US-12624470-B2 - System and method for separating a reaction product from a fluid

Abstract

An electrochemical system includes a first reservoir comprising a first fluid and a catalyst, wherein the first fluid comprises a reaction mixture that reacts to form first and second products, and a second reservoir comprises a second fluid. A first electrode contacts a redox-active electrolyte material solution and has a reversible redox reaction with the electrolyte material to accept at least one ion. A second electrode contacts a redox-active electrolyte material solution and has a reversible redox reaction with the electrolyte material to drive at least one ion into the second fluid as an electrical potential is supplied. A diluted effluent comprising the second product and the catalyst exits the second reservoir, wherein the second product is removed from the first reservoir via electroosmosis, and optionally concurrently via osmosis, and a product stream comprising the first product exits the first reservoir.

Inventors

• Eugene S. Beh
• Francisco E. Torres

Assignees

• Genesee Valley Innocations, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20211109

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An electrochemical system for separating a reaction product from a first fluid stream, comprising: a first reservoir comprising a first fluid stream input to the first reservoir and a catalyst input to the first reservoir, wherein the first fluid stream comprises a reaction mixture that reacts to form a first product and a second product in the first reservoir; a second reservoir comprising a second fluid stream input to the second reservoir; a first electrode contacting a first solution of a first redox-active electrolyte material and configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the first redox-active electrolyte material, and accept at least one ion from catalyst in the first reservoir; a second electrode contacting a second solution of a second redox-active electrolyte material and configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the second redox-active electrolyte material, and drive at least one ion into the second fluid in the second reservoir; an energy source configured to supply electrical potential to the first and second electrodes; a first type of inert ion exchange membrane disposed between the first and second reservoirs; a second type of inert ion exchange membrane, different from the first type, disposed between the first electrode and the first reservoir and disposed between the second electrode and the second reservoir; a waste effluent stream comprising the second product and catalyst output from the second reservoir, wherein the second product is removed from the first reservoir via electroosmosis; and a product effluent stream comprising the first product output from the first reservoir.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reaction mixture comprises a first component and a second component which undergo a condensation reaction in the first reservoir.
3. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the condensation reaction moves to completion as the second product is removed from the first reservoir.
4. 4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second product is water.
5. 5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first solution and the second solution are the same and the first and second solutions are circulated between the first electrode and the second electrode when an electrical potential is applied to the electrodes.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first reservoir, the second reservoir, a membrane of the first type, and a membrane of the second type form a cell, and the system comprises a plurality of cells coupled together between the first and second electrodes.
7. 7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a liquid concentrator coupled to the waste effluent stream and configured to generate a concentrated second fluid stream and a reaction waste stream comprising the second product.
8. 8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the concentrated second fluid stream is fed to the second reservoir as the second fluid stream.
9. 9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein a portion of the concentrated second fluid stream is fed to the first reservoir to input the catalyst.
10. 10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the liquid concentrator is an electrochemical liquid desiccant regenerator utilizing a redox shuttle.
11. 11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the second product is concurrently removed from the first reservoir via osmosis.
12. 12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a forward osmosis membrane contactor comprising: at least one forward osmosis membrane; a first channel comprising the first fluid stream and the catalyst input to the first channel, wherein the reaction mixture and catalyst react to form the first product and the second product in the first channel; a second channel separated from the first channel by the at least one forward osmosis membrane and comprising a draw solution comprising a concentrated solution of ionic species; a draw solution effluent stream comprising the draw solution and the second product output from the second channel, wherein the second product is removed from the first channel through osmosis; and an intermediate product effluent stream comprising the first product and the catalyst output from the second channel, wherein the intermediate product effluent stream is the first fluid stream input to the first reservoir.
13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the forward osmosis membrane contactor comprises a plurality of forward osmosis membranes.
14. 14 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a liquid concentrator coupled to the draw solution effluent stream and configured to generate a concentrated draw solution stream and a second waste stream comprising the second product.
15. 15 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a forward osmosis membrane contactor comprising: at least one forward osmosis membrane; a first channel comprising the product effluent stream input to the first channel; a second channel separated from the first channel by the at least one forward osmosis membrane and comprising a draw solution comprising a concentrated solution of ionic species; a draw solution effluent stream comprising the draw solution and the second product output from the second channel, wherein the second product is removed from the first channel through osmosis; and a final product effluent stream comprising the first product output from the first channel.
16. 16 . A method for separating a reaction product from a first fluid steam, comprising: inputting a first fluid stream comprising a reaction mixture to a first reservoir defined by a first ion exchange membrane and a second ion exchange membrane of an electrochemical cell, wherein the second ion exchange membrane is a different type of membrane from the first ion exchange membrane; inputting a catalyst to the first reservoir; inputting a second fluid stream to a second reservoir of the electrochemical cell, wherein the second reservoir is defined by the first ion exchange membrane and a third ion exchange membrane, wherein the third ion exchange membrane and the second ion exchange membrane are of the same type; a first component and a second component of the reaction mixture undergoing a condensation reaction in the first reservoir to form a first product and a second product; applying an external voltage to first and second electrodes of the electrochemical cell; circulating a solution comprising a redox-active electrolyte material between the first and second electrodes, wherein the redox-active electrolyte material reduces when in contact with the first electrode and oxidizes when in contact with the second electrode; in response to a reduction and oxidation of the redox-active electrolyte material, transporting ions across each of the ion exchange membranes to remove the catalyst and the second product from the first reservoir; outputting a waste effluent stream comprising the second product and the catalyst from the second reservoir; and outputting a product effluent stream comprising the first product output from the first reservoir.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein transporting ions of the second product across the ion exchange membranes drives the condensation reaction to completion.
