Abstract:
A reciprocal design for an electrochemical heat exchanger comprised of a gas-based driving system, a liquid-based cooling system, and a non-permeable flexible diaphragm to physically separate the contents of the driving system from the contents of the cooling system while maintaining a pressure based communication between the contents of the two systems. The gas-based driving system utilizes a hydrogen electrochemical pump to induce circulation of a liquid coolant through the cooling system. Said liquid coolant exchanges heat with the object to be cooled and transfers heat out of the heat exchange system by way of matched banks of radiator tubes.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of the earlier filing date of provisional application No. 60/142,667 filed on Jul. 6, 1999. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to a heat exchange system, more particularly to a radiator design in a heat exchange system which utilizes a reciprocating electrochemical hydrogen pump, and even more particularly to a radiator design in a heat exchange system which utilizes a reciprocating electrochemical hydrogen pump and a liquid cooling agent that is mechanically isolated from the reciprocating electromechanical hydrogen pump.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Many devices must be cooled as they operate. Generally speaking, this cooling is effectuated by transferring heat from the device to be cooled, through a cooling agent of some sort, and finally to a thermally conductive heat sink. There are many different solutions for using heat sinks for the cooling of electronic devices and other parts. The heat exchange system must be designed to take advantage of the unique characteristics of the chosen cooling agent.  
           [0004]    Electronic components are used in a countless array of devices to facilitate the faster processing of information. Although small in size, these devices and, more specifically, the integrated circuit chips that make up these devices, emit a tremendous amount of heat that is potentially detrimental to the chips themselves, the surrounding devices, and even the users of these electronic or other devices.  
           [0005]    In a simple air cooled heat exchange system, the heat from the object to be cooled is transferred to the air by way of the surface area of a radiator. Radiators with different surfaces, sizes, and shapes of fins are selected depending on the amount of heat to be removed from the object to be cooled, the rate and direction of the air flow surrounding the radiator fins, and the temperature tolerance of the cooling device.  
           [0006]    Likewise, the cooling of electronic and other devices utilizing a vapor compression refrigeration cycle is known in the art. Vapor compression cooling uses the thermodynamic principles associated with phase transfer, specifically the latent heat of vaporization and the entropy of evaporation of a working fluid. Compression of a vaporous working fluid can occur through mechanical, electrochemical, or other means. Mechanical compression requires a relatively large, heavy, mechanical compressor having a great number of parts which are often bulky and susceptible to wear. Because of these undesirable effects of using a mechanical compressor, electromechanical compressors have been proposed to drive Joule-Thomson refrigeration cycles. (See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,534 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.) This type of compressor is preferred over a mechanical or other compressor because an electrochemical compressor contains no moving parts, is vibration free, and has the potential for long life and reliability.  
           [0007]    When a liquid is used as the cooling agent in the heat exchange system, the approach employs a hollow-finned radiator containing a cooling liquid under forced convection. The liquid has a thermal conductivity coefficient which is 200-300 times greater than the thermal conductivity coefficient of a gas, and therefore the liquid coolant radiator system has significant advantages compared with using gas as the heat carrier.  
           [0008]    Although thermodynamically efficient, the major problem with using a liquid cooling agent is that the liquid must be circulated through the heat exchange system to ensure that heat is properly transferred from the object to be cooled to the heat sink. Conventionally, an electrical pump is used to push the liquid through the heat exchange system. However, such an electric pump is noisy in operation and cannot operate for an extended period of time without maintenance.  
           [0009]    As a solution, the use of an electrochemical pump to carry a heat transfer coolant in a heat exchange system was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,064 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,906 which are both owned by Applicant and are both incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. These patents describe an electrochemical pump that is based on an electrochemical cell.  
           [0010]    The simplest electrochemical cell consists of at least two electrodes and one or more electrolytes. The electrode at which an electron producing oxidation reaction occurs is the anode. The electrode at which an electron consuming reduction reaction occurs is called the cathode. The direction of the electron flow in the external circuit is always from anode to cathode. In order to drive the electrolysis reaction, it is necessary to apply electric power to the cell electrodes. The electrodes are connected through the electrical leads to an external source of electric power with the polarity being selected to induce the electrolyte anion flow to the anode and the cation flow to the cathode.  
