Method and apparatus for electro-chemical reaction

Abstract

A method and an apparatus of reacting reaction components. The method comprises electro-chemically reacting reaction components on opposite sides of at least one membrane with at least one catalyst encompassing a respective volume. In another embodiment, the method includes conducting electrolysis, such as electrolysis of water. The apparatus includes at least one membrane with first and second sides encompassing a respective volume. The apparatus further includes at least one catalyst coupled to the first and second sides to electro-chemically react reaction components on the first and second sides in gaseous communication with the at least one catalyst, and a cover coupled to the at least one membrane to separate flow paths on the first and second sides.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for reacting reaction components, comprising:
 at least one ion exchange membrane with first and second sides encompassing a respective volume;   at least one catalyst coupled to the first and second sides to electro-chemically react reaction components on the first and second sides in gaseous communication with the at least one catalyst; and   a cover coupled to the at least one membrane to separate flow paths on the first and second sides.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane is at least one ion exchange membrane. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane with the at least one catalyst is configured to electro-chemically react reaction components through electrolysis. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one membrane with the at least one catalyst is configured to conduct electrolysis of water. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one membrane with the at least one catalyst is configured to conduct electrolysis for electrometallurgy or anodization. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one membrane with the at least one catalyst is configured to conduct electrolysis to manufacture elements. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one membrane with the at least one catalyst is configured to produce hydrogen, sodium, lithium, aluminum, or potassium. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a controller to cause multiple membranes with catalysts to generate a potential difference on opposite sides of the at least one membrane. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller further is configured to cause the membranes with catalysts to change the potential difference over time. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the membranes with catalysts to increase the potential difference to accelerate the reaction. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the membranes with catalysts to decrease the potential difference to decelerate the reaction. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the controller is configured to cause the membranes with catalysts to cycle the potential difference. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the membranes with catalysts to generate a potential difference to cause heating at the at least one membrane. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane is an array of membranes with catalysts and further including a controller configured to operate a subset of the array as fuel cells in a manner generating heat. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause a set of membranes with at least one catalyst to apply a potential difference to opposite sides of membranes in a subset of the array in thermal proximity to the subset generating heat. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a flow path introducing at least one other reaction component to react with the reaction components. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including an outlet configured to output a product produced by reacting the reaction components. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the output is further configured to output the product in a manner selected from a group consisting of: extracting, expelling, draining, releasing, or venting. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the product is at least one of the components in a different state from the state prior to the electro-chemical reacting. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the at least one membrane with at least one catalyst is in a proximity to participate with at least one other reaction and wherein the output is configured to present the product to the least one other reaction. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the output is further configured to output a byproduct of the electro-chemical reaction to the at least one other reaction. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the reaction components are selected from a group consisting of: solids, pseudo-solids, liquids, pseudo-liquids, gases, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a controller configured to cause membranes with catalysts to apply a potential difference across the at least one membrane selected from a group consisting of: DC, AC, fixed frequency, arbitrary waveform, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to cause a change in profile of a potential difference during different stages of a reaction over a single stage of a reaction. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including a monitor to monitor the electro-chemical reaction. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the monitor includes:
 a feedback output to feedback at least one metric associated with the electro-chemical reaction measured; and   wherein the controller is configured to regulate or control the electro-chemical reaction as a function of the at least one metric.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the at least one metric includes at least one of the following: temperature, pressure, humidity, time, or concentration of at least one of the reaction components. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the controller is configured to cause the membranes with substrate to apply a potential difference across the at least one membrane; and
 further including a feedback unit to feed back at least one metric associated with the electro-chemical reaction; and   wherein the controller is configured to adjust the potential differences a function of the metric measured to control or regulate electro-chemically reacting reaction components.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one membrane is an array of membranes with catalysts configured to electro-chemically react the different reaction components in different reactions across the array of membranes. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the volume is less than one cubic millimeter.