Electrochemical compressor based heating element and hybrid hot water heater employing same

Abstract

An electrochemical compressor type heat pump system is described. An electrochemical compressor compresses a mixed gas refrigerant whereby heat from the compression can be used to heat an object. The electrochemical compressor is capable of producing high pressure gas from a mixed fluid system including an electrochemically-active component, such as hydrogen, and at least one refrigerant fluid, for example water. Any suitable proton associable compound, such as any suitable ionic or polar solvent compound, may be used in the mixed gas refrigerant. The electrochemical compressor may be configured in a hot water heater along with a secondary type heating source to produce a hybrid hot water heater.

Claims

1. A hot water heater comprising: a) a heating device comprising: i) an electrochemical compressor configured to elevate the temperature of a working fluid, comprising: a membrane electrode assembly comprising: an anode; a cathode; a cation exchange membrane located between the anode and cathode; a working fluid inlet coupled with the anode; a working fluid outlet coupled with the cathode: a power supply coupled with the anode and the cathode to provide electric current to the electrochemical compressor; ii) a conduit that couples the working fluid outlet to the working fluid inlet to create a closed loop system for the working fluid; iii) a condenser coupled with the working fluid outlet, and iv) an evaporator; wherein both the condenser and the evaporator are configured in the closed loop system, whereby the working fluid is transferred from the electrochemical compressor to the condenser, and from the condenser to the evaporator and wherein the device is configured as a heat pump system; wherein the working fluid is transferred from the anode to the cathode where it is condensed in the condenser thereby increasing the temperature of the working fluid, wherein the condenser is in thermal communication with the water in the hot water heater, whereby water in the hot water heater is heated by the working fluid; b) a secondary heat source this is different than the electrochemical heating device and configured to heat water within the hot water tank; c) a controller; a temperature sensor coupled with the controller and configured to measure a water temperature of said water within the hot water tank, wherein a voltage differential across the anode and cathode is controlled by the controller, and wherein the voltage across the anode and cathode is changed by the controller to change a rate of flow of the working fluid through the condenser.

2. The hot water heater of claim 1, further comprising: a) an expansion valve; b) wherein both the expansion valve and evaporator are configured in the closed loop system, whereby the working fluid is transferred from the electrochemical compressor to the condenser, and from the condenser to the evaporator through the expansion valve.

3. The hot water heater of claim 1, wherein at least a portion the condenser is configured within the hot water heater.

4. The hot water heater of claim 1, wherein a heat sink is coupled with the condenser and the heat sink is configured to transfer heat to water within the hot water heater.

5. The hot water heater of claim 1, wherein the secondary heat source is a gas heater.

6. The hot water heater of claim 1, wherein the secondary heat source is an electrical heater.

7. The hot water heater of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is coupled with the controller, whereby the controller regulates the amount of heat produced by the heating device and the secondary heat source as a function of the temperature of the water, as measured by the temperature sensor.

8. The hot water heater of claim 7, further comprising a water flow rate sensor configured to measure an amount of water flow from the hot water heater, wherein the water flow rate sensor is coupled with the controller, whereby the controller regulates the amount of heat produced by the heating device and the secondary heat source as a function of the water flow rate, as measured by the water flow rate sensor.

9. The hot water heater of claim 7, further comprising a water level sensor configured to measure a water level within the hot water heater, wherein the water level sensor is coupled with the controller, whereby the controller regulates the amount of heat produced by the heating device and the secondary heat source as a function of the water level, as measured by the water level sensor.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an exemplary heat pump system comprising an electrochemical compressor as described herein.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an exemplary electrochemical compressor as described herein.

(3) FIG. 3 shows an exemplary electrochemical compressor as described herein.

(4) FIG. 4 shows an exemplary voltage (V) versus current (I) polarization graph for hydrogen gas at different relative humidity levels

(5) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary voltage (V) versus current (I) polarization graph for hydrogen gas compressed to different output pressures.

(6) FIG. 6 shows an exemplary hybrid hot water heater having an electrochemical compressor heating device and an electrical type secondary heater.

(7) FIG. 7 shows an exemplary hybrid hot water heater having an electrochemical compressor heating device and a gas type secondary heater.

(8) Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the figures. The figures represent an illustration of some of the embodiments of the present invention and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. Further, the figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention

(9) As used herein, the terms comprises, comprising, includes, including, has, having or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, use of a or an are employed to describe elements and components described herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the scope of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

(10) In cases where the present specification and a document incorporated by reference include conflicting and/or inconsistent disclosure, the present specification shall control. If two or more documents incorporated by reference include conflicting and/or inconsistent disclosure with respect to each other, then the document having the later effective date shall control.

(11) Certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying figures. The embodiments described are only for purposes of illustrating the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention, and certain modifications, combinations and improvements of the described embodiments, will occur to those skilled in the art and all such alternate embodiments, combinations, modifications, improvements are within the scope of the present invention.

