Carbon Dioxide Electrolyzer for Steelmaking Reducing Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrating electrolytic carbon dioxide reduction reactors into industrial operations that generate carbon dioxide is challenging due to difficulties in preparing carbon dioxide streams for electrolysis and effectively controlling the operation of electrolyzers to produce suitable chemical products for industrial use.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that include a direct reduction of iron ore reactor and a carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer, where carbon dioxide produced by the DRI reactor or its combustion is used in the electrolyzer to produce carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbons, which are then recycled back to the DRI reactor as reducing gases, and optionally, a water electrolyzer produces hydrogen for use in the DRI reactor, with the electrolyzers employing gold or transition metal catalysts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If carbon dioxide streams from disparate sources are prepared for electrolysis, then the carbon dioxide can be converted to useful chemical products, but the system complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple carbon dioxide sources (DRI reactor off-gas and external sources) into a unified electrolysis feed system. The system merges the carbon monoxide production from DRI reactor with external carbon dioxide sources, preparing them together for electrolytic conversion to useful chemical products, thereby reducing the number of separate processing lines needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrolyzer system is designed to handle multiple carbon oxide sources and produce multiple chemical products (carbon monoxide, formate, methanol, methane, ethylene). This multi-functional approach allows the same electrolysis unit to process different feedstocks and generate various valuable chemicals, reducing overall system complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If electrolyzers are controlled to effectively use carbon dioxide to produce appropriate chemical products, then product selectivity improves, but operational control difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs different catalysts in different regions of the electrolysis process to achieve selective product formation. Specific catalysts are placed at the cathode to favor particular reactions (e.g., gold for carbon monoxide, copper for hydrocarbons), allowing local optimization of product selectivity without complicating overall control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system controls product selectivity by adjusting electrochemical parameters such as applied potential, current density, and pH conditions. By changing these parameters, the electrolyzer can be tuned to produce different chemical products from the same carbon dioxide feed, simplifying operational control through parameter adjustment rather than complex mechanical changes.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If carbon dioxide is recycled from DRI reactor to electrolyzer and chemical products are fed back to DRI reactor, then carbon emissions are reduced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where carbon dioxide from the DRI reactor off-gas is captured and fed to the electrolyzer, and the resulting chemical products (carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons) are recycled back to the DRI reactor as reducing agents. This closed-loop feedback system reduces carbon emissions by keeping carbon within the process rather than releasing it to the atmosphere.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own waste carbon dioxide as feedstock for the electrolyzer and its own chemical product demands are met by the electrolyzer output. The DRI reactor provides carbon dioxide to the electrolyzer, and the electrolyzer provides reducing gases back to the DRI reactor, creating a self-sustaining system that reduces external material inputs and emissions.
4Manufacturing precision
If gold catalyst is used in carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer to produce carbon monoxide, then product purity improves, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves high carbon monoxide purity using gold catalyst by optimizing electrochemical parameters such as applied potential and pH conditions. The gold catalyst's unique electrochemical properties are exploited through parameter optimization to enhance selectivity for carbon monoxide production, achieving high purity without requiring additional purification equipment that would increase manufacturing cost.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient recycling of carbon dioxide and production of reducing gases, reducing carbon emissions and improving the carbon content of iron produced, while also providing a closed-loop system for carbon utilization in steelmaking processes.
Implementation Method 1
a carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer configured to produce carbon monoxide and/or a hydrocarbon
Implementation Method 2
a water electrolyzer configured to produce hydrogen from water
Implementation Method 3
the carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer comprises an anode containing a gold catalyst and during operation, such carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer may produce carbon monoxide
Implementation Method 4
the second carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer comprises an anode containing a transition metal catalyst
Implementation Method 5
a direct reduction of iron ore (DRI) reactor configured to receive iron ore and a reducing gas, and from these produce iron
Implementation Method 6
carbon dioxide produced by the DRI reactor and/or produced by combustion of a gas generated by the DRI reactor
Data Source
AI summary
Systems for producing iron may include (a) a reactor configured to receive iron ore and a reducing gas, and from these produce iron; and (b) a carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer configured to produce at least carbon monoxide and/or a hydrocarbon. Such systems may be configured to transport carbon dioxide produced by the reactor and/or produced by combustion of a gas generated by the reactor to a cathode side of the carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer. Such systems may be further configured to transport at least a portion of the carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbon produced by the carbon dioxide reduction electrolyzer to the reactor, where the carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbon serves as at least a part of the reducing gas.