Abstract: A water softening device includes a container configured to contain water, first and second electrodes arranged in fluid communication with the water, and a power source. The first electrode includes a conversion material that has a first composition and a second composition coexisting with the first composition. The first composition includes calcium ions bonded thereto and the second composition includes sodium ions bonded thereto. The power source supplies current in a first operating state such that the second composition exchanges sodium ions for calcium ions in the water to generate a soft water solution. The first and second electrodes are connected in a second operating state such that the first composition exchanges calcium ions for sodium ions in the water to generate a wastewater solution. The conversion material undergoes a reversible conversion reaction to convert between the first and second compositions within the water stability window.

Abstract: In this disclosure, a process of recycling acid, base and the salt reagents required in the Li recovery process is introduced. A membrane electrolysis cell which incorporates an oxygen depolarized cathode is implemented to generate the required chemicals onsite. The system can utilize a portion of the salar brine or other lithium-containing brine or solid waste to generate hydrochloric or sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and carbonate salts. Simultaneous generation of acid and base allows for taking advantage of both chemicals during the conventional Li recovery from brines and mineral rocks. The desalinated water can also be used for the washing steps on the recovery process or returned into the evaporation ponds. The method also can be used for the direct conversion of lithium salts to the high value LiOH product. The method does not produce any solid effluent which makes it easy-to-adopt for use in existing industrial Li recovery plants.

Abstract: The invention relates to the field of chemical technology and relates in particular to devices for electrolyzing aqueous alkali metal chloride solutions to obtain chlorine, chlorine compounds, oxygen, ozone as well as hydroperoxide compounds and can be used for disinfection in the medical, pharmaceutical and food industries as well as in the purification and sterilization of water by aqueous solutions of hypochlorous and hydroperoxide oxidizing agents.

Abstract: An electrochemical arrangement with two metallic separator plates which each define a plate plane and which are stacked in a stack direction perpendicular to the plate planes. The separator plates comprise sealing elements which are embossed into the separator plate and which are supported against one another for sealing the electrochemical cell which is arranged between the separator plates and which are reversibly deformable in the stack direction up to a distance z2. The arrangement further comprises at least one support element which is arranged between the separator plates and which is distanced to the sealing elements of the separator plates in a direction parallel to the plate planes.

Abstract: A novel cell for generating ozonated water, the cell comprises a nafion membrane separating a diamond coated anode, and a gold surfaced cathode enclosed within a cell housing with the catalyst side of the nafion membrane facing the cathode. The cell housing has a cathode housing portion and an anode housing portion separated by the membrane, each housing portion having ridges to enhance substantially even flow of fluid over the cathode and anode. The housing portions contain O-rings in grooves to prevent leaks, and alignment features to keep the electrodes aligned. The cathode and anode have an array of holes allowing fluid to penetrate to the surface of the niobium membrane. Input ports allow fluid to flow into the housing and over the anode and cathode and then out of the housing through outlet ports. The housing may also incorporate an integrated spectral photometer including a bubble trap.

Abstract: What is provided is a carbon dioxide treatment device having high energy efficiency for recovering and reducing carbon dioxide, and a method of producing a carbon compound using the carbon dioxide treatment device.

Abstract: A desalination battery includes a first electrode, a second electrode, an intercalation compound contained in the first electrode, a container configured to contain a saline water solution, and a power source. The intercalation compound includes at least one of a metal oxide, a metalloid oxide, a metal oxychloride, a metalloid oxychloride, and a hydrate thereof with each having a ternary or higher order. The first and second electrodes are configured to be arranged in fluid communication with the saline water solution. The power source is configured to supply electric current to the first and second electrodes in different operating states to induce a reversible intercalation reaction within the intercalation compound. The intercalation compound reversibly stores and releases target anions from the saline water solution to generate a fresh water solution in one operating state and a wastewater solution in another operating state.

Abstract: A process for recovering gold from a refractory gold ore, comprising the steps of: electrolyzing a mixture consisting of the ore particles and an aqueous bromide solution in an electrolytic cell having anode and cathode, wherein bromine is produced at the anode by oxidation of the bromide, thereby dissolving gold in the aqueous phase; separating the ore particles from the aqueous phase to obtain a leach liquor; adjusting the pH of the leach liquor to the alkaline range to produce a gold-containing precipitate; collecting the gold-containing precipitate and recycling a bromide-containing barren solution for reuse as an aqueous bromide feed solution.

Abstract: The presently disclosed concepts relate to ultra-efficient EV battery recycling systems. Alkali metal extraction (and in particular lithium extraction) is accomplished using a solid electrolyte membrane. By using a solid electrolyte embedded in a matrix, alkali metals, in particular lithium can be (energy-wise) efficiently separated from feed solutions. The energy used to initially extract lithium from a feed solution is stored as electrochemical energy, which electrochemical energy is reclaimed in subsequent extraction processing steps. This energy storage and energy reclamation is performed in continuous ultra-efficient ongoing cycles. Since irrecoverable energy losses incurred in each cycle are limited to negligible amounts of joule heating of the system components and feed solution, the system can be sustainably powered using locally-generated renewable energy.

Abstract: An electrochlorination system comprises a source of feed fluid, a product fluid outlet, and a plurality of electrochemical cells connected fluidically between the source of feed fluid and the product fluid outlet. The system is configured to operate at least one of the plurality of electrochemical cells at one of a first current density or a first flow rate, and to operate another of the plurality of electrochemical cells at a second current density or second flow rate different from the respective first current density or first flow rate.

