Electrochemical process of producing electrical energy using sulfur dioxide fuel andhalogen oxidant

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS OF PRODUCING ELECTRICAL ENERGY FROM AN ELECTROCHEMICAL REACTION SYSTEM COMPRISING A RELATIVELY OXIDIZABLE SUBSYSTEM, A RELATIVELY REDUCIBLE SUBSYSTEM,ION-PERMEABLE MEANS SEPARATING SAID SUBSYSTEMS, AN ELECTRODE IN EACH OF SAID SUBSYSTEMS, EACH ELECTRODE COUPLED TO AN EXTERNAL ELECTRON CONDUCTING CIRCUIT, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE RESPECTIVE SUBSYSTEMS AND ELECTRODES IN COACTING RELATIONSHIP, THE STEPS OF PLACING CONCENTRATED AQUEOUS SULFURIC ACID IN THE RELATIVELY OXIDIZABLE SUBSYSTEM AS ION-TRANSFER MEDIUM, SEPARATED BY THE ION-PERMEABLE MEANS FROM THE OTHER SUBSYSTEM, TO FORM A REACTION INTERFACE WITH THE ELECTRODE, PLACING A CONCENTRATED AQUEOUS MINERAL ACID IN THE RELATIVELY REDUCIBLE SUBSYSTEM AS ION-TRANSFER MEDIUM, SEPARATED BY THE ION-PERMEABLE MEANS FROM THE OTHER SUBSYSTEM TO FORM A REACTION INTERFACE WITH THE ELECTRODE, SUPPLYING MOLECULAR SO2 TO THE ION-TRANSFER MEDIUM OF THE RELATIVELY OXIDIZABLE SUBSYSTEM AND TO THE REACTION INTERFACE AND CAUSING THE SO2 TO RACT ELECROCHEMICALLY WITH THE OXYGEN ION SPECIES OF THE IONTRANSFER MEDIUM TO PRODUCE SO3, SUPPLYING AN ELEMENTAL HALOGEN TO SAID RELATIVELY REDUCIBLE SUBSYSTEM AND CAUSING THE HALOGEN TO REACT ELECTROCHEMICALLY AT THE REACTION INTERFACE IN SAID RELATIELY REDUCIBLE SUBSYSTEM WITH HYDROGEN ION SPECIES OF THE ION-TRANSFER MEDIUM TO PRODUCE HYDROGEN HALIDE, REMOVING THE SO3 FROM SAID RELATIVELY OXIDIZABLE SUBSYSTEM IN COMBINATION WITH RESIDUAL ION-TRANSFER MEDIUM, RECOVERING THE SO3 EXTERNALLY OF THE SUBSYSTEM AND RECONVERTING TO SO2 BY REDUCTION IN THE VAPOR PHASE IN THE PRESENCE OF A REDUCING CATALYST, RESUPPLYING RECONVERTED SO2 TO SAID RELTAIVELY OXIDIZABLE SUBSYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FURTHER ELECTRICAL ENERGY, REMOVING THE REACTION PRODUCT FROM SAID ANTIFUEL SUBSYSTEM, AND SUPPLYING ADDITIONAL ELEMENTAL HALOGEN TO SAID ANTIFUEL SUBSYSTEM FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FURTHER ENERGY.