SBIR Phase II: Low-Cost Low-Impact Magnesium Production by Solid Oxide Membrane Electrolysis

SBIR 第二阶段：通过固体氧化物膜电解低成本、低影响生产镁

• 批准号: 1026639
• 负责人: Adam Powell
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: INFINIUM, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-15 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1026639&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; II; Low; Cost

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a new method for primary production of magnesium from its oxide ore using Solid Oxide Membrane Electrolysis. Unlike other primary metal processes, this approach emits no direct CO2, has no chlorine, and is fully continuous and automated. Published third party cost modeling has indicated that its costs are lower than all existing and proposed new processes. Building on an earlier feasibility demonstration using experiments and mathematical and cost modeling to show that the approach can produce oxygen as well as magnesium at high current efficiency and at costs close to the published cost model, this Phase II project will develop new anode tubes to further reduce energy costs, and build and test the first self-heating electrolysis cell. If successful, the self-heating cell will not require energy beyond that needed for electrolysis and will be the smallest possible pre-production modular unit capable of producing magnesium.The broader/commercial impact of this project begins with substantial reduction of the cost and environmental impact of magnesium metal production. Magnesium is the lowest-density engineering metal and third most abundant metal in the earth's crust, and its stiffness-to-weight, castability, and recyclability make it the best material for motor vehicle weight reduction. Automobile makers are seeking to increase the magnesium alloy content of vehicles from 10-15 lbs/vehicle to 350 lbs/vehicle by 2020, replacing 650 lbs/vehicle of steel and aluminum parts. This will increase fleet fuel economy by 1.5-2 miles per gallon, reducing annual petroleum import expenditures by about $20 billion. If successful, this project will address the biggest barrier to widespread magnesium use in vehicles, which is its price stability and availability. This could lead to a new magnesium economy taking full advantage of its light weight and ease of manufacturing in products from cellphones to laptops to trucks. With broader usage, the versatile process resulting from this development project can likely reduce the cost and environmental impact of reducing metal oxides, leading to a new industrial ecology of primary metals production.

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目旨在开发一种使用固体氧化物膜电解从氧化物矿石中初级生产镁的新方法。 与其他原生金属工艺不同，这种方法不直接排放二氧化碳，不含氯，并且完全连续和自动化。 已发布的第三方成本模型表明，其成本低于所有现有和拟议的新工艺。 在早期的可行性论证基础上，使用实验和数学及成本建模来证明该方法可以以高电流效率和接近已公布的成本模型的成本生产氧气和镁，该第二阶段项目将开发新的阳极管以进一步降低能源成本，并建造和测试第一个自加热电解槽。 如果成功的话，自热式电解槽将不需要超过电解所需的能量，并且将是能够生产镁的最小可能的预生产模块化单元。该项目的更广泛/商业影响始于大幅降低金属镁生产的成本和环境影响。 镁是密度最低的工程金属，也是地壳中第三丰富的金属，其硬度重量比，可铸造性和可回收性使其成为汽车减重的最佳材料。 汽车制造商正在寻求到2020年将汽车的镁合金含量从10-15磅/辆提高到350磅/辆，取代650磅/辆的钢铁和铝部件。 这将使车队的燃油经济性提高1.5-2英里/加仑，每年减少约200亿美元的石油进口支出。 如果成功，该项目将解决镁在汽车中广泛使用的最大障碍，即其价格稳定性和可用性。 这可能会导致一个新的镁经济，充分利用其重量轻，易于制造的产品，从手机到笔记本电脑到卡车。 随着使用范围的扩大，该开发项目产生的多功能工艺可能会降低还原金属氧化物的成本和对环境的影响，从而形成新的初级金属生产工业生态。