Abstract: Herein discussed is a method comprising: providing a mixed conducting membrane; exposing the membrane to a reducing environment on both sides of the membrane during the entire time of operation, wherein the operation does not receive electricity or generate electricity; wherein the reducing environments on both sides of the membrane have a pressure in the range of 5-300 bar. In an embodiment, the mixed conducting membrane conducts electrons and oxide ions. In an embodiment, the reducing environments on both sides of the membrane have a pressure of no less than 10 bar or no less than 20 bar or no less than 30 bar.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing carbon monoxide comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a mixed-conducting membrane between the anode and the cathode; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises a fuel; (c) introducing a second stream to the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises carbon dioxide, wherein carbon monoxide is generated from carbon dioxide electrochemically; wherein the reactor generates no electricity and receives no electricity. In an embodiment, the anode and the cathode are separated by the membrane and are both exposed to reducing environments during the entire time of operation.

Abstract: Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising a first electrode, wherein the first electrode is liquid when the reactor is in operation; a second electrode having a metallic phase and a ceramic phase, wherein the metallic phase is electronically conductive and wherein the ceramic phase is ionically conductive; and a membrane, wherein the membrane is positioned between the first and second electrodes and is in contact with the first and second electrodes, wherein the membrane is mixed conducting. Also discussed herein is a method of producing hydrogen or carbon monoxide comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode is liquid when the reactor is in operation and wherein the membrane is mixed conducting; (b) introducing a feedstock to the anode; (c) introducing a stream to the cathode, wherein the stream comprises water or carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of making a Cu—Co-containing electrode precursor, comprising (a) Providing a mixed-conducting membrane; (b) Depositing a dispersion on the membrane, wherein the dispersion comprises CuO particles and CoCGO particles; and (c) Sintering the CuO and CoCGO particles at a temperature of from 800° C. to 1350° C. to form the Cu—Co-containing electrode precursor. In an embodiment, the mole ratio of Cu to Co is from 3:1 to 70:1. In an embodiment, the mole ratio of Cu to Co is from 10:1 to 50:1. In an embodiment, sintering takes place at a temperature of from 1100° C. to 1250° C.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode, wherein the membrane is both electronically conducting and ionically conducting; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises ammonia; (c) introducing an oxidant to the anode; and (d) introducing a second stream to the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises water and provides a reducing environment for the cathode; wherein hydrogen is generated from water electrochemically; wherein the first stream and the second stream are separated by the membrane; and wherein the oxidant and the second stream are separated by the membrane.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing carbon monoxide or hydrogen or both simultaneously comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a mixed-conducting membrane between the anode and the cathode; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises a hydrocarbon; and (c) introducing a second stream to the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises carbon dioxide or water or both, wherein carbon monoxide is generated from carbon dioxide electrochemically and hydrogen is generated from water electrochemically.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a heat management system comprising a pipe and a static auger inside the pipe, wherein the pipe has an inner diameter of d, wherein the auger has an outer diameter D and a pitch P, wherein the ratio of D/P is no less than 1, and wherein the auger outer diameter D is no less than 90% of the pipe inner diameter d. In an embodiment, the ratio of D/P is in the range of 2-10, or 2-5, or 2-4, or 5-10. In an embodiment, the pipe is made from stainless steel, carbon steel, Monel, Inconel, Incoloy, Hastelloy, ceramics, silicon carbide, alumina, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the system comprises a fluid passing through the pipe, wherein the pipe heats or cools the fluid.

Abstract: Herein discussed is an electrochemical reactor comprising a mixed-conducting membrane, wherein the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase, wherein the reactor is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon. Further discussed herein is a method of producing hydrogen comprising providing an electrochemical (EC) reactor having a mixed-conducting membrane, introducing a first stream comprising a hydrocarbon to the reactor, introducing a second stream comprising water to the reactor, and reducing the water in the second stream to produce hydrogen, wherein the first stream and the second stream do not come in contact with each other in the reactor, and wherein the hydrocarbon is reformed electrochemically in the EC reactor.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a hydrogen production system comprising a first reactor zone and a second reactor zone, wherein both reactor zones comprise an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the first zone is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically and the second zone is capable of performing water gas shift reactions electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon and wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. In an embodiment, the membrane is mixed conducting. In an embodiment, the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a hydrogen production system comprising a first reactor zone and a second reactor zone, wherein both reactor zones comprise an ionically conducting membrane, wherein the first zone is capable of reforming a hydrocarbon electrochemically and the second zone is capable of performing water gas shift reactions electrochemically, wherein the electrochemical reforming reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane to oxidize the hydrocarbon and wherein electrochemical water gas shift reactions involve the exchange of an ion through the membrane and include forward water gas shift reactions, or reverse water gas shift reactions, or both. In an embodiment, the membrane is mixed conducting. In an embodiment, the membrane comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing carbon monoxide or hydrogen or both simultaneously comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a mixed-conducting membrane between the anode and the cathode; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises a hydrocarbon; and (c) introducing a second stream to the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises carbon dioxide or water or both, wherein carbon monoxide is generated from carbon dioxide electrochemically and hydrogen is generated from water electrochemically.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing carbon monoxide comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises a fuel; and (c) introducing a second stream to the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises carbon dioxide, and wherein carbon monoxide is generated from carbon dioxide electrochemically; wherein the reactor comprises no interconnect and no current collector; wherein the reactor generates no electricity and receives no electricity; and wherein the reactor is operated at a temperature no higher than 750° C. In an embodiment, the reactor is operated at a temperature no higher than 700° C. or no higher than 650° C.

