US2019186027A1PendingUtilityA1
Electrochemical carbon dioxide utilization
Assignee: GOVERNING COUNCIL UNIV TORONTOPriority: Aug 12, 2016Filed: Aug 11, 2017Published: Jun 20, 2019
Est. expiryAug 12, 2036(~10 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
C25B 15/08C25B 3/10C25B 15/02C25B 11/04C07D 317/36Y02P20/582C25B 3/29
47
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
0
References
0
Claims
Abstract
A process for producing glycerol carbonate can include providing an electrolyte including CO2 and glycerol in an electrochemical reaction unit, and applying an electrochemical potential between an anode and a cathode immersed in the electrolyte to electrochemically transform the CO2 and glycerol into glycerol carbonate. Providing reduced viscosity and/or certain temperature conditions can advantageously enhance production. The CO2 can be supplied via a CO2-loaded stream obtained from an absorption reactor, or as a gas phase, into the electrochemical reaction unit. The resulting reaction mixture can be processed by solvent extraction of the glycerol carbonate, while the recovered glycerol can be recycled for reuse in electrochemical reactions. Systems including an electrochemical reaction unit, an extractor, an optional absorption reactor, an optional water removal unit, and an optional CO2 gas recycle assembly, is also described.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modified1 . A process for producing glycerol carbonate, comprising:
providing an electrolyte comprising CO 2 and glycerol in an electrochemical reaction unit; and applying an electrochemical potential between an anode and a cathode immersed in the electrolyte to electrochemically transform the CO 2 and glycerol into glycerol carbonate.
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte comprises water and monovalent cations such that the CO 2 is at least partly in the form of dissolved CO 2 /bicarbonate/carbonate ions of the monovalent cations.
3 . (canceled)
4 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the monovalent cations comprise potassium.
5 . (canceled)
6 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising providing the electrolyte at an electrolyte temperature of at least 40° C.
7 . (canceled)
8 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising reducing an electrolyte viscosity by heating the electrolyte and/or diluting the electrolyte.
9 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising controlling an electrolyte viscosity below 300 cP.
10 . (canceled)
11 . (canceled)
12 . (canceled)
13 . (canceled)
14 . (canceled)
15 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising:
producing a loaded solution comprising the CO 2 ; and supplying the loaded solution to the electrochemical reaction unit; and wherein producing the loaded solution comprises:
supplying a CO 2 -containing gas to an absorption reactor;
supplying an absorbent solution to the absorption reactor;
directly contacting the CO 2 -containing gas and the absorbent solution in the absorption reactor to cause the CO 2 gas to dissolve in the absorbent solution and form bicarbonate/carbonate ions; and
withdrawing the loaded solution from the absorption reactor.
16 . (canceled)
17 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the absorbent solution comprises water, potassium and glycerol, and the absorption reactor is operated at temperature conditions between 15° C. and 40° C.
18 . (canceled)
19 . (canceled)
20 . (canceled)
21 . (canceled)
22 . The process of claim 1 , wherein CO 2 is introduced to the electrochemical cell as a gas by injecting gaseous CO 2 directly into the electrolyte in the form of bubbles.
23 . (canceled)
24 . (canceled)
25 . (canceled)
26 . (canceled)
27 . (canceled)
28 . (canceled)
29 . The process of claim 22 , wherein the gaseous CO 2 is provided with a gas temperature for heating the electrolyte.
30 . (canceled)
31 . (canceled)
32 . (canceled)
33 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising separating the glycerol carbonate from the electrolyte, comprising:
withdrawing a reaction mixture comprising the electrolyte and the glycerol carbonate from the electrochemical reaction unit; subjecting the reaction mixture to solvent extraction by contacting the reaction mixture with a solvent capable of solubilizing the glycerol, to produce;
a glycerol carbonate depleted fraction comprising glycerol; and
a glycerol carbonate enriched fraction comprising the solvent.
34 . (canceled)
35 . The process of claim 33 , wherein the solvent extraction comprises:
supplying the reaction mixture and a solvent to an extractor to promote the transfer of the glycerol carbonate into the solvent phase; and removing the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction and the glycerol carbonate enriched fraction from the extractor.
36 . (canceled)
37 . (canceled)
38 . (canceled)
39 . (canceled)
40 . The process of claim 35 , further comprising subjecting the glycerol carbonate enriched fraction to solvent recovery to produce a recovered solvent fraction and a glycerol carbonate fraction; and recycling at least a portion of the recovered solvent fraction back into to the solvent extraction.
41 . (canceled)
42 . (canceled)
43 . (canceled)
44 . The process of claim 35 , further comprising recovering glycerol from at least a portion of the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction, wherein recovering glycerol comprises supplying the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction to an evaporator to produce a condensate stream and a glycerol enriched stream; removing water from the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction to produce a glycerol enriched stream; and supplying at least a portion of the glycerol enriched stream back into the absorption reactor as at least part of the absorbent solution.
45 . (canceled)
46 . (canceled)
47 . (canceled)
48 . (canceled)
49 . (canceled)
50 . (canceled)
51 . (canceled)
52 . (canceled)
53 . (canceled)
54 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the electrolyte is free of amine-based and/or carbamate-forming compounds.
