second of the two electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the E-CEM cathodic compartment from the center compartment. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a first solid bipolar electrode disposed between the first of the two electrolyzers and the E-CEM anodic compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a second solid bipolar electrode disposed between the second of the two electrolyzers and the E-CEM cathodic compartment. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to control flow rates of fluids through the E-CEM cell unit and the at least one electrolyzer and current across the E-CEM cell unit and the at least one electrolyzer to achieve a target ratio of H 2 :CO 2  produced by the apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to control the flow rates of the fluids through the E-CEM cell unit and the at least one electrolyzer and the current across the E-CEM cell unit and the at least one electrolyzer that minimizes energy consumption of the apparatus while achieving the target ratio of H 2 :CO 2  and target volumes of H 2  and CO 2  produced by the apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrolyzer includes two electrolyzers disposed adjacent one another. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the two electrolyzers are separated from the E-CEM cell unit by a first solid bipolar electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the two electrolyzers are separated from one another by a second solid bipolar electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising two electrolyzers, a first of the two electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the E-CEM anodic compartment from the center compartment, a second of the two electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the E-CEM cathodic compartment from the center compartment, a first mesh electrode forming both the E-CEM anode and an electrolyzer anode of the first of the two electrolyzers. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a single anodic compartment forms both of the E-CEM anodic compartment and the electrolyzer anodic compartment of the first of the two electrolyzers. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising a second mesh electrode that forms both the E-CEM cathode and an electrolyzer cathode of the second of the two electrolyzers. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein a single cathodic compartment forms both of the E-CEM cathodic compartment and the electrolyzer cathodic compartment of the second of the two electrolyzers. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising three electrolyzers and three E-CEM cell units,
 the E-CEM cell unit of  claim 1  being a first of the three E-CEM cell units,   a first of the three electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the E-CEM anodic compartment of the first of the three E-CEM cell units from the center compartment of the first of the three E-CEM cell units,   a second of the two electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the E-CEM cathodic compartment of the first of the three E-CEM cell units from the center compartment of the first of the three E-CEM cell units,   a second of the three E-CEM cell units being disposed on an opposite side of the first of the three electrolyzers from the first of the three E-CEM cell units,   a third of the three E-CEM cell units being disposed on an opposite side of the second of the three electrolyzers from the first of the three E-CEM cell units,   a third of the three electrolyzers being disposed on an opposite side of the third of the three E-CEM cell units from the second of the three electrolyzers.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein anodes and cathodes of each of the three electrolyzers and three E-CEM cell units are mesh electrodes. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of electrolyzers and two E-CEM cell units, the E-CEM cell unit of  claim 1  being a first of the two E-CEM cell units, the plurality of electrolyzers being disposed between the first of the two E-CEM cell units and a second of the two E-CEM units. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a first mesh electrode forming both a cathode of one of the two E-CEM cell units and an electrolyzer cathode of one of the plurality of electrolyzers. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a second mesh electrode forming a cathode of both of two adjacent ones of the plurality of electrolyzers. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a third mesh electrode forming an anode of both of two adjacent ones of the plurality of electrolyzers. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrolyzer cation permeable fluidic separator is formed of a different material from either of the first E-CEM cation permeable fluidic separator and the second E-CEM cation permeable fluidic separator. 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for generation of hydrogen and carbon dioxide from seawater, the apparatus comprising at least one electrolytic-cation exchange module (E-CEM) cell unit and a plurality of electrolyzers each disposed between a set of endplates and endblocks.