Abstract: The invention concerns a process for producing carbon monoxide (CO) from carbon dioxide (CO2) in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) or SOEC stack, wherein CO2 is led to the fuel side of the stack with an applied current and excess oxygen is transported to the oxygen side of the stack, optionally using air or nitrogen to flush the oxygen side, and wherein the product stream from the SOEC, containing CO mixed with CO2, is subjected to a separation process. The process further comprises heating the inlet gas on both the fuel side and the oxygen side by means of separate heating units, so as to supply heat to the SOEC, where the operation temperature of said heating units is at least equal to the operation temperature of the cell stack minus 50° C., preferably at least equal to the operation temperature of the cell stack.

Abstract: In a process for safe production of phosgene (COCI2) from carbon monoxide and chlorine according to the reaction scheme CO (g)+Cl2 (g)?>COCI2 (g) in a plant with a capacity of phosgene below 10 t/hr, the CO is produced on site from a feed stock based mainly on CO2. The plant preferably comprises a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack system producing CO for use together with chlorine in the phosgene synthesis. This way of producing phosgene is based on using primary raw materials for which escape concentrations above 1000 ppm or even above 10000 ppm or 10% will not result in any health risk.

Abstract: A method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from an acid gas comprises feeding the gas to a membrane separation unit, collecting the product gas from the membrane unit, heating the permeate stream to the necessary inlet temperature for catalytic oxidation of H2S and feeding the heated permeate stream to a catalytic oxidation unit, where H2S is oxidized to SO2. The heating of the permeate stream is accomplished by using a fraction of the feed gas to heat the permeate stream in a separate heater or by using a steam-fired heater. The method is especially suited for use on an off-shore facility.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for monitoring failure situations related to feed and/or purge flow in electrolyzer cells, stacks or systems, said monitoring process being combined with appropriate actions to be taken in case of such failure situations, wherein (a) the current and/or the voltage are monitored and controlled over a single cell, over all the cells or over one or more selected cells in a stack or a system of stacks, (b) in case the current, the voltage or the ratio between voltage and current crosses its pre-defined threshold value, a failure mode is detected and communicated to the control system, and c) the voltage levels of the system are adjusted to be within safe limits (safe-mode limits).

Abstract: In a process for safe production of phosgene (COCI2) from carbon monoxide and chlorine according to the reaction scheme CO (g)+Cl2 (g)?>COCI2 (g) in a plant with a capacity of phosgene below 10 t/hr, the CO is produced on site from a feed stock based mainly on CO2. The plant preferably comprises a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) stack system producing CO for use together with chlorine in the phosgene synthesis. This way of producing phosgene is based on using primary raw materials for which escape concentrations above 1000 ppm or even above 10000 ppm or 10% will not result in any health risk.

Abstract: A method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from an acid gas comprises feeding the gas to a membrane separation unit, collecting the product gas from the membrane unit, heating the permeate stream to the necessary inlet temperature for catalytic oxidation of H2S and feeding the heated permeate stream to a catalytic oxidation unit, where H2S is oxidized to SO2. The heating of the permeate stream is accomplished by using a fraction of the feed gas to heat the permeate stream in a separate heater or by using a steam-fired heater. The method is especially suited for use on an off-shore facility.

Abstract: A process for producing high purity carbon monoxide (CO) by membrane purification of CO produced in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) comprises the steps of generating a gaseous mixture of CO and CO2 by SOEC electrolysis of CO2, applying a moderate pressure on the retentate side of the membrane in one or more membrane units connected to the exit of the SOEC via a compressor or an ejector, applying a lower pressure than the moderate pressure on the permeate side of the membrane, splitting the retentate stream, which is now enriched in CO, into two separate parts, expanding the first part of the retentate stream to reach the permeate low pressure conditions, leading the above-mentioned part of the retentate to the permeate side of the membrane to lower the partial pressure of CO2 on this side, and recycling the outlet permeate stream back to the SOEC as a feed gas together with fresh CO2.

