Fuel cell-coupled heating and refrigeration system

Abstract

Disclosed are fuel cell coupled refrigeration systems and to the use of fuel cells to provide thermal energy to a refrigeration system. More particularly, a heat exchanger couples, directly or indirectly, to a fuel cell and a heat driven refrigeration system to transfer at least a portion of thermal energy generated by the fuel cell to the refrigeration system, thereby driving a refrigeration cycle of the refrigeration system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 492,318 filed on Jun. 1, 2011, entitled “Fuel Cell Coupled Refrigeration System for Power, Heating and Cooling Applications”, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present disclosure relates to the use of a fuel cell, and in particular a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, to power a heat driven refrigeration system for use in regulating the ambient temperature of an environment.BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE[0003]Heating and cooling systems of different types are commonly used to control ambient temperatures of internal spaces of buildings and vehicles and to cool refrigeration volumes such as transport trailers, refrigerators and freezers. Generally, heating and cooling systems consume electrical or mechanical energy to drive a heating and cooling cycle. Some systems, fo...

Images