USA as Represented by Secretary of the Navy

M Kathleen Lewis

Dennis R Hardy

Heather D Willauer

Frederick Williams

Felice DiMascio

Ejiogu C Ndubizu

Apparatus for seawater acidification including an ion exchange, cathode and anode electrode compartments and cation-permeable membranes that separate the electrode compartments from the ion exchange compartment. Means is provided for feeding seawater through the ion exchange compartment and for feeding a dissociable liquid media through the anode and cathode electrode compartments. A cathode is located in the cathode electrode compartment and an anode is located in the anode electrode compartment and a means for application of current to the cathode and anode is provided. A method for the acidification of seawater by subjecting the seawater to an ion exchange reaction to exchange Hions for Naions. Carbon dioxide may be extracted from the acidified seawater. Optionally, the ion exchange reaction can be conducted under conditions which produce hydrogen as well as carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide and hydrogen may be used to produce hydrocarbons.

Extraction of carbon dioxide and hydrogen from seawater and hydrocarbon production therefrom

A method for using an electrochemical cell to continuously acidify alkaline water sources and recover carbon dioxide with simultaneous continuous hydrogen gas production. The electrochemical cell has a center compartment, an electrolyte-free anode compartment having a mesh anode in direct contact with an ion permeable membrane, an endblock in direct contact with the anode where the endblock provides a gas escape route behind the anode, an electrolyte-free cathode compartment having a mesh cathode in direct contact with an ion permeable membrane, and an endblock in direct contact with the cathode where the endblock provides a gas escape route behind the cathode. Current applied to the electrochemical cell for generating hydrogen gas also lowers the pH of the alkaline water to produce carbon dioxide with no additional current or power.

Electrochemical module configuration for the continuous acidification of alkaline water sources and recovery of COwith continuous hydrogen gas production

An electrochemical cell for the continuous acidification of alkaline water sources and recovery of carbon dioxide with simultaneous continuous hydrogen gas production having a center compartment, an electrolyte-free anode compartment having a mesh anode in direct contact with an ion permeable membrane, an endblock in direct contact with the anode where the endblock provides a gas escape route behind the anode, an electrolyte-free cathode compartment having a mesh cathode in direct contact with an ion permeable membrane, and an endblock in direct contact with the cathode where the endblock provides a gas escape route behind the cathode. Current applied to the electrochemical cell for generating hydrogen gas also lowers the pH of the alkaline water to produce carbon dioxide with no additional current or power. Also disclosed is the related method for continuously acidifying alkaline water sources and recovering carbon dioxide with continuous hydrogen gas production.

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The present invention is generally directed to a system for recovering COfrom seawater or aqueous bicarbonate solutions using a gas permeable membrane with multiple layers. At elevated pressures, gaseous COand bound COin the ionic form of bicarbonate and carbonate diffuse from the seawater or bicarbonate solution through the multiple layers of the membrane. Also disclosed is the related method of recovering COfrom seawater or aqueous bicarbonate solutions.

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Lake Ariel, PA, United States of America

M Kathleen Lewis