Electrochemical compressor refrigeration appartus with integral leak detection system
View Patent ↗An electrochemical compressor system, such as an electrochemical refrigeration system includes a sealed vessel that reduces leak issues related to the electrochemical cell. The sealed vessel may be molded or formed from a polymer or a composite polymer having reinforcing materials, such as fibers therein. The sealed vessel may be plated with metal to reduce gas permeation through the wall of the vessel and to accommodate and improve the attachment of conduits, including metal conduits thereto. A metal conduit may be brazed onto a vessel and the brazing material may be selected for polymer to metal joining and for reduced contamination potential of the system. The electrochemical compressor system incorporates a leak sensor configured at least partially within the sealed rigid vessel that measures the pressure within the vessel.
1. An electrochemical system comprising:
an electrochemical compressor connected to an electrical power supply at a potential and through which a working fluid that includes a component that primarily acts as an electrochemically-active component flows, and comprising:
an inlet;
an outlet;
one or more electrochemical cells, each electrochemical cell comprising:
an anode connected to the electrical power supply,
a cathode connected to the electrical power supply, and
an electrolyte disposed between and in intimate electrical contact with the cathode and the anode to pass at least a portion of the working fluid between the anode to the cathode;
wherein the working fluid at a first pressure is pumped through the electrolyte by an electrical potential across the anode and cathode to produce a working fluid at a second pressure that is at a higher pressure than said first pressure;
a sealed rigid vessel having an interior volume in which the electrochemical compressor is housed, and comprising:
a vessel wall;
an input opening in said vessel wall;
wherein an inlet conduit extends through the inlet opening and an inlet flow of working fluid flow therethrough to the electrochemical compressor;
an output opening in said vessel wall;
wherein an outlet conduit extends through the outlet opening and an outlet flow of working fluid flow therethrough to the electrochemical compressor;
wherein the inlet flow of working fluid is at a first pressure and wherein the outlet flow of working fluid is at a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure.
2. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the vessel wall is a polymeric wall, wherein a wall thickness is at least 90% polymer.
3. The electrochemical system of claim 2 , wherein the polymer of the polymer wall is a fluoropolymer.
4. The electrochemical system of claim 2 , wherein the polymer of the polymer wall is a thermoset polymer.
5. The electrochemical system of claim 2 , wherein a surface of the polymer wall is metallized.
6. The electrochemical system of claim 2 , wherein an interior surface of the polymer wall is metallized.
7. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the vessel wall is a composite polymeric wall having reinforcing material configured at least partially within the wall.
8. The electrochemical system of claim 7 , wherein the reinforcing material comprises fibers.
9. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the outlet conduit is a metal conduit that is brazed with a brazing material to the sealed rigid vessel.
10. The electrochemical system of claim 9 , wherein metal conduit is brazed with a brazing material to the sealed rigid vessel to create a sealed surface between the metal conduit and the sealed rigid vessel, and wherein the sealed surfaces comprise chromium.
11. The electrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein the chromium is plated onto the sealed rigid vessel prior to the metal conduit being brazed thereto.
12. The electrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein the brazing material comprises an aluminum alloy.
13. The electrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein the brazing material comprises an aluminum alloy comprising aluminum and silicon.
14. The electrochemical system of claim 10 , wherein the sealed surface contains no zinc.
15. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , further comprising a leak sensor at least partially configured within the interior of the sealed rigid vessel to detect a concentration of the working fluid within the interior volume of the sealed rigid vessel; and
further comprising an alarm and wherein the leak sensor is coupled with a control system that activates said alarm when the concentration of the working fluid is above an upper threshold value.
16. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , further comprising a leak sensor at least partially configured within the interior of the sealed rigid vessel to detect a concentration of the working fluid within the interior volume of the sealed rigid vessel; wherein the leak sensor is coupled with a control system and wherein the control system changes the potential across the anode and cathode when the leak sensor detects a working fluid concentration that is above an upper threshold level.
17. The electrochemical system of claim 16 , wherein the control system shuts down the electrochemical compressor when after a delay time and the concentration of the working fluid is still above an upper threshold value.
18. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , wherein sealed rigid vessel comprises an outer vessel wall and an inner vessel wall and a void space between the first and second walls.
19. The electrochemical system of claim 18 , further comprising a leak sensor at least partially configured within the void space to detect a concentration of the working fluid within the void space; and further comprising an alarm and wherein the leak sensor is coupled with a control system that activates said alarm when the concentration of the working fluid is above an upper threshold value.
20. The electrochemical system of claim 1 , further comprising a leak sensor at least partially configured within the interior of the sealed rigid vessel to detect a concentration of the working fluid within the interior volume of the sealed rigid vessel;
wherein the leak sensor is coupled with a control system and wherein the control system changes the potential across the anode and cathode when the leak sensor detects a working fluid concentration that is above an upper threshold level; and
wherein the control system shuts down the electrochemical compressor after a delay time and the concentration of the working fluid is still above an upper threshold value.