Electrochemical production of an alkaline solution using co2

Abstract

An electrochemical system comprising a cathode electrolyte comprising added carbon dioxide and contacting a cathode; and a first cation exchange membrane separating the cathode electrolyte from an anode electrolyte contacting an anode; and an electrochemical method comprising adding carbon dioxide into a cathode electrolyte separated from an anode electrolyte by a first cation exchange membrane; and producing an alkaline solution in the cathode electrolyte and an acid.

1 - 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . A method comprising:
 contacting an anode with an anode electrolyte;   contacting a cathode with a cathode electrolyte;   producing an acid in the anode electrolyte; and   contacting a mineral with the acid.   
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising producing the acid in the anode electrolyte without generating a gas at the anode. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising oxidizing hydrogen gas at the anode to form hydrogen ions. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the acid comprises hydrochloric acid. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising producing hydrogen gas at the cathode and transferring the hydrogen gas from the cathode to the anode. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising producing an alkaline solution in the cathode electrolyte. 
     
     
         63 - 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising applying a voltage of less than 3V between the anode and the cathode. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the anode electrolyte is separated from the cathode electrolyte by at least one cation exchange membrane. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the anode comprises a second cation exchange membrane in contact with the anode electrolyte. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the anode electrolyte comprises a salt. 
     
     
         69 - 70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising producing calcium ions and/or magnesium ions by dissolving the mineral with the acid. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the mineral comprises a mafic mineral. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 57 , comprising producing a mineral solution by dissolving the mineral with the acid and filtering the mineral solution to produce a filtrate comprising sodium ions and chloride ions. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , comprising concentrating the filtrate to produce a salt solution comprising sodium ions and chloride ions. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , comprising utilizing the salt solution as the anode electrolyte. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising precipitating a carbonate and/or bicarbonate with the cathode electrolyte. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 76 , wherein the carbonate and/or bicarbonate comprises calcium and/or magnesium carbonate and/or bicarbonate. 
     
     
         78 . (canceled) 
     
     
         79 . A system, comprising:
 an anode compartment comprising an anode in contact with an anode electrolyte wherein the anode is configured to produce acid in the anode electrolyte;   a cathode compartment comprising a cathode in contact with a cathode electrolyte; and   a mineral dissolution system operatively connected to the anode compartment and configured to dissolve mineral with the acid in the anode electrolyte.   
     
     
         80 . The system of  claim 79 , wherein the cathode is configured to produce hydrogen gas and the system further comprises a hydrogen gas delivery system that delivers hydrogen gas from the cathode to the anode. 
     
     
         81 . The system of  claim 79 , wherein the mineral is a mafic mineral.