An electrochemical heat transfer device utilizes an electrochemical hydrogen compressor to pump hydrogen into and out of a reservoir having a metal hydride forming alloy therein. The absorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride forming alloy is exothermic, produces heat, and the desorption of the hydrogen from the metal hydride forming alloy is endothermic and draws heat in. An electrochemical hydrogen compressor may be configured between to reservoirs and pump hydrogen back and forth to form a heat transfer device. A heat exchange device may be coupled with the reservoir or may comprise the outer surface of the reservoir to transfer heat to an object or to the surroundings. A closed loop may be configured having two reservoirs and one or two electrochemical hydrogen compressors to pump the hydrogen in a loop around the system.

A method of generating electric power includes expanding a flow of exhaust gas from a combustion process as the exhaust gas passes through a turbo-expander disposed on a turbo-crankshaft. The flow of exhaust gas from the turbo-expander is routed through an absorber section of an open cycle absorption chiller system. Water from the exhaust gas is absorbed via a first refrigerant solution disposed in the absorber section as the exhaust gas passes through the first refrigerant solution and out of the absorber section. The flow of exhaust gas from the absorber section is compressed as the exhaust gas passes through a turbo-compressor disposed on the turbo-crankshaft. Electrical power is generated from a bottoming cycle generator disposed on the turbo-crankshaft.

A bottoming cycle power system includes a turbine generator and an open cycle absorption system. The turbine-generator includes a turbo-expander and turbo-compressor disposed on a turbo-crankshaft. The turbo-expander is operable to rotate the turbo-crankshaft as a flow of exhaust gas from a combustion process passes through the turbo-expander. The turbo-compressor is operable to compress the flow of exhaust gas after the exhaust gas passes through the turbo-expander. The open cycle absorption chiller system includes an absorber section that is operable to receive the flow of exhaust gas from the turbo-expander. The absorber section includes a first refrigerant solution that is operable to absorb water from the exhaust gas as the exhaust gas passes through the first refrigerant solution. The absorber section is also operable to route the flow of exhaust gas to the turbo-compressor after the flow of exhaust gas has passed through the first refrigerant solution.

Systems and methods for compressor-assisted sorption rate. A sorption system includes a sorber that absorbs and desorbs a refrigerant gas, such as ammonia, onto and from a coordinative complex compound. The system includes an evaporator, a condenser, and a compressor. The temperature and pressure of the gas within the sorber are monitored and the compressor is controlled to adjust the pressure to increase the absorption and desorption rates and increase the thermal cycle speed of the sorption system for applications such as laser systems requiring rapid, periodic cooling.

A bottoming cycle power system includes a turbo-expander operable to rotate a turbo-crankshaft as a flow of exhaust gas from a combustion process passes through the turbo-expander. A turbo-compressor is operable to compress the flow of exhaust gas after the exhaust gas passes through the turbo-expander. An open cycle absorption chiller system includes an absorber section operable to receive the flow of exhaust gas from the turbo-expander and to mix the flow of exhaust gas with a first refrigerant solution within the absorber section. The first refrigerant solution is operable to absorb water from the exhaust gas as the exhaust gas passes through the first refrigerant solution. The absorber section is operable to route the flow of exhaust gas to the turbo-compressor after the flow of exhaust gas has passed through the first refrigerant solution.

A heat-driven refrigeration/heat-pump system includes at least one vapor expansion stage and at least one vapor compression stage, a condenser, and an evaporator, while the power consumption of the compression stages is fully supplied by the power output of the expansion stages. In the system, a vapor absorber/generator unit is adopted, such that at least one expansion stage is fed by the vapor from the generator, and at least one power stage; compression or expansion, delivers its output stream to the absorber instead of to the condenser. In the new arrangement the expansion stages produce surplus power, facilitating a supplementary refrigeration loop between the evaporator and the condenser to which there is no direct expense of heat from the generator, thereby improving the overall performance of the system.

A heat-driven refrigeration/heat-pump system includes at least one vapor expansion stage and at least one vapor compression stage, a condenser, and an evaporator, while the power consumption of the compression stages is fully supplied by the power output of the expansion stages. In the system, a vapor absorber/generator unit is adopted, such that at least one expansion stage is fed by the vapor from the generator, and at least one power stage; compression or expansion, delivers its output stream to the absorber instead of to the condenser. In the new arrangement the expansion stages produce surplus power, facilitating a supplementary refrigeration loop between the evaporator and the condenser to which there is no direct expense of heat from the generator, thereby improving the overall performance of the system.

A sorption heat pump, comprising a gaseous refrigerant; a liquid solvent; a lean solution and a rich solution, wherein the lean solution and the rich solution are single phase mixes of the liquid solvent and the refrigerant; a first absorber in which the lean solution absorbs a first partial flow of the refrigerant under a pressure drop; a second absorber in which the lean solution absorbs a second partial flow of the refrigerant directly thereafter while respectively dissipating heat; and an expeller in which the rich solution absorbs ambient heat and expels the refrigerant, a down tube arranged between an outlet for the lean solution from the first absorber and an inlet for the lean solution into the second absorber, wherein a hydrostatic pressure of a liquid column of the lean solution in the down tube compensates the pressure drop.

A sorption heat pump, comprising a gaseous refrigerant; a liquid solvent; a lean solution and a rich solution, wherein the lean solution and the rich solution are single phase mixes of the liquid solvent and the refrigerant; a first absorber in which the lean solution absorbs a first partial flow of the refrigerant under a pressure drop; a second absorber in which the lean solution absorbs a second partial flow of the refrigerant directly thereafter while respectively dissipating heat; and an expeller in which the rich solution absorbs ambient heat and expels the refrigerant, a down tube arranged between an outlet for the lean solution from the first absorber and an inlet for the lean solution into the second absorber, wherein a hydrostatic pressure of a liquid column of the lean solution in the down tube compensates the pressure drop.

A thermal management system includes a refrigerant receiver configured to store a refrigerant fluid, a closed-circuit refrigeration system having a closed-circuit fluid path with the refrigerant receiver, and with the closed-circuit refrigeration system configured to receive refrigerant from the refrigerant receiver through the closed-circuit fluid path, an open-circuit refrigeration system having an open-circuit fluid path, and with the refrigerant receiver disposed in the open-circuit fluid path, with the open-circuit refrigeration system configured to receive refrigerant through the open-circuit fluid path, and discharge refrigerant fluid through an exhaust line, and an evaporator arrangement configured to receive the refrigerant and to extract heat from at least one heat load, the evaporator arrangement having an inlet and an outlet, with the evaporator disposed in a common portion of the closed-circuit fluid path and the open-circuit fluid path.