Patent Application
20230151499
The present disclosure relates to converting air to ammonia.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Over 3.5 billion people—almost half of the world's population—depend on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers to grow food and crops. The industrial production of ammonia (NH3) and nitric acid (HNO3), the two key ingredients for creating nitrogen fertilizers, is made possible via the Haber-Bosch and Otswald processes, respectively. However, these approaches are energy and resource intensive; together, they consume over 2% of the world's total energy and 5% of the world's annual natural gas production. Consequently, these key processes also contribute over 1.5% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, both the Otswald and Haber-Bosch processes require high pressures and temperatures to operate; additionally, energy-intensive separation processes must be employed to ensure pure reactant feedstocks and eliminate unwanted side reactions. It is paramount to discover and develop alternative pathways to produce HNO3 and NH3 in an energy-efficient, environmentally sustainable, and industrially scalable manner.
Electrochemical synthesis and catalytic transformations are a promising approach for synthesis of HNO3 and NH3 at room temperature and ambient pressures. There has been increased interest in pursuing electrocatalytic reduction of N2 to NH3 (NRR); while some progress has been achieved, this pathway still requires an energy-costly separation of N2 from air. Furthermore, the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) often results in low selectivity for NH3 in aqueous electrolytes. Alternatively, a direct nitridation of N2 using Li metal has been shown to be an approach to producing NH3 with decent selectivity; however, this pathway requires electrolysis in molten salts, which has a nontrivial separation cost and high energy consumption. Essentially all electrochemical efforts to convert N2 into NH3 have been focused on the cathode; the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is typically performed on the anode. Almost no research has been conducted on any electrochemical oxidation reactions involving nitrogen.
Features and advantages of the disclosed apparatus, systems, and methods will become apparent from the following description. Applicant is providing this description, which includes drawings and examples of specific embodiments, to give a broad representation of the apparatus, systems, and methods. Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the application will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this description and by practice of the apparatus, systems, and methods. The scope of the apparatus, systems, and methods is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed and the application covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the apparatus, systems, and methods as defined by the claims.
Applicant's apparatus, systems, and methods provide an advanced manufactured electrochemical reactor to convert air (N2+O2) to nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonia (NH3). The electrochemical reactor platform can be tailored via advanced manufacturing to improve activity, selectivity, energy efficiency and stability of the reactions.
Applicant's apparatus, systems, and methods have uses by Agricultural companies, energy and petrochemical companies, farmers, and chemical production companies.
The apparatus, systems, and methods are susceptible to modifications and alternative forms. Specific embodiments are shown by way of example. It is to be understood that the apparatus, systems, and methods are not limited to the particular forms disclosed. The apparatus, systems, and methods cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the application as defined by the claims.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate specific embodiments of the apparatus, systems, and methods and, together with the general description given above, and the detailed description of the specific embodiments, serves to explain the principles of the apparatus, systems, and methods.
Referring to the drawings, to the following detailed description, and to incorporated materials, detailed information about the apparatus, systems, and methods is provided including the description of specific embodiments. The detailed description serves to explain the principles of the apparatus, systems, and methods. The apparatus, systems, and methods are susceptible to modifications and alternative forms. The application is not limited to the particular forms disclosed. The application covers all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the apparatus, systems, and methods as defined by the claims.
Referring now to the drawings and in particular to
The description of the structural components of the Applicants' apparatus, systems, and methods 100 having been completed, the operation and additional description of the Applicant's apparatus, systems, and methods 100 will now be considered in greater detail.
Referring now to
The description of the structural components of the operative view of Applicants' electrochemical reactor 200 having been completed, the operation and additional description will now be considered in greater detail.
As shown in
A feed 200 is fluidly connected to the inlet of the anode gas compartment. The feed may be any suitable feed compatible with the chemical reaction and the reactor. For example, a suitable feed includes, but is not limited to, N2, Air, CO2, Ar, He, H2, H2O, O2, and combinations thereof. The feed may have any suitable flow rate. For example, a suitable flow rate includes, but is not limited to, from about 0 sccm to about 100 sccm, and range or value there between.
The anode geometric current density may be from about 0.5 mA/cm2 to 200 mA/cm2, and any range or value there between. The cathode geometric current density may be from about 0.5 mA/cm2 to 200 mA/cm2, and any range or value there between.
An electrolyte 202 may be fluidly connected to the electrolyte compartment. This electrolyte may be any suitable buffer or liquid compatible with the chemical reaction and the reactor. For example, a suitable electrolyte includes, but is not limited to, any KHCO3 electrolyte, any H2SO4 electrolyte, any K2SO4 electrolyte, any KClO4 electrolyte, and any KOH electrolyte (0.1M to 1M) in water. The electrolyte may have any suitable flow rate. For example, a suitable flow rate includes, but is not limited to, from about 0 mL/min to about 100 mL/min, and range or value there between.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Applicant's apparatus, systems, and methods include producing an electrochemical reactor that converts air (N2+O2) to nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonia (NH3) by advanced manufacturing. Referring now to
The flow chart illustrates the steps described below.
Step 502—a 3D model of a reactor for converting air to ammonia is designed by any suitable method, e.g., by bit mapping or by computer aided design (CAD) software at a PC/controller.
Step 504—the CAD model is electronically sliced into series of 2-dimensional data files, i.e., 2D layers, each defining a planar cross section through the device to be constructed.
Step 506—the series of 2-dimensional data files, i.e., 2D layers, each defining a planar cross section through the device to be constructed are sent to a material bath
Step 508—the first layer is formed and a computer controlled system moves the cured layer relative to the bath and a second layer of material is produced.
Step 510—The layer-by-layer process continues until a 3D reactor for converting air to ammonia is fabricated.
The steps of Applicant's additive manufacturing system of producing a reactor for converting air to ammonia having been completed, the operation and additional description will now be considered. There are a wide variety of additive manufacturing processes that can be used to create massively complicated assemblies. Examples include powder-bed laser printing systems, fused deposition modeling, and other process that involve producing complex assemblies.
Applicant's additive manufacturing system of producing a reactor for converting air to ammonia begins with the creation of a 3D model of a reactor for converting air to ammonia. For example it can be designed by any suitable method, e.g., by bit mapping or by computer aided design (CAD) software at a PC/controller. The CAD model is electronically sliced into series of 2-dimensional data files, i.e., 2D layers, each defining a planar cross section through the device to be constructed. The series of 2-dimensional data files, i.e., 2D layers, each defining a planar cross section through the device to be constructed are sent to a material bath. The first layer is formed and a computer controlled system moves the cured layer relative to the bath and a second layer of material is produced. The layer-by-layer process continues until a 3D reactor for converting air to ammonia is fabricated. The reactor converts air (N2+O2) to nitric acid (HNO3) and ammonia (NH3).
Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present application fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art. In the claims, reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present apparatus, systems, and methods, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element or component in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element or component is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”
While the apparatus, systems, and methods may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the application is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the application is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the application as defined by the following appended claims.
This application claims priority to and benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/263,520 filed Nov. 4, 2021 entitled “Direct Conversion of Air to Ammonia and Nitric Acid via Advanced Manufactured Electrochemical Reactors,” the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
This invention was made with Government support under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344 awarded by the United States Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63263520 | Nov 2021 | US |
