Hydrogen production using electrochemical reforming and electrolyte regeneration

1. A process for producing hydrogen gas comprising contacting in the liquid phase at least one oxidizable organic substance in the presence of a mixture comprising at least one conductive catalyst and an aqueous alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte, wherein at least one metal bicarbonate composition is produced by reaction of said electrolyte and is continuously regenerated and reintroduced as the aqueous alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte, and said at least one oxidizable organic substance is methanol.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of carbonates, bicarbonates and mixtures thereof.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of compounds, complexes, alloys and mixtures thereof comprising at least one metal selected from the Group VIII transition metals of the Periodic Table of the Elements and optionally further comprises at least one metal selected from the metals of Group IB, Group IIB, Group VIIB, and mixtures thereof.

4. The process of claim 3 , wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of platinum, nickel, palladium, rhodium, iridium, cobalt, ruthenium, iron and mixtures thereof and optionally further comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, rhenium and silver.

5. The process of claim 3 , wherein said catalyst is supported on or in a conductive or non-conductive material selected from the group consisting of metals, metal oxides, silica, alumina, silica-alumina, zirconia, titania, ceria, carbon, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon boride and mixtures thereof, said support optionally in a form selected from the group consisting of beads, powders, coatings extruded substrates, monoliths and mixtures thereof.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein said alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal or alkaline earth metal:

carbonates, bicarbonates and mixtures thereof and said metal is selected from the group consisting of sodium, lithium, potassium, cesium, rubidium and mixtures thereof.

7. The process of claim 1 , further comprising the step of substantially separating hydrogen formed during the contacting step from reaction by-products.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein said separation is an absorption step, said by-product comprises CO 2 and said absorption compromises contacting said hydrogen and CO 2 with an aqueous solution comprising an absorbing amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of at least one alkali metal carbonate, at least one alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof, at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 350° C. and thereby reactively absorbing said CO 2 and producing a metal bicarbonate as a further byproduct.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein said absorption step comprises the further use of at least one promoting agent selected from the group consisting of amines, borates, arsenates, glycines, piperazines and mixtures thereof.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein said pressure is about 10 atm to about 100 atm.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein said electrolyte is regenerated in a reactor by contacting said electrolyte composition with steam, wherein said mixture further comprises at least one promoting agent selected from the group consisting of amines, borates, arsenates, glycines, piperazines and mixtures thereof.

12. The process of claim 6 , wherein the regeneration is conducted at a pressure of about 0.3 atm to about 200 atm.

13. The process of claim 1 conducted in a first reactor, said electrolyte is continuously regenerated in a second reactor and said regenerated electrolyte is continuously introduced into said first reactor.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein regeneration is conducted at a temperature of about 85° C. to about 200° C.

15. A process for producing hydrogen gas comprising contacting in the liquid phase at least one oxidizable organic substance in the presence of a mixture comprising at least one conductive catalyst and an aqueous alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte, wherein at least one metal bicarbonate composition is produced by reaction of said electrolyte and is regenerated and said at least one oxidizable organic substance comprises an oxygenated hydrocarbon, a step of substantially separating hydrogen formed during the contacting step from reaction by-products, wherein said separation is an absorption step, said by-product comprises CO 2 and said absorption comprises contacting said hydrogen and CO 2 with an aqueous solution comprising an absorbing amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of at least one alkali metal carbonate, at least one alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof, at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 350° C. and thereby reactively absorbing said CO 2 and producing a metal bicarbonate as a further byproduct, and wherein the metal bicarbonate-containing composition of said absorption step is contacted with steam in a reactor to regenerate said metal carbonate.

16. A process for producing hydrogen gas comprising contacting in the liquid phase at least one oxidizable organic substance in the presence of a mixture comprising at least one conductive catalyst and an aqueous alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte, wherein at least one metal bicarbonate composition is produced by reaction of said electrolyte and is regenerated and said at least one oxidizable organic substance comprises an oxygenated hydrocarbon, a step of substantially separating hydrogen formed during the contacting step from reaction by-products, wherein said separation is an absorption step, said by-product comprises CO 2 and said absorption comprises contacting said hydrogen and CO 2 with an aqueous solution comprising an absorbing amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of at least one alkali metal carbonate, at least one alkaline earth metal carbonate and mixtures thereof, at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 350° C. and thereby reactively absorbing said CO 2 and producing a metal bicarbonate as a further byproduct, and wherein the metal bicarbonate-containing composition of both said absorption step and said hydrogen production step are contacted with steam in a reactor to regenerate said metal carbonate.

17. A process for producing hydrogen gas comprising contacting in the liquid phase at least one oxidizable organic substance in the presence of a mixture comprising at least one conductive catalyst and an aqueous alkaline metal carbonate electrolyte, wherein at least one metal bicarbonate composition is produced by reaction of said electrolyte and is regenerated and said at least one oxidizable organic substance comprises an oxygenated hydrocarbon, wherein

(A) hydrogen gas is generated in a reactor having a top and bottom, wherein said at least one oxidizable organic substance is introduced into said reactor at a point substantially midway between said top and bottom;

(B) said electrolyte comprising at least one metal carbonate is introduced into said reactor at a point substantially at the top of said reactor such that said electrolyte and said hydrogen gas flow substantially countercurrent to one another, thereby resulting in the production of at least one metal bicarbonate composition; and

(C) said at least one metal bicarbonate composition is regenerated.

18. A process for producing hydrogen gas comprising contacting in the liquid phase at least one oxidizable organic substance in the presence of a conductive catalyst and an alkaline electrolyte, wherein:

(A) hydrogen gas is generated in a first reactor having a top and bottom, wherein said at least one oxidizable organic substance is introduced into said first reactor at a point substantially midway between said top and bottom;

(B) an alkaline electrolyte solution is introduced into said first reactor at a point substantially at the top of said reactor such that said metal carbonate solution and said hydrogen gas flow substantially countercurrent to one another, thereby resulting in the production of at least one metal bicarbonate composition;

(C) said at least one metal bicarbonate composition is continuously regenerated in a second reactor to produce metal carbonate that is continuously introduced into said first reactor;

wherein said at least one oxidizable organic substance is an oxygenated hydrocarbon; and

wherein said alkaline electrolyte consists of carbonates, bicarbonates and mixtures thereof.

19. The process of claim 18 , wherein said oxygenated hydrocarbon is methanol.

20. The process of claim 18 , wherein said catalyst is selected from the group consisting of compounds, complexes, alloys and mixtures thereof comprising at least one metal selected from the Group VIII transition metals of the Periodic Table of the Elements and optionally further comprises at least one metal selected from the metals of Group IB, Group IIB, Group VIIB, and mixtures thereof.