US Patent 10435801 Carbon gasification assisted solid oxide electrolysis cell

A syngas generation system that combines a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) and a carbon gasification unit is described. On the cathode side of the SOEC, CO2 and H2O are electrochemically converted to syngas. At the anode side of the system, a second stream of syngas is produced through a carbon gasification process in which solid carbon is reacted with H2O/CO2. Oxygen ion transported across the SOEC electrolyte reacts at the anode with a portion of the syngas produced in the gasification process. This reaction product (H2O/CO2) can be fed back to the gasification unit.