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Entrochemical Systems
Research Mentor
An entrochemical system is a system comprising a subsystem in which a thermal gradient is spontaneously generated as a result of a difference in chemical potentials in different parts of the system. These systems were identified four years ago as part of a research training system at JRI. The systems will maintain the thermal gradient as long as there is thermal and particulate transfer between the two parts of the system.
JRI is investigating the use of entrochemical systems in the development of completely off-grid refrigeration. It has been suggested that such systems could one day provide all refrigeration requirements, and that each device would need only a small quantity of water (which could be ocean water) to function.
JRI is also investigating the use of entrochemical systems as desalination devices. Research published in 2011 indicates that the entrochemical process could be used to develop distillers that use the thermal gradient generated by the entrochemical process. Moreover, the recharge of such a system is enabled by evaporation of water from saline solutions - another spontaneous process. Such systems could provide water to people in communities where energy and clean water are in relatively short supply.
Research Papers
Conference Posters:
- S. Kazadi, Y. Hong, C. Chau, A. Javadi, J. Park, A. Chaudhary, A. Chaudhary, J. Liu, M. Kim, D. Kim, S. Kim, A. Bose. Desalination powered by entropy. Poster Presentation, Water Resource Research Center 2011 Conference, Yuma, Arizona, April 26-27, 2011.
(PDF)
Conference Papers:
- S. Kazadi, R. You, M. Kim, M. Kim, M. Kim. A passive regulated thermal gradient device and application to unpowered refrigeration and heating, Proceedings of the Renewable Energy Conference 2010, Yokohama, Japan, June 27-July 2, 2010.
(PDF)
Abstract
We describe a device which uses a thermodynamically favorable process
to generate a sustained temperature gradient in the absence of input
of any but ambient thermal energy. A particular constructed prototype
creates a temperature gradient of 2.5°C, and may be combined
to generate batteries of the device. One such two-unit battery generates
a 5.7°C temperature difference. The device may be "recharged"
using only ambient thermal energy and does not require fossil, electrical,
mechanical, or other generated power.
- S. Kazadi, Y. Hong, C. Chau, A. Chaudhary, A. Chaudhary, J. Park, J. Liu, M. Kim, D. Kim, S. Kim. Desalination powered by entropy. Proceedings of the Asian Conference on Sustainability, Energy, and the Environment 2011, Osaka, Japan, June 2-5, 2011.
(PDF)
Abstract
We describe in this paper a novel water distiller. The water distiller utilizes a thermal gradient device which spontaneously generates and maintains a thermal gradient through a process similar to osmosis. A theoretical derivation of the process which we call an entrochemical process is presented. The device utilizes the thermal gradient to induce a flow of energy through the system. This flow of energy is used to induce the distillation of water. The device may be recharged using a low-temperature evaporation process. We describe the design of the device, which has a distillation process that has an efficiency of 12.6 ± 2.6 % in utilizing the energy which moves through the system.
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