Development of energy storage systems for formate/formic acid generated by electroreduction of carbon dioxide process

曼特拉能源替代有限公司是一家位于不列颠哥伦比亚省伯纳比的研发公司，专注于开发二氧化碳捕获和替代能源发电的创新和成本效益解决方案。曼特拉能源即将与主要工业合作伙伴合作，将其专有的二氧化碳电化学还原工艺(ERC)商业化。ERC工艺的产品是一种低市场价值的碱性甲酸盐溶液。为了提高ERC工艺的经济竞争力，曼陀罗能源确定了将产品碱性甲酸盐溶液用于直接甲酸盐燃料电池发电的附加值用途的必要性。因此，本项目的目标是评估在金格教授的实验室开发的新型瑞士罗尔混合反应物燃料电池(SR-MRFC)，以确定使用曼陀罗的碱性甲酸盐溶液操作的可行性。这项工作将需要两个目标：筛选选定的阳极和阴极电催化剂，以及测试SR-MRFC在能够确保与MANTRA的二氧化碳封存过程轻松集成的条件下的操作耐久性。这项工作对于在水泥制造和使用化石燃料发电等各种领域为加拿大主要工业客户开发具有成本效益的二氧化碳封存技术的努力非常重要。此外，它还将有助于支持一家创新的新电化学技术公司并取得成功，同时为催化剂选择、新型燃料电池设计和操作领域的高素质人员提供极好的培训机会。

Mantra Energy Alternatives Ltd. is a research and development company located in Burnaby, BC, focused on developing innovative and cost effective solutions for carbon dioxide capture and alternative energy generation. Mantra Energy is on the verge of commercializing its proprietary electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide process (ERC), with major industrial partners. The product of the ERC process is a low-market value alkaline formate solution. To increase the economic competitiveness of the ERC process, Mantra Energy identified the need for value-added usage of the product alkaline formate solution for energy generation in a direct formate fuel cell. Therefore, the goal of the present project is to evaluate the novel Swiss-roll mixed reactant fuel cell (SR-MRFC) developed in Prof. Gyenge's laboratory, for feasibility of operation using Mantra's alkaline formate solution. This work will entail two objectives: screening of selected anode and cathode electrocatalysts and testing the operational durability of the SR-MRFC under conditions that could assure easy integration with Mantra's carbon dioxide sequestration process. This work is important in the effort to develop cost effective carbon dioxide sequestration technologies for major Canadian industrial customers in a variety of areas such as cement manufacturing and power generation using fossil fuels. Further, it will also contribute to the support and success of an innovative new electrochemical technology company, while providing excellent training opportunity for highly qualified personal in the field of catalyst selection, and novel fuel cell design and operation.