System for the extraction and utilization of oxygen and other ligands from fluids

Extn. of O2 from a fluid is effected by (a) contacting the fluid with an outer surface of an O2-permeable membrane whose whose inner surface is in contact with a carrier fluid in a closed container, where the carrier fluid contains an O2 carrier in a binding state such that it binds to O2 diffusing through the membrane to form a complex; (b) transporting the complex-contg. carrier fluid to a 1st electrode compartment of an electrochemical cell forming part of the closed container; (c) electrochemically modifying the O2 carrier to an oxidn. state with less binding affinity for O2, thus releasing free O2 into the carrier fluid and producing a non-binding O2 carrier; (d) removing O2 from the carrier fluid; (e) transporting the carrier fluid to a 2nd electrode compartment forming part of the closed container; and (f) 2nd electrode compartment forming part of the closed container; and (f) electrochemically modifying the O2 carrier to regenerate its binding state. Also claimed is a process similar to steps (b)-(f) for reversibly removing a ligand from a ligand carrier. A method for extracting oxygen from a fluid environment, which comprises the steps of (1) contacting a first fluid environment containing oxygen with a first surface of a first oxygen permeable membrane having a first and a second surface, wherein the membrane separates the environment from an interior space of a closed container, (2) transporting a carrier fluid into contact with the second surface of the membrane, wherein the carrier fluid is confined in the closed container and the carrier fluid contains a binding-state oxygen carrier, whereby oxygen which diffuses through the membrane binds to the carrier to give a bound oxygen complex, (3) transporting the carrier fluid containing the bound oxygen complex to a first electrode compartment of an electrochemical cell which forms a second portion of the closed container, (4) electrochemically modifying the binding-state oxygen carrier to an oxidation state having less binding affinity for oxygen, thereby releasing free oxygen into the carrier fluid and producing a nonbinding-state oxygen carrier, (5) removing oxygen from the carrier fluid, (6) transporting the carrier fluid containing the nonbinding-state oxygen carrier to a second electrode compartment of an electrochemical cell which forms a third portion of the closed container, and (7) electrochemically modifying the nonbinding-state oxygen carrier to the binding-state oxygen carrier, is disc