Abstract: Methods and systems related to oxocarbon electrolyzers are disclosed herein. A disclosed system includes an oxocarbon electrolysis reactor. The rector includes an aqueous anode area with an oxidation substrate, a gaseous cathode area with an oxocarbon species as a reduction substrate, and an electroneutral separator separating the anode area and the cathode area while allowing ionic migration between the anode area and cathode area. In specific approaches disclosed herein the electroneutral separator is a polymer having a coating, the coating is formed of an aliphatic molecule, and the coating increases a hydrophilicity of the electroneutral separator. In specific approaches disclosed herein, the electroneutral separator is a polymer having a coating, the polymer comprises aliphatic carbon chains, and the coating is an aliphatic carbon chain with one or more hydrophilic functional groups.

Abstract: Integrations of carbon monoxide electrolyzers and chlor-alkali electrolyzers are disclosed herein. The disclosed integrations include novel process chains for the valorization of oxocarbons into hydrochloric acid, vinyl chloride, vinyl acetate, ethylene oxide, and other useful chemicals. The disclosed integrations further include novel ways to operate the electrolyzers in tandem to increase the efficiency of both reactors. This disclosure also includes novel ways to balance the operation of both electrolyzers to assure they are operating at an optimal level to take advantage of the benefits of the disclosed integrations.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to oxocarbon electrolyzers are disclosed herein. A disclosed system includes an oxocarbon electrolysis reactor with an anode area with an oxidation substrate, cathode area with an oxocarbon species as a reduction substrate, and an electroneutral separator separating the anode area and the cathode area while allowing ionic migration between the anode area and cathode area. The electroneutral separator may be a porous electroneutral separator. The oxocarbon electrolyzer may also include a conductive electrolyte applied to the separator. Ionic migration between the anode area and the cathode area may be accomplished via the conductive electrolyte in the porous electroneutral separator.

Abstract: Methods and systems which involve separating liquid products are disclosed herein. A disclosed method includes supplying a volume of oxocarbon carbon to a cathode area of an oxocarbon electrolyzer to be used as a reduction substrate, generating a volume of an organic anion using the reduction substrate, and obtaining a liquid stream from the oxocarbon electrolyzer which includes the volume of the organic anion and a volume of a base. The method also includes generating, using a separation process and from the liquid stream, a first stream and a second separate stream. The separation process separates a volume of cations from the liquid stream. The first stream includes a second volume of the base. The second stream includes a volume of organic acid. The volume of organic acid includes the volume of organic anions. The second volume of the base includes the volume of cations.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to augmenting syngas production using electrolysis are disclosed. A disclosed method includes harvesting a volume of carbon monoxide from a syngas production system operating on a volume of natural gas, supplying the volume of carbon monoxide to a cathode area of an electrolyzer, and generating, using the volume of carbon monoxide and the electrolyzer, a volume of generated chemicals. The volume of generated chemicals is at least one of: a volume of hydrocarbons, a volume of olefins, a volume of organic acids, a volume of alcohols, and a volume of N-rich organic compounds.

Abstract: Polymers and membranes with acrylamide moieties are disclosed herein. A disclosed copolymer includes first repeat units of an acrylamide moiety and second repeat units of a hydrophobic moiety. The molar ratio of second repeat units:first repeat units is between 0.8:1 to 2.5:1 based on a molar ratio of the respective monomers in a production feed. The disclosed copolymer can also include a crosslinker. The amount of cross-linker in a corresponding monomer feed is 0 to 1 mol %, based on the total monomer in the production feed.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to valorizing carbon dioxide are disclosed. A disclosed system includes a reverse water gas shift (RWGS) reactor, a carbon dioxide source connection fluidly connecting a carbon dioxide source to the RWGS reactor, an electrolyzer having an anode area and a cathode area, and a carbon monoxide source connection fluidly connecting the RWGS reactor to the cathode area. The RWGS reactor is configured to generate, using a volume of carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide source connection, a volume of carbon monoxide in a RWGS reaction. The electrolyzer is configured to generate, using the electrolyzer and a reduction of the volume of carbon monoxide from the carbon monoxide source connection and an oxidation of an oxidation substrate, a volume of generated chemicals including hydrocarbons, organic acids, alcohol, olefins, or N-rich organic compounds.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to augmenting syngas production using electrolysis are disclosed. A disclosed method includes harvesting a volume of carbon monoxide from a syngas production system operating on a volume of natural gas, supplying the volume of carbon monoxide to a cathode area of an electrolyzer, and generating, using the volume of carbon monoxide and the electrolyzer, a volume of generated chemicals. The volume of generated chemicals is at least one of: a volume of hydrocarbons, a volume of olefins, a volume of organic acids, a volume of alcohols, and a volume of N-rich organic compounds.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to the field of electrolyzers are disclosed. An electrolyzer assembly is disclosed which includes a stack of cells, a plurality of polar plates in the stack of cells, a plurality of flow fields between the plurality of polar plates, a conduit fluidly connecting flow fields in the plurality of flow fields, an electrically conductive fluid in the conduit, a plurality of insulating layers arranged between a conductive surface of the plurality of flow fields and the conduit, and a plurality of openings in the plurality of insulating layers providing a plurality of fluid connections between the conduit and the plurality of flow fields.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to the field of carbon capture and utilization are disclosed. Disclosed electrolysis reactors can have a cathode area having a cathode output and a cathode input for an input fluid and an anode area having an anode input and an anode output. The carbon input fluid contains carbon dioxide. The cathode area reduces an oxygen-containing species into hydroxide ions and reacts them with the carbon dioxide to form anions containing carbon. The anode area oxidizes one or more oxidizable species to generate a protonating species. The electrolysis reactors can have a third output for a carbon output fluid. The electrolysis reactors can begin to produce carbon dioxide from the anions containing carbon and the protonating species in response to a potential of less than 1.23 V applied across the cathode terminal and the anode terminal.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to the field of carbon capture and utilization are disclosed. A disclosed method for controlling an electrolysis system with a plurality of electrolysis cells includes several steps. The electrolysis system converts a fluidic flow containing COx into at least one chemical. The method includes monitoring, using at least one sensor, a plurality of electrolysis cells. The method also includes identifying, via the monitoring, a degrading cell in the plurality of electrolysis cells. The method also includes modifying, upon the identifying of the degrading cell and while continuing to operate at least one other cell in the plurality of electrolysis cells, an operational state of the plurality of electrolysis cells.