55 . (canceled)
56 . (canceled)
57 . (canceled)
58 . (canceled)
59 . (canceled)
60 . (canceled)
61 . (canceled)
62 . (canceled)
63 . (canceled)
64 . (canceled)
65 . The process of claim 33 , further comprising removing water from the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction and using at least part of the removed water is used as at least part of the electrolyte.
66 . (canceled)
67 . (canceled)
68 . (canceled)
69 . (canceled)
70 . (canceled)
71 . (canceled)
72 . (canceled)
73 . A system for producing glycerol carbonate, comprising:
an electrochemical reaction unit comprising:
a reaction chamber;
an anode and a cathode disposed within the reaction chamber;
an inlet for providing an electrolyte comprising glycerol and dissolved CO 2 into the reaction chamber;
a power source coupled to the anode and the cathode, and configured to create an electric potential therebetween to induce electrochemical reduction and oxidation reactions, and thereby produce a reaction mixture comprising glycerol carbonate; and
an outlet for releasing the reaction mixture;
an extractor comprising:
a reaction mixture inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the electrochemical reaction unit for receiving the reaction mixture;
a solvent inlet receiving a solvent capable of solubilizing glycerol carbonate;
an extraction chamber in fluid communication with the reaction mixture inlet and the solvent inlet, and configured to enable direct contact between the reaction mixture and the solvent to enable the glycerol carbonate to dissolve into the solvent, and thereby produce a glycerol carbonate depleted fraction comprising glycerol and a glycerol carbonate enriched fraction comprising the solvent;
a first outlet for releasing the glycerol carbonate enriched fraction; and
a second outlet for releasing the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction;
an absorption reactor comprising:
a gas inlet for receiving a CO 2 -containing gas;
a liquid inlet for receiving an absorbent solution comprising glycerol, a carbonate salt and material derived from the glycerol carbonate depleted fraction;
an absorption chamber in fluid communication with the gas inlet and the liquid inlet, and configured to enable direct contact between the CO 2 -containing gas and the absorbent solution to form a loaded absorbent;
an absorbent outlet for releasing the loaded absorbent and being in fluid communication with the inlet of the electrochemical reaction unit such that the loaded absorbent forms at least part of the electrolyte.
74 . (canceled)
75 . (canceled)
76 . (canceled)
77 . (canceled)
78 . (canceled)
79 . (canceled)
80 . (canceled)
81 . (canceled)
82 . (canceled)
83 . (canceled)
84 . (canceled)
85 . (canceled)
86 . (canceled)
87 . (canceled)
88 . (canceled)
89 . (canceled)
90 . (canceled)
91 . (canceled)
92 . (canceled)
93 . (canceled)
94 . (canceled)
95 . (canceled)
96 . (canceled)
97 . (canceled)
98 . (canceled)
99 . (canceled)
100 . (canceled)
101 . (canceled)
102 . (canceled)
103 . (canceled)
104 . (canceled)
105 . (canceled)
106 . (canceled)
107 . (canceled)
108 . (canceled)
109 . (canceled)
110 . (canceled)
111 . (canceled)
112 . (canceled)
113 . (canceled)
114 . (canceled)
115 . (canceled)
116 . (canceled)
117 . An electrochemical process for integrating CO 2 into an ionisable organic compound to form a reaction product, comprising:
providing an electrolyte comprising the ionisable organic compound, a salt, and the CO 2 in the form of a CO 2 /carbonic-acid/bicarbonate/carbonate system; applying an electrochemical potential between an anode and a cathode immersed in the electrolyte to induce simultaneous electrochemical reduction and oxidation reactions of the CO 2 and the ionisable organic compound, respectively, and form the reaction product.
118 . The process of claim 117 , wherein the ionisable organic compound comprises an alcohol and the reaction product comprises a carbonate ester.
119 . (canceled)
120 . (canceled)
121 . (canceled)
122 . (canceled)
123 . (canceled)
124 . (canceled)
125 . (canceled)
126 . (canceled)
127 . (canceled)
128 . The process of claim 117 , further comprising controlling the electrolyte viscosity comprising diluting the electrolyte above a dilution threshold of at least 15 vol % water and providing the electrolyte viscosity below 300 cP.
129 . (canceled)
130 . (canceled)
131 . (canceled)
132 . (canceled)
133 . (canceled)
134 . (canceled)
135 . (canceled)
136 . (canceled)
137 . (canceled)
138 . (canceled)
139 . (canceled)
140 . (canceled)
141 . (canceled)
142 . (canceled)
143 . (canceled)
144 . (canceled)
145 . (canceled)
146 . (canceled)
147 . (canceled)
148 . (canceled)
149 . (canceled)
150 . (canceled)
151 . (canceled)
152 . (canceled)
153 . (canceled)
154 . (canceled)
155 . (canceled)
156 . (canceled)
157 . (canceled)
158 . (canceled)
159 . (canceled)
160 . (canceled)
161 . (canceled)Join the waitlist — get patent alerts
Track US2019186027A1 — get alerts on status changes and closely related new filings.
We store only your email — no account needed. See our privacy policy.