Method And System For Molten Oxide Electrolysis

Abstract

A system and method for molten electrolysis includes a molten electrolyte reactor, a silicon refiner reactor, and an aluminum refiner reactor to accommodate the extraction of metals and oxygen from metal oxide feedstock. The reactor systems, designed to operate in the vacuum environment of the Moon, incorporate heat sources to melt the metal oxide feedstock, anodes and cathodes to support electrolysis, systems interconnecting the reactors, and systems allowing for removal of materials from the reactors.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for molten electrolysis extraction of oxygen and metals from metal oxide feedstock, comprising:
 a molten electrolyte reactor which comprises at least one heat source to initially melt a metal oxide feedstock, at least one anode, at least one cathode, and through an electrolysis reaction the molten electrolyte reactor produces at least an electrochemically extracted metal, a liquid metal oxide slag, and oxygen gas;   a silicon refiner reactor in fluid communication with the molten electrolyte reactor to receive at least a portion of the electrochemically extracted metal containing as a minimum silicon metal from the molten electrolyte reactor, the silicon refiner reactor including at least one heat source, at least one anode, at least one cathode and through an electrolysis reaction produces at least substantially pure liquid silicon; and   an aluminum refiner reactor in fluid communication with the molten electrolyte reactor to receive at least a portion of the liquid metal oxide slag from the molten electrolyte reactor, the aluminum refiner reactor including at least one heat source, at least one anode, at least one cathode, and through an electrolysis reaction produces at least substantially pure liquid aluminum and oxygen gas.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the molten electrolyte reactor has a housing with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, and the inner wall surface comprises a layer of thermal insulation material, which layer defines an internal reaction volume space within the housing, wherein the electrolysis reaction may occur. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least one anode of the molten electrolyte reactor is disposed within the housing with at least a portion of the at least one anode disposed within the internal reaction volume space, and the at least one anode of the molten electrolyte reactor is moveable within the internal reaction volume space. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cathode of the molten electrolyte reactor is disposed within the housing with at least a portion of the at least one cathode disposed within the internal reaction volume space. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one heat source of the molten electrolyte reactor is disposed within the housing with at least a portion of the at least one heat source disposed within the internal reaction volume space. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the molten electrolyte reactor comprises at least one temperature sensor with at least a portion of the at least one temperature sensor disposed within the internal reaction volume space. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon refiner reactor has a housing with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, the inner wall surface of the silicon refiner reactor comprises a layer of thermal insulation material, which layer defines an internal reaction volume space within the housing of the silicon refiner reactor, wherein the electrolysis reaction may occur. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one cathode of the silicon refiner reactor is disposed within the housing of the silicon refiner reactor with a least a portion of the at least one cathode disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the silicon refiner reactor, and the at least one cathode of the silicon refiner reactor is moveable within the internal reaction volume space of the silicon refiner reactor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one anode of the silicon refiner reactor is disposed within the housing of the silicon refiner reactor with at least a portion of the at least one anode of the silicon refiner reactor disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the silicon refiner reactor. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one heat source of the silicon refiner reactor is disposed within the housing of the silicon refiner reactor with at least a portion of the at least one heat source of the silicon refiner reactor disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the silicon refiner reactor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the silicon refiner reactor comprises at least one temperature sensor with at least a portion of the at least one temperature sensor disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the silicon refiner reactor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum refiner reactor has a housing with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, and the inner wall surface of the aluminum refiner reactor comprises a layer of thermal insulation material, which layer defines an internal reaction volume space within the housing of the aluminum refiner reactor wherein the electrolysis reaction may occur, the internal reaction volume space of the reactor being separated into two separate hermetically isolated volumes to hold the anode and cathode respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one anode of the aluminum refiner reactor is disposed within the housing of the aluminum refiner reactor with at least a portion of the at least one anode of the aluminum refiner reactor disposed within a first of the two separate isolated volumes of the internal rection volume space of the aluminum refiner reactor, and the at least one anode of the aluminum refiner reactor is moveable within the internal reaction volume space of the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one cathode of the aluminum refiner reactor is disposed within the housing of the aluminum refiner reactor with at least a portion of the at least one cathode of the aluminum refiner reactor disposed within a second of the two separate isolated volumes the internal reaction volume space of the aluminum refiner reactor, and the at least one cathode of the aluminum refiner reactor is moveable within the internal reaction volume space of the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one heat source of the aluminum refiner reactor is disposed within the housing of the aluminum refiner reactor with at least a portion of the at least one heat source of the aluminum refiner reactor disposed within internal reaction volume space of the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum refiner reactor comprises at least one temperature sensor with at least a portion of the at least one temperature sensor of the aluminum refiner reactor disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one respective heat source of one or more of the various reactors comprises a separate heater, or current passing between the at least one reactor anode and the at least one reactor cathode, or both. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the molten reactor, the silicon refiner reactor, and the aluminum refiner reactor each comprise at least one high temperature sealed ultrahigh vacuum flange. 
     