Abstract: A method of acid mist suppression in copper electrowinning is described. In various embodiments, at least one liquid licorice root extract, powdered licorice root extract, or reconstituted licorice extract is added in an amount sufficient to the acidic electrolyte solution of the copper electrowinning process to suppress acid mist from the acidic electrolyte solution during the copper electrowinning process. In various embodiments, combinations of licorice extract and surfactant show synergies in acid mist suppression during copper electrowinning.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oxygenated water manufacturing device, which can be used in various fields because it can be applied to and used for not only mineral water or purified water, but also other various drinks such as tap water, barley tea, green tea, corn silk tea, and soju by using a specific configuration, which allows use of only high-purity oxygen from which ozone, which is produced with oxygen when mineral water is electrolyzed, and various inorganic substances and organic substances such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and silicon (Si) contained in the mineral water are completely filtered out, and which completely prevents a phenomenon in which oxygen is not generated by deformation of an ion resin membrane disposed between an anode (+) and a cathode (?) in the oxygen generator due to a water-drying phenomenon in the hydrogen outlet.

Abstract: An electrochemical reaction device includes: a first reactor including a first room and a second room, the first room being configured to store a gas containing carbon dioxide or a first electrolytic solution containing carbon dioxide, and the second room being configured to store a second electrolytic solution containing water; a cathode disposed in the first room, the cathode being configured to reduce the carbon dioxide and thus produce a reduction product; an anode disposed in the second room, the anode being configured to oxidize the water and thus produce an oxidation product; a first pressure adjuster configured to adjust pressure in the first room; a temperature detector configured to detect a temperature in the first reactor to form a detection signal; and a controller configured to control the pressure adjuster in accordance with the detection signal from the temperature detector.

Abstract: Provided in this disclosure is an electrolysis system using voltage in a purely physical process, without resorting to passing current through an electrolyte in a chemical process. The present invention includes a tri-coil design resonant cavity transformer that utilizes the dielectric properties of a material acting as part of a “closed loop” electrical (Resistor, Inductor, Capacitor) RLC circuit. The tri-coil transformer (or TCT) is tuned to the dielectric properties of a suitable material, which can be water, liquid metals, or even ambient air. The TCT can be a tri-coil resonating cavity transformer employing either a Maxwell or Helmholtz tri-coil design. The present invention entails a physical approach to electrolysis based on voltage and not amperage to dissociate a selected dielectric medium, an approach that is 180 degrees out of phase from traditional Faraday electrolysis.

Abstract: A method of recovering an elemental rare earth metal comprises placing a rare earth-containing material comprising a rare earth metal in a reaction solution comprising a reducing agent and a non-aqueous solvent comprising an ionic liquid or a eutectic mixture, reducing the rare earth metal with the reducing agent to form a metallic rare earth metal and cations of the reducing agent, transferring the cations of the reducing agent from the reaction solution to an electrochemical cell through an ion exchange membrane, and reducing the cations of the reducing agent in the electrochemical cell. Related methods of forming an elemental rare earth metal, and related systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A hydrogen gas dissolution apparatus 1 to comprises a hydrogen extracting pipe 8 for extracting hydrogen gas from a cathode chamber 40b, a water supply pipe 3 for supplying water for electrolysis, an opening pipe 81 for opening the cathode chamber 40b, a hydrogen gas dissolution module 6 connected to the hydrogen extracting pipe 8, a first open/close valve 91 installed on the above-said water supply pipe 3, a second open/close valve 93 provided on the opening pipe 81, and a control means 10 for controlling the electrolysis tank 7, the first open/close valve 91, and the second open/close valve 93. The control means 10 causes the water to flow for the first and second open/close valves 91 and then start the electrolysis after closing the first open/close valve 91 and the second open/close valve 93.

Abstract: Electrolytic gas generator and multi-functional current collector for use in same. In one embodiment, the current collector is constructed both to conduct current from an electrode to a conductive lead and to conduct gas generated at the electrode to external tubing. Accordingly, the current collector may be formed by bonding together a top metal plate and a bottom metal plate of similar profiles, each of which may be shaped to include a main portion and a lateral extension. The bottom metal plate may have central through hole in the main portion for receiving gas from the anode. The top metal plate may have a recess on its bottom surface. The recess may have a first end aligned with the through hole on the bottom metal plate and may have a second end at the end of the lateral extension. A lead and tubing may be attached to the lateral extension.

Abstract: An environment control system utilizes oxygen and humidity control devices that are coupled with an enclosure to independently control the oxygen concentration and the humidity level within the enclosure. An oxygen depletion device may be an oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell that reacts with oxygen within the cell and produces water through electrochemical reactions. A desiccating device may be g, a dehumidification electrolyzer cell, a desiccator, a membrane desiccator or a condenser. A controller may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of oxygen reduction and may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the dehumidification electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of humidity reduction. The oxygen level may be determined by the measurement of voltage and a limiting current of the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell. The enclosure may be a food or artifact enclosure.

Abstract: A reactor for water splitting or water treatment includes a first electrode, a second electrode electrically coupled to the first electrode, and a proton exchange membrane separating the first electrode and the second electrode. The first electrode includes a first optical fiber coated with a photocatalytic material.

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus includes an electrode at the bottom of a chamber, an ionically resistive element with through holes arranged horizontally at the top of the chamber, with a membrane in the middle. One or more panels extend vertically and parallelly from the membrane to the element and extend linearly across the chamber, forming a plurality of regions between the membrane and the element. A substrate with a protuberance extending along a chord of the substrate and contacting a top surface of the element is arranged above a first region. An electrolyte flowed between the substrate and the element descends into the first region via the through holes on a first side of the protuberance and ascends from the first region via the through holes on a second side of the protuberance, forcing air bubbles out from a portion of the element associated with the first region.