Refrigeration system using thermally responsive liquids

Abstract

Systems and methods for cooling air with an air conditioning. The system comprises a first thermally responsive liquid having a first lower critical solution temperature (LCST) configured to be separated into a first water-scarce phase liquid and a first water-rich phase upon liquid heating. The system further comprises a first heater configured to heat the first thermally responsive liquid to a temperature that is at least the first LCST to separate the first thermally responsive liquid into the first water-scarce phase liquid and the first water-rich phase liquid. The system may also comprise a closed loop air system configured to circulate air. The first water-scarce phase liquid may be configured to absorb moisture from the air and the first water-rich phase liquid may be configured to desorb water into the air to cause cooling through evaporative cooling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising:
 a first thermally responsive liquid having a first lower critical solution temperature (LCST), wherein the first thermally responsive liquid is configured to be separated into a first water-scarce phase liquid and a first water-rich phase upon liquid heating;   a first heater configured to heat the first thermally responsive liquid to a temperature that is at least the first LCST to separate the first thermally responsive liquid into the first water-scarce phase liquid and the first water-rich phase liquid; and   a closed loop air system configured to circulate air, wherein the first water-scarce phase liquid is configured to absorb moisture from the air and the first water-rich phase liquid is configured to desorb water into the air to cause cooling through evaporative cooling.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 a first separator configured to separate the first thermally responsive liquid into the first water-scarce phase liquid and first water-rich phase liquid.   
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning system of  claim 2 , the system further comprising:
 a first absorber configured to receive the first water-scarce phase liquid of the first thermally responsive liquid from the separator, wherein the first absorber is configured to cause heat transfer; and   a first desorber configured to receive the first water-rich phase liquid of the first thermally responsive liquid from the separator, wherein the first desorber is configured to desorb moisture to the air.   
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first absorber comprises:
 a plurality of channels with downward flowing first water-scarce phase liquid and upward flowing air; 
 a plurality of heat exchanger fins extending from an exterior of at least one absorber channel, and 
   the first desorber comprises:
 a plurality of channels with downward flowing first water-rich phase liquid and upward flowing air; and 
 a plurality of heat exchanger fins extending from an exterior of at least one desorber channel. 
   
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising:
 at least one recuperator configured to transfer heat to the first thermally responsive liquid from the first water-scarce phase liquid and/or the first water-rich phase liquid.   
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the first heater comprises one or more of solar heat, waste heat, gas heat, electric heat, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermally responsive liquid comprises a first predetermined concentration of a salt, wherein the first predetermined concentration of the salt is configured to assist with absorbing moisture. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , the system further comprising:
 at least one additional thermally responsive liquid having at least one additional lower critical solution temperature (LCST), wherein the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid is configured to be separated into at least one additional water-scarce phase liquid and at least one additional water-rich phase liquid;   at least one additional heater configured to transfer heat to the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid to separate the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid into at least one additional water-scarce phase liquid and at least one additional water-rich phase liquid;   at least one additional separator configured to separate the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid into the at least one additional water-scarce phase liquid and at least one additional water-rich phase liquid;   at least one additional absorber configured to receive the at least one additional water-scarce phase liquid of the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid from the separator; and   at least one additional desorber configured to receive the at least one additional water-rich phase liquid of the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid from the separator.   
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid comprises at least one additional predetermined concentration of a salt, wherein the at least one additional predetermined concentration of the salt is configured to assist with absorbing moisture, wherein the at least one additional predetermined concentration of the salt of at least one additional thermally responsive liquid is configured to be different than a first predetermined concentration of the first thermally responsive liquid. 
     
