Absorption cycle utilizing ionic liquids and water as working fluids

Abstract

This invention relates to a composition comprising water and at least one ionic liquid, and also to devices capable of executing an absorption cycle using such compositions as a refrigerant pair. This invention also provides a method of cooling using an absorption cycle comprising water as the refrigerant and at least one ionic liquid as the absorbent. The present invention also provides a method of heating using an absorption cycle comprising water as the refrigerant and at least one ionic liquid.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for temperature adjustment comprising (a) an absorber that forms a mixture of a refrigerant and an absorbent; (b) a generator that receives the mixture from the absorber and heats the mixture to separate refrigerant, in vapor form, from the absorbent, and increases the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; (c) a condenser that receives the vapor from the generator and condenses the vapor under pressure to a liquid; (d) a pressure reduction device through which the liquid refrigerant leaving the condenser passes to reduce the pressure of the liquid to form a mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant; (e) an evaporator that receives the mixture of liquid and vapor refrigerant that passes through the pressure reduction device to evaporate the remaining liquid to form refrigerant vapor; and (f) a conduit that passes the refrigerant vapor leaving the evaporator back to the absorber; wherein the absorbent comprises an ionic liquid, and the refrigerant comprises water. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the condenser is located in proximity to an object, medium or space to be heated. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the evaporator is located in proximity to an object, medium or space to be cooled. 
     
     
         16 . A process for adjusting the temperature of an object, medium or a space comprising (a) absorbing refrigerant vapor with an absorbent to form a mixture; (b) heating the mixture to separate refrigerant, in vapor form, from the absorbent and increase the pressure of the refrigerant vapor; (c) condensing the refrigerant vapor under pressure to a liquid; (d) reducing the pressure of the liquid refrigerant, and evaporating the refrigerant to form refrigerant vapor; and (e) repeating step (a) to re-absorb, with the absorbent, the refrigerant vapor; wherein the absorbent comprises an ionic liquid, and the refrigerant comprises water. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16  wherein refrigerant vapor is condensed to a liquid in proximity to an object, medium or space to be heated. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16  wherein liquid refrigerant is evaporated to form refrigerant vapor in proximity to an object, medium or space to be cooled.