Thermoelectrochemical Heat Converter

A method for direct thermoelectrochemical heat-to-electricity conversion, the method comprising:

• circulating a working fluid A in a closed-circuit chamber A comprising a hot end A, a cold end A, a pump A, and a counter-flow heat exchanger A;
• circulating a working fluid B in a closed-circuit chamber B comprising a hot end B, a cold end B, a pump B, and a counter-flow heat exchanger B;
• wherein the hot end A is connected to the hot end B by a first electrochemical cell comprising a first gas-impermeable, electron-blocking membrane capable of transporting an ion I at a first temperature, and a first pair of electrodes on opposite sides of the first membrane;
• wherein the cold end A is connected to the cold end B by a second electrochemical cell comprising a second gas-impermeable, electron-blocking membrane capable of transporting the ion I at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, and a second pair of electrodes on opposite sides of the second membrane;
• wherein the first electrochemical cell and the second electrochemical cell are both operated at an equal and constant pressure;
• wherein working fluid A is capable of undergoing a reversible redox half-reaction of the general form RA→OA+I+e− and wherein working fluid B is capable of undergoing a reversible redox half-reaction of the general form RB→OB+I+e−,
• wherein the first electrochemical cell is connected electrically with the second electrochemical cell via an electrical load to produce electricity,
• whereby the first electrochemical cell runs a forward redox reaction, gaining entropy, and the second electrochemical cell runs a reverse redox reaction, expelling entropy.