eCOs - A Commercial CO2 Electrolysis System Developed by Haldor Topsoe

This paper covers the technical and commercial features of Haldor Topsoe's CO from CO2 technology. Haldor Topsoe's eCOs is a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) technology that allows the safe, efficient, and cost-competitive production of carbon monoxide directly at the site of facilities where the gas is needed. The CO-generation device uses feedstock carbon dioxide and electrical power to produce CO in quantities ideal for most operations that today rely on cylinder or tube trailer supply. An eCOs Plant is delivered as a stand-alone unit with power, CO2 and product gas connections. Furthermore, the plant ensures high levels of purity, producing CO at 99.5% assay with minimal contaminants and CO2 as the main impurity. An eCOs solution can also be customized to produce CO at 99.995% purity. One eCOs plant is able to deliver between 10 and 100 Nm(3) CO gas per hour. Several plants can be operated in parallel if larger quantities are needed. The patented eCOs technology ensures security of supply, eliminates the need to transport hazardous gas, and drastically reduce costs related to storage, rentals and connections. In the longer run, this technology opens up for a whole new segment of green and sustainable chemicals from renewable carbon sources. Field test results from the 12-kW demonstration-unit located in Houston, Texas are reported, as well as progress towards the 300-kW commercial unit to be delivered in 2018. Results from a 50-kW H2O electrolysis unit located in Foulum, Denmark used for biogas upgrading are also presented.