Absorption Refrigeration Machine

Abstract

An absorption refrigeration machine with a working medium, containing a nonvolatile sorption medium and a volatile refrigerant, and an absorber in which a vapor phase containing refrigerant and a liquid phase containing sorption medium are separated from one another by a semipermeable membrane which is permeable to the refrigerant and impermeable to the sorption medium.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An absorption refrigeration machine, comprising:
 a) a working medium containing a nonvolatile sorption medium and a volatile refrigerant; and   b) an absorber comprising a semipermeable membrane which is permeable to said refrigerant and impermeable to said sorption medium and which is capable of separating a vapor phase containing said refrigerant from a liquid phase containing said sorption medium.   
     
     
         14 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein said refrigerant is water. 
     
     
         15 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein said refrigerant is ammonia or carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         16 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein said sorption medium comprises one or more ionic liquids. 
     
     
         17 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 16 , wherein said ionic liquids consist of salts of organic cations with organic or inorganic anions. 
     
     
         18 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 17 , wherein that the ionic liquids comprise one or more 1,3-dialkylimidazolium salts. 
     
     
         19 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 16 , wherein the ionic liquids comprise one or more quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + A − , where
 R 1  is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms,   R 2  is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms,   R 3  is a (CH 2 CHRO) n —H radical where n is from 1 to 200 and R═H or CH 3 ,   R 4  is an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a (CH 2 CHRO) n —H radical where n is from 1 to 200 and R═H or CH 3  and   A −  is a monovalent anion.   
     
     
         20 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 19 , wherein said refrigerant is water. 
     
     
         21 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 19 , wherein said refrigerant is ammonia or carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         22 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein the semipermeable membrane is a solution diffusion membrane. 
     
     
         23 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein the semipermeable membrane is a microporous membrane which is not wetted by the working medium. 
     
     
         24 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 23 , wherein the refrigerant is water and the semipermeable membrane is a hydrophobic microporous membrane. 
     
     
         25 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 24 , wherein said sorption medium comprises one or more ionic liquids. 
     
     
         26 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 25 , wherein the ionic liquids consist of salts of organic cations with organic or inorganic anions. 
     
     
         27 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein the semipermeable membrane is arranged on a porous support layer. 
     
     
         28 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 27 , wherein the support layer is arranged on the side of the semipermeable membrane which is in contact with the vapor phase. 
     
     
         29 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 13 , wherein the semipermeable membrane is arranged in the absorber in the form of hollow fibers. 
     
     
         30 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 29 , wherein said sorption medium comprises one or more ionic liquids. 
     
     
         31 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 30 , wherein the ionic liquids consist of salts of organic cations with organic or inorganic anions. 
     
     
         32 . The absorption refrigeration machine of  claim 30 , wherein the refrigerant is water.