Heat-Of-Reaction Chemical Heat Pumps--Possible Configurations

Abstract

Chemical heat pumps utilize working fluids which undergo reversible chemical changes. Mechanically driven reactive heat pump cycles or, alternatively, heat driven heat pumps in which either heat engine or heat pump working fluid is reactive, are considered. As such, chemical heat pumps can be classified by (a) drive (electric drive, waste heat drive, or prime energy drive), (b) operating mode (periodic or continuous), (c) type of coupling between the heat engine and heat pump, (d) thermodynamic cycle used in the heat engine and heat pump, and (e) phases of the working material. This matrix classification of chemical heat pumps illustrates that there are many possible chemical heat pumps, suggests new heat pump configurations which have not been previously considered, and reveals that systematic evaluation of these configurations is possible. Dimensions of the heat pump matrix are described, and heat pumps examples are discussed. Configurations selected for initial study in DOE's industrial heat pump program are highlighted.