Electrochemical Synthesis of Tailor-Made Hydrocarbons from Organic Solvent Free Aqueous Fatty Acid Mixtures in a Micro Flow Reactor

Athanassios Ziogas,Gunther Kolb,Helmut Pennemann

doi:10.1007/s12678-020-00600-3

Athanassios Ziogas, Gunther Kolb + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-020-00600-3

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Abstract

The process described in the current paper is an alternative route that allows running the Kolbe electrolysis under economically attractive conditions and thus bringing it closer to an industrial application through novel process conditions, novel reactor technology, and the utilization of low-cost excess renewable electricity. The process allows the conversion of fatty acids into hydrocarbons in aqueous electrolytes without applying organic solvents. Important process parameters such as electrode material costs, surface area, and energy requirements of an electrochemical reactor in MW scale have been calculated. Depending on the fatty acid mixtures chosen, tailor-made product equivalents of jet oil, lamp oil, and diesel fuels can be achieved at high Faraday efficiency and high conversion, yields, and selectivities.Graphical

Highlights

There is a general consensus that existing fossil energy resources are becoming increasingly scarce and that their discovery and exploitation is becoming increasingly difficult, while it is associated with major environmental problems
The current paper presents process alternative that allows operating the Kolbe electrolysis under economically more attractive conditions, namely the conversion of fatty acids into hydrocarbons in aqueous electrolytes without use of organic solvents
& a heat exchanger integrated into the electrode for effective heat exchange

Summary

Introduction

There is a general consensus that existing fossil energy resources are becoming increasingly scarce and that their discovery and exploitation is becoming increasingly difficult, while it is associated with major environmental problems. The global climate changes pose a particular challenge to the world in terms of minimizing pollutant emissions, especially with regard to CO2. Electricity generation from renewable energy sources such as sun and wind has already reached a significant amount of the electricity demand especially in Germany, the People’s Republic of China, parts of the USA, the UK, the Benelux, and the Scandinavian countries. Through the fluctuating nature of these energy sources, options for energy storage are getting increasingly important. The conversion of electric energy into chemical energy allows storage in large quantities through water electrolysis.

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