Johnson ambient-heat engine

1. A method for generating electrical energy comprising:

providing an electrochemical conversion system comprising:

a housing comprising a substantially gas-impermeable barrier dividing an interior of the housing into a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber, at least a portion of the substantially gas-impermeable barrier comprising an electrical-energy-generating mechanism, a quantity of hydrogen being disposed within the housing in at least the high-pressure chamber,

an electrical-energy storage device connected to the electrical-energy-generating mechanism, the electrical-energy storage device being selectively operable between a charge condition and a discharge condition, and

a controller system coupled to the electrical-energy generating mechanism and the electrical-energy storage device, the controller system being configured to selectively place the electrical-energy storage device in one of the charge condition and the discharge condition; and

coupling energy between the electrical-energy-generating mechanism and the electrical-energy storage device by the controller system to selectively place the electrical-energy storage device in one of the charge condition and the discharge condition upon detection of a substantial termination in a temperature transient of at least a first predetermined minimum magnitude over a first predetermined period of time,

wherein the electrical-energy storage device is charged at a first temperature and a first voltage by expansion of the hydrogen and discharged at a second temperature and a second voltage by compression of the hydrogen, the second voltage being different from the first voltage, a difference in energy produced during the expansion of the hydrogen at the first temperature and energy required for the compression of hydrogen at the second temperature being the generated electrical energy.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second temperatures are ambient temperatures.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature transient is naturally occurring in an ambient environment of the electrochemical conversion system.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrochemical conversion system further comprises a housing comprising a substantially thermally-conductive material defining the interior,

the electrical-energy-generating mechanism being ionically-conductive,

wherein when the electrical-energy storage device is charged, hydrogen molecules within the high-pressure chamber are converted to hydrogen ions and conducted through the substantially gas-impermeable, ionically-conductive electrical-energy-generating mechanism to the low-pressure chamber causing electrical energy to be generated to the electrical-energy storage device, and

wherein when the electrical-energy storage device is discharged, an electric current is passed through the substantially gas-impermeable, ionically-conductive electrical-energy-generating mechanism causing hydrogen in the low-pressure chamber to convert to hydrogen ions and conduct through the substantially gas-impermeable, ionically-conductive electrical-energy-generating mechanism to the high-pressure chamber.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the electrochemical conversion system further comprises a first hydrogen-storage medium disposed within the high-pressure chamber and a second hydrogen-storage medium disposed within the low-pressure chamber,

wherein at any given temperature the first hydrogen-storage medium stores hydrogen at a first average storage pressure that is higher than a second average storage pressure at which the second hydrogen-storage medium stores hydrogen.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising aggregating at least a first portion of the quantity of hydrogen in the high-pressure chamber in a pressurized condition at a higher pressure than a second portion of the quantity of hydrogen disposed in the low-pressure chamber.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of aggregating the hydrogen in the high-pressure chamber in a pressurized condition comprises aggregating the hydrogen in the high-pressure chamber manually.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of aggregating the hydrogen in the high-pressure chamber in a pressurized condition comprises applying a voltage potential across the ionically-conductive, electrical-energy-generating mechanism so as to cause hydrogen ions to migrate therethrough from the low-pressure chamber to the high-pressure chamber.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of terminating charging of the electrical-energy storage device when the electrical-energy storage device has been charged to predetermined electrical parameters including potential.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the electrical-energy storage device is discharged when a decrease in temperature of at least the first predetermined minimum magnitude has been detected.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of terminating discharging of the electrical-energy storage device when a predetermined amount of hydrogen has migrated from the low-pressure chamber to the high-pressure chamber.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of terminating discharging of the electrical-energy storage device when a predetermined hydrogen pressure has been detected in the high-pressure chamber.