     
         19 . A method for molten electrolysis of metal oxides comprising:
 providing a molten electrolyte reactor which reactor comprises at least one heat source, at least one anode, at least one cathode, and a quantity of metal oxide feedstock disposed within the molten electrolyte reactor;   operating the at least one heat source to melt the quantity of metal oxide feedstock into at least a quantity of molten metal oxide within the molten electrolyte reactor;   applying a voltage to the at least one anode and the at least one cathode to force a current to pass between the at least one anode and the at least one cathode and through the molten metal oxide, to produce at least an electrochemically extracted metal, a liquid metal oxide slag, and oxygen gas;   providing a silicon refiner reactor which comprises at least one heat source, at least one anode, and at least one cathode;   disposing the silicon refiner reactor in fluid communication with the molten electrolyte reactor to receive at least a portion of the electrochemically extracted metal from the molten electrolyte reactor;   operating the at least one heat source in the silicon refiner reactor to melt at least a portion of the electrochemically extracted metal;   applying a voltage to the at least one anode and cathode of the silicon refiner reactor to force a current to pass between the at least one anode and cathode and through the molten electrochemically extracted metal in the silicon refiner reactor, to produce at least substantially pure liquid silicon plus other possible metal;   providing an aluminum refiner reactor, which comprises at least one heat source, at least one anode, at least one cathode;   disposing the aluminum refiner reactor in fluid communication with the molten electrolyte reactor to receive at least a portion of the metal oxide slag produced by the molten electrolyte reactor;   operating the at least one heat source in the aluminum refiner reactor to melt at least a portion of the metal oxide slag; and   applying a voltage to the at least one anode and cathode of the aluminum refiner reactor to force a current to pass through the melted metal oxide slag to produce at least substantially pure liquid aluminum and oxygen gas.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising producing a magnesium vapor in the aluminum reactor. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising passing the magnesium vapor through a cold trap associated with the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising tapping the aluminum reactor to remove the magnesium vapor. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising tapping the silicon refiner reactor to remove the liquid silicon from the silicon refiner reactor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising tapping the aluminum refiner reactor to remove the liquid aluminum from the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising tapping the aluminum refiner reactor to remove the oxygen gas from the aluminum refiner reactor. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising tapping the molten electrolyte reactor to remove the oxygen gas from the molten electrolyte reactor. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least one respective heat source of one or more of the various reactors comprises a separate heater, or current passing between the at least one reactor anode and the at least one reactor cathode, or both. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the aluminum refiner reactor receives oxide slag from a source other than molten electrolyte reactor. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the molten electrolyte reactor is disposed on the Moon. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the molten electrolyte reactor, the silicon refiner reactor, and the aluminum refiner reactor each comprise at least one high temperature sealed ultrahigh vacuum flange. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the molten oxide feedstock comprises regolith. 
     
     
         32 . An aluminum refiner reactor, comprising:
 a housing with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, wherein the inner wall surface comprises a layer of a thermal insulation material that defines an internal reaction volume space within the housing for an electrolysis reaction, wherein the internal reaction volume space is separated into two separate hermetically isolated volumes;   at least one anode disposed within the housing with at least a portion of the at least one anode held in a first of the two separate hermetically isolated volumes;   at least one cathode disposed within the housing with at least a portion of the at least one anode held in a second of the two separate hermetically isolated volumes; and   at least one heat source disposed within the housing of the aluminum refiner reactor with at least a portion of the at least one heat source of the aluminum refiner reactor disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the reactor.   
     
     
         33 . The aluminum refiner reactor of  claim 32 , wherein the least one anode is moveable within the internal reaction volume space of the housing. 
     
     
         34 . The aluminum refiner reactor of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one cathode is moveable within the internal reaction volume space of the housing. 
     
     
         35 . The aluminum refiner reactor of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one cathode and the at least one anode are each disposed within separate compressible, flexible bellows. 
     
     
         36 . The aluminum refiner reactor of  claim 32 , wherein the aluminum refiner reactor comprises at least one temperature sensor with at least a portion of the at least one temperature sensor is disposed within the internal reaction volume space of the housing. 
     
     
         37 . The aluminum refiner reactor of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one heat source comprises a separate heater, or current passing between the at least one reactor anode and the at least one reactor cathode, or both. 
     
     
         38 . The aluminum refiner reactor of  claim 32 , wherein the internal reaction volume space has a generally cylindrical configuration and is divided by a separation wall into a generally U-shaped configuration to define the two separate hermetically isolated volumes. 
     
     
         39 . A method for molten electrolysis of a metal oxide slag comprising:
 disposing a metal oxide slag into an internal reaction volume space of an aluminum refiner reactor;   operating at least one heat source of the aluminum refiner reactor to melt at least a portion of the metal oxide slag; and   applying a voltage to at least one anode and at least one cathode of the aluminum refiner reactor to force a current to pass through the melted metal oxide slag to produce at least substantially pure liquid aluminum and oxygen gas.