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US 11,925,903 B2Granted
Electrodialysis heat pump
AssigneeXerox Corporation
InventorsFrancisco E. Torres, Eugene S. Beh, Michael Benedict
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system includes an electrochemical regenerator configured to receive a first solution having a first salt concentration and output a second solution having a second salt concentration lower than the first salt concentration and a third solution having a third salt concentration higher than the first salt concentration. The first and second solutions are sent to first and second reservoirs respectively absorb and emit heat in response to a phase change of one of the solutions. The absorption or emission of heat can be used in a heat pump system.
Claims17
A system comprising:
- an electrochemical regenerator configured to receive a first solution having a first salt concentration and to output a second solution having a second salt concentration lower than the first salt concentration and a third solution having a third salt concentration higher than the first salt concentration;
- a first reservoir with first contents having a first water vapor pressure and configured to receive the second solution and output a vapor stream and a residual stream, the first reservoir absorbing a first heat flux;
- a second reservoir with second contents having a second water vapor pressure that is less than the first water vapor pressure and coupled to the first reservoir, wherein the second reservoir is configured to receive the third solution and the vapor stream from the first reservoir to generate a second heat flux that is output from the second reservoir, a recombined solution comprising contents of the second reservoir and the residual stream being recirculated to the electrochemical regenerator;
- and
- a secondary heat pump with a working fluid that is cooled by the first heat flux.
2 more elements
A system comprising:
- an electrochemical regenerator configured to receive a first solution having a first salt concentration and to output a second solution having a second salt concentration lower than the first salt concentration and a third solution having a third salt concentration higher than the first salt concentration;
- a first reservoir with first contents having a first water vapor pressure and configured to receive the second solution and output a vapor stream and a residual stream, the first reservoir absorbing a first heat flux;
- a second reservoir with second contents having a second water vapor pressure that is less than the first water vapor pressure and coupled to the first reservoir, wherein the second reservoir is configured to receive the third solution and the vapor stream from the first reservoir to generate a second heat flux that is output from the second reservoir, a recombined solution comprising contents of the second reservoir and the residual stream being recirculated to the electrochemical regenerator;
- and
- a thermal target that is heated by the second heat flux.
2 more elements
A method comprising:
- producing a low salinity solution and a high salinity solution from an electrochemical regenerator;
- directing the low salinity solution to a first reservoir with first contents having a first water vapor pressure, the first reservoir outputting a vapor stream and a residual stream and absorbing a first heat flux;
- directing the high salinity solution and the vapor stream to a second reservoir having a second water vapor pressure that is less than the first water vapor pressure, the second reservoir outputting a second heat flux and a recombined solution, the recombined solution comprising contents of the second reservoir and the vapor stream;
- and
- using one or both of the first heat flux and the second heat flux as a respective heat sink and heat source in a heat pump system.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.