Abstract: Process for the production of a chemical compound from a carbon dioxide starting material, comprising the steps of a) providing a feed stream consisting mainly of carbon dioxide; b) electrolyzing in an electrolysis stage the carbon dioxide in the feed stream to a first gas stream containing carbon monoxide and a second gas stream containing oxygen, wherein the molar ratio between carbon monoxide and oxygen is about 1:0.5 in an electrolysis stage; c) adjusting the composition of the first gas stream or the second gas stream or both gas streams to include carbon dioxide, either by operating at less than full conversion of CO2 or by sweeping one or both gas streams with a gas containing CO2 or by at some stage between the electrolysis cell and the oxidative carbonylation reactor diluting one or both gas streams with a gas containing CO2; all while maintaining an overall molar ratio of carbon monoxide to oxygen of about 1:0.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for producing carbon monoxide (CO) from carbon dioxide (CO2) in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) or SOEC stack, wherein CO2 is led to the fuel side of the stack with an applied current and excess oxygen is transported to the oxygen side of the stack, optionally using air or nitrogen to flush the oxygen side, and wherein the product stream from the SOEC, containing CO mixed with CO2, is subjected to a separation process. The process further comprises heating the inlet gas on both the fuel side and the oxygen side by means of separate heating units, so as to supply heat to the SOEC, where the operation temperature of said heating units is at least equal to the operation temperature of the cell stack minus 50° C., preferably at least equal to the operation temperature of the cell stack.

Abstract: An integrated heater for a Solid Oxide Fuel System is integrated directly in the SOFC stack, and can operate and heat the stack independently of the process.

Abstract: An integrated heater for a Solid Oxide Electrolysis System is integrated directly in the SOEC stack, and can operate and heat the stack independently of the electrolysis process.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for monitoring failure situations related to feed and/or purge flow in electrolyser cells, stacks or systems, said monitoring process being combined with appropriate actions to be taken in case of such failure situations, wherein (a) the current and/or the voltage are monitored and controlled over a single cell, over all the cells or over one or more selected cells in a stack or a system of stacks, (b) in case the current, the voltage or the ratio between voltage and current crosses its pre-defined threshold value, a failure mode is detected and communicated to the control system, and c) the voltage levels of the system are adjusted to be within safe limits (safe-mode limits).

Abstract: Process for the production of a chemical compound from a carbon dioxide starting material, comprising the steps of a) providing a feed stream consisting mainly of carbon dioxide; b) electrolysing in an electrolysis stage the carbon dioxide in the feed stream to a first gas stream containing carbon monoxide and a second gas stream containing oxygen, wherein the molar ratio between carbon monoxide and oxygen is about 1:0.5 in an electrolysis stage; c) adjusting the composition of the first gas stream or the second gas stream or both gas streams to include carbon dioxide, either by operating at less than full conversion of CO2 or by sweeping one or both gas streams with a gas containing CO2 or by at some stage between the electrolysis cell and the oxidative carbonylation reactor diluting one or both gas streams with a gas containing CO2; all while maintaining an overall molar ratio of carbon monoxide to oxygen of about 1:0.

Abstract: The present invention deals with optical systems for providing short laser pulses. An object of the invention is to provide an optical system providing compact and cost-effective short laser-pulses using fibers with anomalous dispersion and high non-linear thresholds. The object is achieved by a short pulse optical system for generating or processing short laser-pulses, said optical system comprises an optical fiber in the form of a photonic crystal fiber arranged to provide guidance of light in the core region due to the photonic bandgap effect (PBG), where light propagates in a hollow or solid core surrounded by a Silica cladding comprising a substantially periodic distribution of micro-structural elements, and where the refractive index of the core is lower than the effective refractive index of the cladding. The invention may be useful in applications such as laser-based micromachining, thin-film formation, laser cleaning, in medicine and biology.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed device is based on a transmission grating spectrometer having at least two diffractive optical elements. The WDM device provides flexible use and may be widely applied in WDM systems. The device is useful for multiplexing and demultiplexing, channel monitoring, for adding and dropping channels, and for controlling the power in individual channels within a multiple channel signal. The device provides for dynamic control of individual channels, and may be advantageous in use as a gain flattening filter.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed device is based on a transmission grating spectrometer having at least two diffractive optical elements. The WDM device provides flexible use and may be widely applied in WDM systems. The device is useful for multiplexing and demultiplexing, channel monitoring, and for adding and dropping channels. The device provides programmability in use as an add/drop multiplexer.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed device is based on a transmission grating spectrometer having at least two diffractive optical elements. The WDM device provides flexible use and may be widely applied in WDM systems. The device is useful for multiplexing and demultiplexing, channel monitoring, for adding and dropping channels, and for controlling the power in individual channels within a multiple channel signal. The device provides for dynamic control of individual channels, and may be advantageous in use as a gain flattening filter.

Abstract: A wavelength division multiplexed device is based on a transmission grating spectrometer having at least two diffractive optical elements. The WDM device provides flexible use and may be widely applied in WDM systems. The device is useful for multiplexing and demultiplexing, channel monitoring, and for adding and dropping channels. The device provides programmability in use as an add/drop multiplexer.