This invention generally relates to mechanical-chemical energy storage. In particular, the invention relates to a mechanical-chemical energy storage system that stores energy by simultaneously compressing a gas to a higher enthalpy state and recovering the heat of compression by driving a somewhat reversible chemical reaction. The heat energy in the chemical reaction is then recovered while the gas is expanding to a lower enthalpy state.

This invention generally relates to mechanical-chemical energy storage. In particular, the invention relates to a mechanical-chemical energy storage system that stores energy by simultaneously compressing a gas to a higher enthalpy state and recovering the heat of compression by driving a somewhat reversible chemical reaction. The heat energy in the chemical reaction is then recovered while the gas is expanding to a lower enthalpy state.

A high water transfer electrochemical compressor is described having a ‘n’ transfer of water through the ion conducting membrane of greater than one. This may be accomplished by reducing the equivalent weight of the ion conducting polymer, such as an ionomer to less than about 900 and/or by reinforcing the low equivalent weight ionomer with a support material, such as an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. This may be accomplished by making components of the electrochemical cell hydrophilic including the electrodes and/or gas diffusion media. This may be accomplished by adding a flow component to a feed fluid or refrigerant, such as an alcohol, acid, or acetone, for example. A flow component may modify an electrode and/or the ion conducting media, by rendering them hydrophilic. A flow component may swell an ion conducting media enable high transport of the working fluid.

A high water transfer electrochemical compressor is described having a ‘n’ transfer of water through the ion conducting membrane of greater than one. This may be accomplished by reducing the equivalent weight of the ion conducting polymer, such as an ionomer to less than about 900 and/or by reinforcing the low equivalent weight ionomer with a support material, such as an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene. This may be accomplished by making components of the electrochemical cell hydrophilic including the electrodes and/or gas diffusion media. This may be accomplished by adding a flow component to a feed fluid or refrigerant, such as an alcohol, acid, or acetone, for example. A flow component may modify an electrode and/or the ion conducting media, by rendering them hydrophilic. A flow component may swell an ion conducting media enable high transport of the working fluid.

Provided is a heat storage and dissipation apparatus capable of direct heat exchange with a heat storage body. A heat storage and dissipation apparatus (100) comprises: a heat storage body (10) that reacts with a component contained in a primary gas (G1); and a heat storage body housing portion (20) that houses the heat storage body (10), wherein the heat storage body housing portion (20) has: a housing space (S1) that houses the heat storage body (10); a first flow opening (20a) that communicates with the housing space (S1) and is capable of flowing the primary gas (S1); and a second flow opening (20b) that communicates with the housing space (S1) and is capable of flowing the primary gas (S1).

Provided is a heat storage and dissipation apparatus capable of direct heat exchange with a heat storage body. A heat storage and dissipation apparatus (100) comprises: a heat storage body (10) that reacts with a component contained in a primary gas (G1); and a heat storage body housing portion (20) that houses the heat storage body (10), wherein the heat storage body housing portion (20) has: a housing space (S1) that houses the heat storage body (10); a first flow opening (20a) that communicates with the housing space (S1) and is capable of flowing the primary gas (S1); and a second flow opening (20b) that communicates with the housing space (S1) and is capable of flowing the primary gas (S1).

The invention is directed to a method for decreasing the desorption enthalpy of a discharged high enthalpy sorption material that comprises a sorbed sorbate and that is at least partially discharged, wherein said method comprises a step 1) of reacting said discharged high enthalpy sorption material in a redox reaction to provide a discharged low enthalpy sorption material. In another aspect, the invention is directed to using this principle in methods for generating electrical energy from heat and vise versa. In addition, the invention is directed to a thermochemical energy storage device comprising a sorption material having at least two desorption enthalpy states, which preferably correlate to at least two oxidation states of which one oxidation state correlates to a higher desorption enthalpy than one or more of the other oxidation states.

The invention is directed to a method for decreasing the desorption enthalpy of a discharged high enthalpy sorption material that comprises a sorbed sorbate and that is at least partially discharged, wherein said method comprises a step 1) of reacting said discharged high enthalpy sorption material in a redox reaction to provide a discharged low enthalpy sorption material. In another aspect, the invention is directed to using this principle in methods for generating electrical energy from heat and vise versa. In addition, the invention is directed to a thermochemical energy storage device comprising a sorption material having at least two desorption enthalpy states, which preferably correlate to at least two oxidation states of which one oxidation state correlates to a higher desorption enthalpy than one or more of the other oxidation states.

A heat transfer system is disclosed including heat transfer fluid flow paths (20,22,24,28) through a heat exchanger evaporator (12) and a heat exchanger condenser (16). The system includes an electrochemical cell (32) that transforms an electrochemically reactive agent in the heat transfer fluid between first and second compounds having different boiling points. In some embodiments, the electrochemically active agent can include a fluorinated organic compound including an electrochemically active substituent group that reversibly transforms between the first and second compounds. In some embodiments, the heat transfer fluid can include the electrochemically active agent and an electrochemically non-active refrigerant in a mixture.

A thermal management system includes a slurry generator, an injector pump coupled to the slurry generator, a heat exchanger reactor coupled to the injector pump, wherein the heat exchanger reactor is adapted to subject a thermally expendable heat absorption material to a temperature above 60° C. and a pressure below 3 kPa, and wherein the expendable heat absorption material endothermically decomposes into a gaseous by-product. A vapor cycle system is coupled to the heat exchanger reactor and is operatively connected to a thermal load. A thermal energy storage system may be coupled to the vapor cycle system and the thermal load. The thermal energy storage system may isolate the heat exchanger reactor from thermal load transients of the thermal load.