Electrochemical Compressor and Refrigeration System

An electrochemical compressor for a refrigeration cycle, the compressor comprising:

• an inlet fluidly coupled to an evaporator to receive a working fluid that comprises a condensable refrigerant and an electrochemically active fluid;
• an outlet fluidly coupled to a condenser;
• and
• one or more electrochemical cells electrically connected to each other through a power supply, each electrochemical cell comprising a gas pervious anode, a gas pervious cathode, and an electrolytic membrane disposed between and in intimate electrical contact with the cathode and the anode;
• wherein:
• the anode, the cathode, and the electrolytic membrane are configured to pass the electrochemically active fluid;
• the electrochemical cell is configured to disassociate the condensable refrigerant from the electrochemically active fluid to prevent the condensable refrigerant from passing through the anode, the cathode, and the electrolytic membrane;
• and
• the electrolytic membrane includes a membrane having a porous microstructure and an ion exchange material impregnated throughout the membrane.

A method of refrigeration, the method comprising:

• conveying heat from a first heat reservoir at a relatively low temperature to a second heat reservoir at relatively high temperature by circulating a working fluid through a closed loop that is thermally coupled to the first heat reservoir at a first portion and is thermally coupled to the second heat reservoir at a second portion, the conveying comprising:
• transferring heat from the working fluid at the second loop portion to the second heat reservoir including liquefying at least some of the working fluid;
• reducing a pressure of the at least partially liquefied working fluid by expanding the working fluid at a substantially constant enthalpy;
• transferring heat from the first heat reservoir to the working fluid at the first loop portion including vaporizing at least some of the working fluid;
• increasing a pressure of the working fluid by:
• dissociating an electrochemically active fluid from a condensable refrigerant within the working fluid to enable the condensable refrigerant to separate from the electrochemically active fluid,
• electrochemically ionizing the electrochemically active fluid by stripping charged particles from the electrochemically active fluid,
• enabling the ionized electrochemically active fluid to pass through an electrolytic membrane,
• pumping the charged particles to create an electric potential gradient across the electrolytic membrane,
• pumping the ionized electrochemically active fluid across the electrolytic membrane using the electric potential gradient, electrochemically de-ionizing the electrochemically active fluid by combining the pumped charged particles with the ionized electrochemically active fluid, and
• pressuring the de-ionized electrochemically active fluid;
• and
• re-associating the pressurized de-ionized electrochemically active fluid with the condensable refrigerant to form a pressurized working fluid that flows to the second loop portion.