18. 18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: outputting the waste effluent stream to a liquid concentrator; generating a concentrated second fluid stream comprising the catalyst and a reaction waste stream comprising the second product; outputting the reaction waste stream for disposal; and circulating the concentrated second fluid stream to the second reservoir as the second fluid stream.
19. 19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising: inputting a third fluid stream comprising the reaction mixture to a first channel of a forward osmosis membrane contactor; inputting a catalyst to the first channel; inputting a draw solution comprising a concentrated solution of ionic species to a second channel of the forward osmosis membrane contactor, wherein the second channel is separated from the first channel by a forward osmosis membrane; the first component and the second component of the reaction mixture undergoing a condensation reaction in the first channel to form the first product and the second product; in response to formation of the second product, transporting the second product across the forward osmosis membrane to remove the second product from the first channel; outputting a draw solution effluent stream comprising the draw solution and the second product from the second channel; outputting an intermediate product effluent stream comprising the first product and the catalyst from the first channel; and inputting the intermediate product effluent stream to the first reservoir of the electrochemical cell as the first fluid stream.
20. 20 . A method for separating a reaction product from a first fluid steam, comprising: inputting a first fluid stream comprising a reaction mixture to a first channel of a forward osmosis membrane contactor; inputting a catalyst to the first channel; inputting a draw solution comprising a concentrated solution of ionic species to a second channel of the forward osmosis membrane contactor, wherein the second channel is separated from the first channel by a forward osmosis membrane; reacting a first component and a second component of the reaction mixture in a condensation reaction in the first channel to form a first product and a second product; in response to formation of the second product, transporting the second product across the forward osmosis membrane to remove the second product from the first channel; outputting a draw solution effluent stream comprising the draw solution and the second product from the second channel; outputting a product effluent stream comprising the first product and the catalyst from the first channel.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for removing a reaction product from a fluid in a redox flow electrochemical separation device. BACKGROUND Condensation reactions are reactions in which two molecules, or two parts of the same molecule, combine to form a larger molecule with the elimination of a smaller molecule. Similarly, polycondensation reactions involve the covalent connection of monomer molecules, leading to high molecular weight polymers with the release of multiple small molecules. Examples of condensation and polycondensation reactions include industrially significant processes such as polyester synthesis (via polycondensation) and biodiesel production (via esterification or transesterification). The reactions are in equilibrium with the formation of the larger molecule product and the smaller molecule product; therefore, to drive the reaction to completion and collect the desired product (e.g., the larger molecule), the smaller molecule is separated from the reaction fluid. As current techniques for removing the smaller molecule product involve thermal energy, expensive procedures, and/or wasteful amounts of reactant materials, described herein are systems and methods for in-situ separation of the smaller molecule product using a redox flow electrochemical separation device. SUMMARY Embodiments described herein are directed to an electrochemical system for separating a reaction product from a first fluid stream. The system includes a first reservoir that comprises the first fluid stream input to the first reservoir and a catalyst input to the first reservoir, wherein the first fluid stream comprises a reaction mixture that reacts to form a first product and a second product in the first reservoir. A second reservoir comprises a second fluid stream input to the second reservoir. A first electrode contacts a first solution of a first redox-active electrolyte material and is configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the first redox-active electrolyte material, and to accept at least one ion from the catalyst in the first reservoir. A second electrode contacts a second solution of a second redox-active electrolyte material and is configured to have a reversible redox reaction with the second redox-active electrolyte material, and to drive at least one ion into the second fluid in the second reservoir. The system also includes an energy source configured to supply electrical potential to the first and second electrodes. A first type of inert ion exchange membrane is disposed between the first and second reservoirs, and a second type of inert ion exchange membrane, different from the first type, is disposed between the first electrode and the first reservoir and is disposed between the second electrode and the second reservoir. A waste effluent stream comprising the second product and the catalyst is output from the second reservoir, wherein the second product is removed from the first reservoir via electroosmosis, and a product effluent stream comprising the first product is output from the first reservoir. Other embodiments are directed to a method for separating a reaction product from a first fluid steam. The method includes inputting a first fluid stream comprising a reaction mixture to a first reservoir defined by a first ion exchange membrane and a second ion exchange membrane of an electrochemical cell, wherein the second ion exchange membrane is a different type of membrane from the first ion exchange membrane. A catalyst is also input to the first reservoir. A second fluid stream is input to a second reservoir of the electrochemical cell, wherein the second reservoir is defined by the first ion exchange membrane and a third ion exchange membrane, wherein the third ion exchange membrane and the second ion exchange membrane are of the same type. A first component and a second component of the reaction mixture undergo a condensation reaction in the first reservoir to form a first product and a second product. An external voltage is applied to first and second electrodes of the electrochemical cell, and a solution comprising a redox-active electrolyte material is circulated between the first and second electrodes. The redox-active electrolyte material reduces when in contact with the first electrode and oxidizes when in contact with the second electrode. In response to the reduction and oxidation of the redox-active electrolyte material, ions are transported across each of the ion exchange membranes to remove the catalyst and the second product from the first reservoir. A waste effluent stream comprising the second product and the catalyst is outputted from the second reservoir, and a product effluent stream comprising the first product is output from the first reservoir. Further embodiments are directed to a method for separating a reaction product from a first fluid steam. The method includes inputting a first fluid stream comprising a reaction mi