Electrochemical compressor architecture
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorPhalgun Madhusudan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrochemical compressor, including a first end plate, a second end plate, a voltage supply connected to the first end plate and second end plate, a plurality of membranes, where each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a substantially same impedance, and where each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a different thickness in a stacking direction, and a plurality of conductive bipolar plates, where the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are arranged in contact with, and alternating in the stacking direction with, the membranes of the plurality of membranes, and where the membranes of the plurality of membranes and the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are electrically connected in series between the first end plate and second end plate.
Claims20
An electrochemical compressor, comprising:
- a first end plate;
- a second end plate;
- a voltage supply connected to the first end plate and second end plate;
- a plurality of membranes, wherein each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a substantially same impedance, and wherein each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a different thickness in a stacking direction;
- and
- a plurality of conductive bipolar plates, wherein the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are arranged in contact with, and alternating in the stacking direction with, the membranes of the plurality of membranes, and wherein the membranes of the plurality of membranes and the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are electrically connected in series between the first end plate and second end plate.
An electrochemical compressor, comprising:
- a first end plate;
- a second end plate;
- a high pressure gas outlet;
- a low pressure gas input;
- a plurality of membranes, wherein each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a substantially same impedance, and wherein each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a different thickness in a stacking direction;
- a plurality of conductive plates, wherein the plates of the plurality of plates are arranged in contact with, and alternating in the stacking direction with, the membranes of the plurality of membranes, and wherein the membranes of the plurality of membranes and the plates of the plurality of plates are electrically connected in series between the first end plate and second end plate;
- and
- a voltage supply connected to the first end plate and second end plate, the voltage supply configured to apply a voltage across the membranes in series, wherein the voltage causes the membranes to compress a gas provided at the low pressure gas input and to provide pressurized gas at the high pressure gas outlet.
A method of forming an electrochemical compressor, comprising:
- providing a first end plate;
- providing a second end plate;
- providing a voltage supply electrically connected to the first end plate and second end;
- providing a plurality of membranes, wherein each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a substantially same impedance, and wherein each membrane of the plurality of membranes has a different thickness in a stacking direction;
- providing a plurality of conductive bipolar plates;
- and
- arranging the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates in contact with, and alternating in the stacking direction with, the membranes of the plurality of membranes, wherein, after the arranging, the membranes of the plurality of membranes and the bipolar plates of the plurality of bipolar plates are electrically connected in series between the first end plate and second end plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.