Abstract: A reactor assembly includes a multiplicity of electrochemical reactors, wherein each of the electrochemical reactors comprises an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the surface area of the fluid passage in contact with the anode or cathode is at least 25 times of the combined cross-sectional area of the inlet and the outlet; wherein the minimum distance between the reactors is no greater than 2 cm; and wherein the reactors have no interconnects and no direct contact with one another.

Abstract: An electrochemical reactor includes an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the surface area of the fluid passage in contact with the anode or cathode is at least 25 times of the combined cross-sectional area of the inlet and the outlet. Further discussed herein is an electrochemical reactor comprising an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between and in contact with the anode and the cathode, wherein the anode or the cathode forms a fluid passage having an inlet and an outlet, wherein a tortuosity of the fluid passage is no less than 10, wherein tortuosity is the ratio of fluid flow path length to the straight distance between the inlet and the outlet.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising introducing a metal smelter effluent gas or a basic oxygen furnace (BOF) effluent gas or a mixture thereof into an electrochemical (EC) reactor, wherein the EC reactor comprises a mixed-conducting membrane. In an embodiment, the method comprises introducing steam into the EC reactor on one side of the membrane, wherein the effluent gas is on the opposite side of the membrane, wherein the effluent gas and the steam are separated by the membrane and do not come in contact with each other.

Abstract: A device including a metal chamber having a first internal space defined by at least one metal chamber wall; a plate in the first internal space; and a ceramic chamber having a second internal space defined by at least one ceramic chamber wall, a closed bend, and two openings, wherein the ceramic chamber is inside the metal chamber and the second internal space penetrates the plate such that the two openings and the closed bend are on opposite sides of the plate; wherein the first and second internal spaces are not in fluid communication with one another.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a device comprising a metal chamber having a first internal space; a plate and a connector in the first internal space; and a ceramic chamber having a second internal space, wherein the ceramic chamber is inside the metal chamber and the second internal space penetrates the plate; wherein the plate is configured to expand or contract and remain in contact with the connector such that the first and second internal spaces are not in fluid communication with one another. In an embodiment, the ceramic chamber wall is in contact with the plate but does not penetrate the plate. In an embodiment, the device produces no electricity and receives no electricity.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising: providing a tubular reactor having an open end and a closed end, wherein the reactor comprises an anode on the inside and a cathode on the outside separated by and in contact with a mixed conducting electrolyte, wherein the electrolyte comprises an electronically conducting phase and an ionically conducting phase, wherein the reactor comprises no current collector or interconnect; introducing a hydrocarbon and an oxidant into a feed tube, wherein the feed tube contains a catalyst that promotes catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reactions, wherein the feed tube extends into the open end of the reactor and toward the closed end of the reactor; introducing steam to the outside of the tubular reactor; and converting steam to hydrogen electrochemically without electricity input.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a device comprising an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte in contact with the anode and the cathode, and an interconnect, wherein the anode and the cathode are short circuited via electronic communication through the interconnect. In an embodiment, the anode and the cathode are separated by the electrolyte and the interconnect.

Abstract: Herein discussed is a method of producing hydrogen comprising: (a) providing an electrochemical reactor having an anode, a cathode, and a membrane between the anode and the cathode, wherein the membrane conducts both electrons and protons, wherein the anode and cathode are porous; (b) introducing a first stream to the anode, wherein the first stream comprises ammonia or a cracked ammonia product; and (c) extracting a second stream from the cathode, wherein the second stream comprises hydrogen, wherein the first stream and the second stream are separated by the membrane.