Reciprocal heat exchanger

• US 6,425,440 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Borst Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Borst Incorporated
• Inventors: Petrov, Alexei, Tsenter, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Flanigan, Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCKINNON, TERRELL L
• Application Number:
  US09/611,448
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 165/80.4, 165/104.12, 165/104.22, 165/104.23, 165/104.33, 624/70, 624/80, 622/592, 429/59, 429/87, 429/156
• US Class Current: 165/104.12
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/10 Liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/00 Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/24 Pumping by heat expansion of pumped fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 43/06 Pumps having fluid drive

Abstract

A reciprocal design for an electrochemical heat exchanger comprised of a gas-based driving system, a liquid-based cooling system, and a non-permeable flexible diaphragm to physically separate the contents of the driving system from the contents of the cooling system while maintaining a pressure based communication between the contents of the two systems. The gas-based driving system utilizes a hydrogen electrochemical pump to induce circulation of a liquid coolant through the cooling system. Said liquid coolant exchanges heat with the object to be cooled and transfers heat out of the heat exchange system by way of matched banks of radiator tubes.

Claims

1. A reciprocal heat exchange system comprised of:

a gas-based driving system including at least one radiator for heat exchange;

a liquid-based cooling system; and

a plurality of flexible membranes located integrally between said gas-based driving system and said liquid-based cooling system, wherein said plurality of membranes physically isolate the contents of said gas-based driving system from said liquid-based cooling system.

2. A reciprocal heat exchange system according to claim 1, wherein said gas-based driving system is comprised of:

a hydrogen electrochemical pump comprised of at least two electrodes that can reversibly generate and consume hydrogen in chemical reactions;

a first gas space which surrounds one of said at least two electrodes;

a second gas space which surrounds a second of said at least two electrodes.

3. The reciprocal heat exchange system of claim 2, wherein said at least two electrodes are first and second identical hydrogen electrodes.

4. The reciprocal heat exchange system of claim 3, wherein said hydrogen electrochemical pump is further comprised of:

a reversible electric source comprised of a first electric terminal electrically connected to said first hydrogen electrode and a second electric terminal electrically connected to said second hydrogen electrode, whereby reversing the polarity of said reversible electric source reverses the chemical reactions taking place at said first and second hydrogen electrodes.

5. A reciprocal heat exchange system according to claim 1, wherein said liquid-based cooling system is comprised of:

a first liquid space;

a first bank of radiator tubes wherein said first ban of radiator tubes is mechanically connected to said first liquid space at one end;

a second liquid space;

a second bank of radiator tubes wherein said second bank of radiator tubes is mechanically connected to said second liquid space at one end;

a heat exchange chamber connecting said first bank of radiator tubes to said second bank of radiator tubes.

6. The reciprocal heat exchange system of claim 5, wherein said heat exchange chamber contains a liquid cooling agent.

7. The reciprocal heat exchange system of claim 5, wherein said first and second banks of radiator tubes provide a surface area to release heat out of the reciprocal heat exchange system.

8. A reciprocal heat exchange system according to claim 1, further comprised of:

a metal hydride compensation plate located within the gas-based driving system.

9. A reciprocal heat exchange system comprised of:

an electrochemical pump;

a first gas space mechanically coupled to said electrochemical pump

a second gas space mechanically coupled to said electrochemical pump;

a first liquid space;

a first radiator bank, wherein said first radiator bank is mechanically coupled to said first liquid space;

a second liquid space;

a second radiator bank, wherein said second liquid space is mechanically coupled to said second radiator bank;

a heat exchange space, wherein said heat exchange space is mechanically coupled to said first radiator bank and mechanically coupled to said second radiator bank;

a first flexible diaphragm, wherein said first flexible diaphragm is mechanically coupled to said first gas space and mechanically coupled to said first liquid space; and

a second flexible diaphragm, wherein said second flexible diaphragm is mechanically coupled to said second gas space and mechanically coupled to said second liquid space.

10. A reciprocal heat exchange system according to claim 9, further comprised of:

a metal hydride compensation plate within the electrochemical pump.

11. A reciprocal heat exchange system according to claim 9, further comprised of:

a first gas located within said first gas space;

a second gas located within said second gas space;

a liquid cooling agent located within said first and second liquid spaces, said first and second radiator banks, and said heat exchange space.

12. A reciprocal heat exchange system according to claim 11, wherein said first flexible diaphragm physically isolates said first gas from said liquid cooling agent while maintaining pressure contact between said first gas and said liquid cooling agent and wherein said second flexible diaphragm physically isolates said second gas from said liquid cooling agent while maintaining pressure contact between said second gas and said liquid cooling agent.

13. A method of cooling an object comprised of:

producing hydrogen gas in a cathodic space;

providing a flexible diaphragm between hydrogen gas and a liquid cooling agent;

consuming hydrogen gas in an anodic space;

said produced hydrogen gas forcing the flexible diaphragm to force said liquid cooling agent into thermal contact with the object;

said produced hydrogen gas forcing a liquid cooling agent into thermal contact with a bank of radiator tubes.

14. The method of cooling an object of claim 13, further comprised of:

reversing the reactions in the cathodic and anodic gas spaces so that hydrogen gas is consumed in the cathodic space and hydrogen gas is consumed in the anodic space.

15. The method of cooling an object of claim 13, further comprised of:

providing a first flexible diaphragm between said cathodic space and said liquid cooling agent;

providing a second flexible diaphragm between said anodic space and said liquid cooling agent;

physically isolating the hydrogen gas produced in the cathodic space and the liquid cooling agent while maintaining pressure contact between the hydrogen gas produced in the cathodic space and the liquid cooling agent;

physically isolating the hydrogen gas consumed in the anodic space and the liquid cooling agent while maintaining pressure contact between the hydrogen gas consumed in the anodic space and the liquid cooling agent.

16. The method of cooling an object according to claim 13, wherein the production of hydrogen gas in the cathodic space and the consumption of hydrogen gas in the anodic space are cyclically reversed so that hydrogen gas is alternately produced and consumed in the cathodic and anodic spaces.