Ionic Chlorine Storage Medium for Ambient Pressure Transport

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for chlorine storage and transport are energy-intensive due to the need for liquefaction at low temperatures and high pressures, and existing storage media are not efficient in absorbing and releasing chlorine under mild conditions, limiting their industrial viability.

Innovation Solution

Development of a reversible storage medium based on ionic compounds of the formula N—R1mR2nR3o+ Clr− and P—R4pR5q+ Cls−, which can absorb and store chlorine at ambient pressure and temperature, and release it by altering conditions, maintaining a liquid state throughout the process for efficient pumping and transport.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If chlorine is stored and transported in liquid form at room temperature, then transport efficiency is improved, but high pressure (e.g., 7 bar) is required which increases safety risks and infrastructure complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransport efficiencyVSAvoidstorage pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSStress or pressure

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical-chemical parameters of chlorine by converting it from elemental chlorine (Cl2) to a chlorinated organic compound through chemical reaction. This parameter change allows chlorine to be stored at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature instead of requiring high pressure, while still enabling efficient transport in liquid form. The chlorinated compound can be transported via standard pipelines without special high-pressure infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

An organic compound acts as an intermediary carrier for chlorine. The organic compound reacts with chlorine to form a chlorinated derivative that serves as a stable, transportable intermediate form. This intermediary allows chlorine to be moved from the reaction site to storage or distribution points without requiring high-pressure containment, and can be decomposed back to release chlorine when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If chlorine is liquefied for purification and storage, then impurity removal is achieved, but large energy input for cooling is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurification efficiencyVSAvoidenergy input for cooling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of changing the temperature parameter to liquefy chlorine for purification, the invention changes the chemical composition parameter by converting chlorine to a chlorinated organic compound. This chemical transformation allows the substance to remain in liquid or stable form at ambient temperature while still enabling purification through standard separation techniques, eliminating the need for energy-intensive cooling infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If residual chlorine is removed from process gases using sodium hydroxide solution, then chlorine removal is achieved, but hydrochloric acid is consumed and sodium chloride by-product is formed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechlorine removal efficiencyVSAvoidhydrochloric acid consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention recovers chlorine from process gases by converting it to a chlorinated organic compound that can be separated from the gas stream. The chlorinated compound is then transported to a decomposition unit where chlorine is released and recovered for reuse. This closed-loop approach eliminates the need to discard chlorine as waste and prevents consumption of hydrochloric acid, while minimizing by-product formation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts residual chlorine in process gases, which is typically treated as a harmful waste requiring chemical neutralization, into a beneficial resource. By reacting the residual chlorine with an organic compound to form a transportable chlorinated derivative, the waste chlorine is transformed into a recoverable material that can be reused in production processes, turning a disposal problem into a resource recovery opportunity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The ionic compound-based storage medium effectively absorbs and releases chlorine under mild conditions, reducing energy requirements and increasing safety by lowering vapor pressure, allowing for efficient recycling and handling of chlorine.

Implementation Method 1

a storage medium for the reversible absorption of chlorine from chlorine-containing gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

ionic compounds consisting of organic cations and chloride as anion have an affinity for chlorine and for chlorine-containing gases and are able to absorb chlorine with the formation of polychlorides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical bonding: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 3

release them again through alteration of the ambient conditions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDesorption: Desorption

Implementation Method 4

The chlorine is here generally in liquid form at room temperature under an increased pressure of e.g. 7 bar

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Data Source

PatentUS11905177B2Storage medium and method for separating, storing and transporting chlorine from chlorine-containing gases
Publication Date: 2024.02.20 FREE UNIV OF BERLIN

AI summary

The invention relates to a storage medium and to a method for using a storage medium based on ionic compounds, which can reversibly absorb and store chlorine and chlorine from process gases, and which can release the same again by changing the ambient conditions, wherein the storage medium can be reused for this task after discharge.