Electrochemical reactor and method of use

Abstract

An electrochemical reactor includes an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the surface area of the fluid passage in contact with the anode or cathode is at least 25 times of the combined cross-sectional area of the inlet and the outlet. Further discussed herein is an electrochemical reactor comprising an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein a tortuosity of the fluid passage is no less than 10, wherein tortuosity is the ratio of fluid flow path length to the straight distance between the inlet and the outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electrochemical reactor comprising an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, and wherein a surface area of the fluid passage in contact with the anode or the cathode is at least 25 times of a combined cross-sectional area of the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         2 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein a tortuosity of the fluid passage is no less than 10, wherein tortuosity is a ratio of a fluid flow path length to a straight distance between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         3 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 2 , wherein the tortuosity of the fluid passage is no less than 20, or no less than 30, or no less than 40, or no less than 50. 
     
     
         4 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the surface area of the fluid passage in contact with the anode or the cathode is at least 50 times or at least 100 times or at least 200 times or at least 300 times or at least 400 times or at least 500 times of the combined cross-sectional area of the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         5 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the cathode comprises Ni or NiO and a material selected from the group consisting of YSZ, CGO, SDC, SSZ, SCZ, LSGM, CoCGO, LST, and a combination of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the anode and the cathode have the same elements. 
     
     
         7 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 6 , wherein the anode and the cathode comprise Ni-YSZ, LaSrFeCr-SSZ, LaSrFeCr-SCZ, or LST (lanthanum-doped strontium titanate)-SCZ. 
     
     
         8 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises Ni or NiO and a material selected from the group consisting of YSZ, CGO, SDC, SSZ, SCZ, LSGM, CoCGO, LST, and a combination of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the anode comprises doped or undoped ceria and a material selected from the group consisting of Cu, CuO, Cu 2 O, Ag, Ag 2 O, Au, Au 2 O, Au 2 O 3 , Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, Ir, LaCaCr, LaSrCrFe, YSZ, CGO, SDC, SSZ, LSGM, LST, SCZ, stainless steel, and a combination of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane is mixed conducting. 
     
     
         11 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase; wherein the electronically conducting phase comprises doped lanthanum chromite or LST or an electronically conductive metal or combination of any two or more thereof; and wherein the ionically conducting phase comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gadolinium or samarium doped ceria, yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), lanthanum strontium gallate magnesite (LSGM), scandia-stabilized zirconia (SSZ), Sc and Ce doped zirconia (SCZ), and a combination of any two or more thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises CoCGO or LST-stabilized zirconia. 
     
     
         13 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 12 , wherein the stabilized zirconia comprises YSZ or SSZ or SCZ (scandia-ceria-stabilized zirconia), and wherein the LST comprises LaSrCaTiO 3 . 
     
     
         14 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises nickel, copper, cobalt, lanthanum, strontium, titanium, or niobium-doped zirconia. 
     
     
         15 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane, the anode, and the cathode have the same elements. 
     
     
         16 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 15 , wherein the membrane, the anode, and the cathode comprise Ni-YSZ, LaSrFeCr-SSZ, LaSrFeCr-SCZ, or LST (lanthanum-doped strontium titanate)-SCZ. 
     
     
         17 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1 , wherein an electrical resistance between the anode and the cathode is no greater than an ionic resistance between the anode and the cathode for oxide ions. 
     
     
         18 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 1  comprising no interconnects or current collectors. 
     
     
         19 . An electrochemical reactor comprising an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, and wherein a tortuosity of the fluid passage is no less than 10, wherein tortuosity is a ratio of a fluid flow path length to a straight distance between the inlet and the outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The electrochemical reactor of  claim 19  comprising no interconnects or current collectors.