(12) As shown if FIG. 1, an exemplary electrochemical compressor 12 is configured in a closed loop system 100 having a conduit 102 coupled to the working fluid inlet 20 and working fluid outlet 22 of the electrochemical compressor. The working fluid, within the conduit, flows to the electrochemical compressor, where it is transferred across, and compressed in the electrochemical compressor and thereafter condensed in a condenser. The working fluid temperature and pressure are elevated at the outlet of the compressor. The working fluid is transferred to the condenser where it is substantially condensed in the condenser 14. The heat liberated from condensation of the working fluid may be used to heat an object. This constitutes a heating device 10, as described herein. The working fluid passes from the condenser through an expansion valve 51 and subsequently to an evaporator 15. An object may be put in thermal communication with the evaporator to cool the object. This mechanism may be used to heat a liquid, such as water in a liquid process tank.

(13) As shown in FIG. 2 an exemplary electrochemical compressor, as described herein comprises a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 13. A working fluid inlet 20 provides the mixed working fluid, water and hydrogen, to the anode 30, where it is chemically reacted on a catalyst 35. The hydrogen is disassociated into protons and electrons, whereby the protons pass through the cation exchange membrane 34 to the cathode 32, and the electrons pass through a circuit. A power supply 28 is coupled to the anode and cathode and drive the reaction rate. The reaction of the anode is shown in FIG. 2 along with the reaction of the cathode. Hydrogen is produced at the cathode and flow out the working fluid outlet 22 along with water. Water is transferred across the cation exchange membrane, as it is pulled along with the protons as they move through the membrane. A gas diffusion layer 36 may be configured on the anode and/or cathode.

(14) As shown in FIG. 3 an exemplary electrochemical compressor, as described herein, has a mixed gas refrigerant 90 being fed into the working fluid inlet 20. A mixed gas refrigerant, as shown comprises a proton associable compound 96 and hydrogen. A proton associable compound may be water, a low molecular alcohol such as methanol, and the like. Any suitable type of working fluid 98 may be used in the electrochemical compressor heating device as described herein.

(15) FIG. 4 shows an exemplary voltage (V) versus current (I) polarization graph for hydrogen gas at different relative humidity levels

(16) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary voltage (V) versus current (I) polarization graph for hydrogen gas compressed to different output pressures.

(17) As shown in FIG. 6 an exemplary hybrid hot water heater 68 is configured with an electrochemical compressor heating device 10 and an electrical heater 70 type secondary heater 17. The condenser coils 44 of a condenser 40 are configured within the hybrid hot water heater, where they transfer heat from the working fluid to the water 94. The working fluid conduit 102 extends out of the tank 60 and to an expansion valve 51 where the working fluid is expanded and flows into an evaporator 15. A controller 18 having a user interface 80, such as a touch screen or any outer suitable user input feature, is coupled with both the heating device 10, and the secondary heating device 17. A data processor takes inputs from one or more sensors and determines at what output level each heating source should be operating. A water flow rate sensor 86 is configured on the water outlet 64. The water inlet 82 provides water to the tank 60 of the hybrid hot water heater 68. A temperature sensor 84 is configured to measure the temperature of the water 94 within the tank and a water level sensor 88 measure the water level within the tank. A fan 56 is shown being configured to blow air over the evaporator, whereby the air may be cooled by the cool evaporator coils 54. The cooled air may be used for any suitable purpose including cooling a home, for example. As described, any suitable portion of the electrochemical compressor heating device may be configured with the hot water heater.

(18) As shown in FIG. 7 an exemplary hybrid hot water heater 68 has an electrochemical compressor 12 heating the refrigerant that then flows to device 10 and a gas heater 72 type secondary heater 70. The entire heating device is configured within the outer enclosure of the tank 60 of the hot water heater in this embodiment. In addition, a heat sink 46 is coupled with the condenser coil 44 and draws heat from the condenser, and transfers it to the water 94. The water level 66 of the water within the tank is shown in FIG. 7. A fan 56 is configured to blow cooled air from the evaporator through a duct 58. The water within the hot water heater, or fluid process tank, may be configured as the heat sink and may be in direct contact with the compressor and/or condenser, as described herein.

(19) Any portion of the electrochemical compressor based heating element may be used to heat an object and may be configured with direct contact with a fluid of a fluid process tank, such as a hot water heater. Likewise, any portion of the electrochemical compressor based heating system, as described herein, such as the evaporator and expansion value, may be used to cool an object and may be in direct contact with the object, such as a fluid, or may be coupled with a fins or a heat sink to cool an object. In addition, air or fluid flow over any component including the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator may be used to transfer heat to or from the electrochemical compressor based heat transfer system 108, as shown and described in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7.

(20) It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Specific embodiments, features and elements described herein may be modified, and/or combined in any suitable manner. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications, combinations and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.