     
         10 . An air conditioning system, the air conditioning system comprising:
 a first thermally responsive liquid having a first lower critical solution temperature (LCST), wherein the first thermally responsive liquid is configured to be separated into a first water-scarce phase liquid and a first water-rich phase upon liquid heating;   a second thermally responsive liquid having a second LCST, wherein the second thermally responsive liquid is configured to be separated into a second water-scarce phase liquid and second water-rich phase liquid;   a first heater configured to heat the first thermally responsive liquid to a temperature that is at least the first LCST to separate the first thermally responsive liquid into the first water-scarce phase liquid and the first water-rich phase liquid;   a second heater configured to heat the second thermally responsive liquid to a temperature that is at least the second LCST to separate the second thermally responsive liquid into the second water-scarce phase liquid and the second water-rich phase liquid;   a first separator configured to separate the first thermally responsive liquid into the first water-scarce phase liquid and first water-rich phase liquid;   a second separator configured to separate the second thermally responsive liquid into the second water-scarce phase liquid and the second water-rich phase liquid;   a first absorber configured to receive the first water-scarce phase liquid of the first thermally responsive liquid from the separator, wherein the first absorber is configured to cause heat transfer;   a second absorber configured to receive the second water-scarce phase liquid of the second thermally responsive liquid from the separator, wherein the second absorber is configured to cause heat transfer;   a first desorber configured to receive the first water-rich phase liquid of the first thermally responsive liquid from the separator, wherein the first desorber is configured to desorb moisture to the air; and   a second desorber configured to receive the second water-rich phase liquid of the second thermally responsive liquid from the separator, wherein the first desorber is configured to desorb moisture to the air,   wherein the first water-scarce phase liquid and second water-scarce phase liquid are configured to absorb moisture.   
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning system of  claim 10 , wherein the first thermally responsive liquid comprises a first predetermined concentration of a salt and the second thermally responsive liquid comprises a second predetermined concentration of a salt, wherein the first predetermined concentration of the salt and the second predetermined concentration of the salt are configured to assist with absorbing moisture. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning system of  claim 11 , wherein the first predetermined concentration of the salt is configured to be different than the second predetermined concentration of salt. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioning system of  claim 12 , the system further comprising:
 an open loop air system, wherein the first water-rich phase liquid and the second water-rich phase liquid are configured for evaporative cooling, wherein the first water-scarce phase liquid and second water-scarce phase liquid is configured to absorb moisture from at least one of: the first water-rich phase liquid, second water-rich phase liquid, or the air.   
     
     
         14 . The air conditioning system of  claim 13 , the system further comprising:
 at least one additional recuperator configured to transfer heat to the at least one additional thermally responsive liquid from the at least one additional water-scarce phase liquid and/or at least one additional water-rich phase liquid.   
     
     
         15 . The air conditioning system of  claim 13 , the system further comprising:
 at least one air-to-air heat exchanger, wherein the air-to-air heat exchanger is configured to receive dehumidified air from the first absorber and second absorber and humidified air from the first desorber and second desorber and transfer heat from the dehumidified air to the humidified air.   
     
     
         16 . The air conditioning system of  claim 13 , the system further comprising:
 at least one liquid-to-air heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the first water-scarce phase liquid, second water-scarce phase liquid, first water-rich phase liquid, and/or second water-rich phase liquid to ambient temperature.   
     
     
         17 . The air conditioning system of  claim 10 , the system further comprising:
 a closed loop air system, wherein the first water-scarce phase liquid and second water-scarce phase liquid are configured to absorb moisture from the air in the closed loop air system in the first absorber and in the second absorber, wherein the first water-rich phase liquid and second water-rich phase liquid are configured for evaporative cooling.   
     
     
         18 . The air conditioning system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first absorber and/or second absorber comprises:
 a plurality of channels with downward flowing first water-scarce phase liquid and upward flowing air; 
 a plurality of heat exchanger fins extending from an exterior of at least one absorber channel, and 
   the first desorber and/or second desorber comprises:
 a plurality of channels with downward flowing first water-rich phase liquid and upward flowing air; and 
 a plurality of heat exchanger fins extending from an exterior of at least one desorber channel. 
   
     
     
         19 . A method of cooling air with the air conditioning system of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 heating the first thermally responsive liquid comprising the first lower critical solution temperature (LCST) with the first heater to a temperature so that the first thermally responsive liquid separates into a water-scarce phase liquid and a water-rich phase upon liquid heating;   separating the first thermally responsive liquid into the water-scarce phase liquid and water-rich phase liquid;   cooling the water-scarce phase liquid and the water-rich phase liquid;   absorbing moisture with the water-scarce phase liquid; and   desorbing moisture with the water-rich phase liquid,   wherein the first thermally responsive liquid comprises a first predetermined concentration of a salt that assists with absorbing moisture.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , the method further comprising:
 adjusting the first predetermined concentration of the salt so that the first thermally responsive liquid absorbs a greater percentage of moisture thereby improving the efficiency of the air conditioning system.