Anionic electrochemical compressor and refrigeration system employing same
OwnerBamdad Baharinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrochemical compressor utilizes an anion conducting layer disposed between an anode and a cathode for transporting a working fluid. The working fluid may include carbon dioxide that is dissolved in water and is partially converted to carbonic acid that is equilibrium with bicarbonate anion. An electrical potential across the anode and cathode creates a pH gradient that drives the bicarbonate anion across the anion conducting layer to the cathode, wherein it is reformed into carbon dioxide. Therefore, carbon dioxide is pumped across the anion conducting layer. The compressor may be part of a refrigeration system that pumps the working fluid in a closed loop through a condenser and an evaporator.
Claims17
An electrochemical compressor system comprising:
- a) an electrochemical compressor comprising:
- i) an anode;
- ii) a cathode,
- iii) an anisotropic anion conducting layer between and in contact with the anode and cathode and comprising an anion conducting polymer;
- wherein the anion conducting polymer comprises a backbone selected from the group consisting of:
- poly(arylene), poly(phenylene) and poly(styrene);
- wherein the anion conducting layer is a composite anion conducting layer comprising a support material attached to the anion conducting polymer;
- wherein the anisotropic anion conducting layer has a concentration gradient of the functional groups from the anode to the cathode of at least 1.5:1;
- b) a working fluid;
- c) a power supply coupled electrically with the anode and cathode to produce a voltage potential across the anode and cathode;
- wherein the voltage potential at the anode produces hydroxyl ions and wherein the voltage potential at the cathode consumes hydroxyl ions to create a pH gradient to transfer the working fluid from the anode to the cathode;
- wherein the working fluid comprises carbon dioxide;
- wherein the carbon dioxide is in equilibrium with bicarbonate ions and wherein the bicarbonate ions are transported through the anion conducting layer from the anode to the cathode and reformed into carbon dioxide at the cathode.
The electrochemical compressor system of claim, 1 wherein the anion conducting layer has a thickness between 5 and 50 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.