Waste to hydrogen conversion process and related apparatus

Abstract

A reversible electrochemical system includes a first electrode comprising liquid silver metal and a second electrode, said first and second electrodes separated by a oxygen ion-conducting solid electrolyte; a conduit for directing a first reactive material across the second electrode; and a conduit for contacting second reactive material with the first liquid silver electrode, wherein the cell is capable of steam electrolysis when the polarity of the electrodes is selected such that the liquid silver is an anode and the cell is capable of electrical energy generation when the polarity of the electrodes is selected such that the liquid silver is a cathode.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to co-pending application Ser. No. 60 / 691007, filed on Jun. 16, 2005, entitled “Solid Oxygen Fuel Cell,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.[0002]This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to co-pending application Ser. No. 60 / 760906, filed on Jan. 20, 2006, entitled “Waste To Hydrogen Generation Using Solid Oxide Membrane Technology,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.BACKGROUND[0003]This invention relates to methods and systems for steam electrolysis. In particular, the invention relates to the conversion of waste materials into hydrogen. This invention further relates to reversible systems and methods for steam electrolysis and energy generation using solid oxide technology.[0004]Steam reforming is a process that involves reaction of methane and / or other hydrocarbons with steam at temperatures between 700-1...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In one aspect, the invention employs an oxygen-ion-conducting solid electrolyte at elevated temperatures with a novel system of electrodes to efficiently reduce steam at the cathode to form H2-rich steam and oxidize a carbon feed containing hydrocarbons at the anode or convert hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy.

[0017]Hydrogen will be produced at the cathode and syn-gas (mixture of CO(g) and H2(g)) may be produced at the anode depending on the nature of waste feed used; a hydrocarbon waste feed is likely to produce syn-gas. The use of the liquid metal anode allows the waste feed to be efficiently decomposed and oxidized.

[0020]In one embodiment of the invention, hydrogen can be produced from steam through electrolysis when the cost of electricity is low (e.g., at night) and electricity can be produced back from hydrogen when the cost is high. This way the device does not have to undergo any thermal cycling.

Problems solved by technology

The traditional steam reforming process does not allow clean separation of hydrogen from carbon monoxide and the other impurity oxides that are generated in the process in a single step.

This process is energy intensive and expensive but can produce clean and pure hydrogen.

This process produces pure hydrogen and syn-gas from a source of steam and hydrocarbon fuel, however, additional processing is required to obtain the syn-gas used in this process.

Clean separation of hydrogen from other gases and impurities is a complex, difficult, and expensive process.

The waste incineration process however does not produce pure hydrogen and / or syn-gas.

Images