Halogen-based thermo-electrochemical converter
AssigneeJtec Energy, Inc.
InventorDavid Ketema Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of generating electrical energy using an electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter operating on the Rankine cycle is provided. The converter includes a working fluid, a high temperature electrochemical cell including a first membrane electrode assembly, a low temperature electrochemical cell including a second membrane electrode assembly, an evaporator coupled to the first electrochemical cell, a condenser coupled to the second electrochemical cell, and an external load. The method involves introducing the working fluid at the first membrane electrode assembly as a liquid, expanding the working fluid through the first membrane electrode assembly and evaporating it into a vapor, and cooling and condensing the vapor back into a liquid at the second membrane electrode assembly.
Claims8
An electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter comprising:
- a working fluid, the working fluid being selected from the group consisting of a halogen and sulfur;
- a heat source and a heat sink, the heat source being at an elevated temperature above a temperature of the heat sink;
- a first electrochemical cell comprising a first membrane electrode assembly across which the working fluid is configured to flow, the first membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one ion conductive membrane sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes, the first electrochemical cell being coupled to the heat source;
- a second electrochemical cell comprising a second membrane electrode assembly across which the working fluid is configured to flow, the second membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one ion conductive membrane sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes, the second electrochemical cell being coupled to the heat sink;
- an evaporator coupled to the first electrochemical cell;
- a condenser coupled to the second electrochemical cell;
- and
- an external load, the first and second electrochemical cells being connected in series with the external load,
- wherein the working fluid is introduced at the first membrane electrode assembly as a liquid and expands through the first membrane electrode assembly, such that the first membrane electrode assembly generates a voltage, and is evaporated into a vapor phase, and
- wherein the working fluid is introduced at the second membrane electrode assembly in the vapor phase and is cooled and condensed back to the liquid phase.
A method of generating electrical energy using an electrochemical direct heat to electricity converter,
- the converter comprising:
- a working fluid, the working fluid being selected from the group consisting of a halogen and sulfur;
- a heat source and a heat sink, the heat source being at an elevated temperature above a temperature of the heat sink;
- a first electrochemical cell comprising a first membrane electrode assembly across which the working fluid is configured to flow, the first membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one ion conductive membrane sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes, the first electrochemical cell being coupled to the heat source;
- a second electrochemical cell comprising a second membrane electrode assembly across which the working fluid is configured to flow, the second membrane electrode assembly including a first porous electrode, a second porous electrode and at least one ion conductive membrane sandwiched between the first and second porous electrodes, the second electrochemical cell being coupled to the heat sink;
- an evaporator coupled to the first electrochemical cell;
- a condenser coupled to the second electrochemical cell;
- and
- an external load, the first and second electrochemical cells being connected in series with the external load,
- the method comprising operating the converter on the Rankine cycle by:
- completely flooded one side of the converter with the working fluid as a liquid and partially flooding another side of the converter with the working fluid as a liquid,
- introducing the working fluid at the first membrane electrode assembly as a liquid, the liquid expands through the first membrane electrode assembly, such that the first membrane electrode assembly generates a voltage, and being evaporated into a vapor phase by the evaporator, and
- introducing the working fluid at the second membrane electrode assembly as a vapor, and cooling and condensing the vapor back to the liquid phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.