           [0011]    Generally speaking, the anode and cathode are made of a substrate material, such as titanium, graphite, or the like, coated with a catalyst such as lead dioxide or other known materials. The selection of a substrate and catalyst is determined by the particular electrode reactions which are to be optimized in a given situation. As a rule, a cathode and an anode produce different products. Classically, these products are hydrogen and oxygen.  
           [0012]    Generally, the electrolyte is a liquid which is conductive of ions. The most common applications are fuel cells. In fuel cells, proton exchange membranes are used as electrolytic and catalyst support for providing a reaction of hydrogen oxidation on the one side of the membrane and oxygen reduction reaction on the other side of the membrane. This type of electrochemical cell often produces wasteful water or gas which must then be carried away from the cell&#39;s electrodes.  
           [0013]    This hydrogen circulating through the heat transfer system from one electrode to the other can be used as the cooling agent in the system. As the gaseous hydrogen travels from one electrode to the other, it comes into thermal contact with the object to be cooled. The hydrogen gas cooling agent can come into direct contact with the object to be cooled or, more likely, the cooling agent will come into direct contact with a member that is in thermal contact with the object to be cooled. Heat will be transferred by this contact from the object to be cooled to the hydrogen gas. As the gas circulates, the gas will then come into contact with a heat sink or other heat well where heat will be transferred from the gaseous hydrogen to the heat sink, restoring the hydrogen&#39;s original thermal properties. At the end of the circulation cycle, the hydrogen gas is used up in the oxidation reaction at the anode.  
           [0014]    Hydrogen as discussed herein is very useful as a cooling agent. Hydrogen has a thermoconductivity value seventeen times that of air. However, hydrogen does have some limitations when compared to liquid cooling agents. For example, hydrogen has a low magnitude of specific capacity which may make hydrogen less appealing for larger volume applications. For larger volume applications, the system will be more efficient if the hydrogen is used as a pump for a liquid cooling agent.  
           [0015]    Because of the small magnitude of specific thermal capacity of the hydrogen gas, a liquid cooling agent is often used in combination with the hydrogen pump. As such, the liquid cooling agent is inserted into the tube connecting the two electrodes in the electrochemical pump to each other. As the hydrogen circulates through the pump from cathode to anode, the gas pushes the liquid cooling agent through the tube also. In this system, it is the liquid cooling agent, not the hydrogen gas, that performs the heat transfer utilizing the benefits of greater thermal mass explained above.  
           [0016]    The major problem with using the hydrogen and liquid cooling agent combination is that only the hydrogen is used up in the oxidation reaction at the anode. Hence, the hydrogen can keep circulating throughout the system, but the liquid cooling agent cannot do so. Hence, the hydrogen gas will compress the liquid cooling agent towards the anode end of the system as much as possible, but the system&#39;s heat exchange properties are quite limited at that point in time. Hence, the electrochemical pump needs to be able to reverse itself so that the compressed liquid cooling agent at the former anode will flow back past the object to be cooled and into the gas space around the former cathode. Hence, to be effective, a heat exchange system utilizing a liquid cooling agent must be reciprocal—i.e.: it must be cyclic.  
           [0017]    A solution to this problem was proposed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/353,458 which is owned by the Applicant and is incorporated herein by reference. This application proposes an electrochemical pump that utilizes matching symmetrical hydrogen electrodes and a proton exchange membrane to produce an electrochemical pump utilizing a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. Such a cell&#39;s electrochemical reaction can be reversed by reversing the polarity of the power source connected to the electrodes of the cell. The pump can produce hydrogen gas at either electrode, and if the reaction is cyclically reversed, the production of hydrogen gas, and hence, the flow of the liquid coolant through the system, can be cycled.  
           [0018]    To effectuate such a cyclic heat exchange system, the power supply can be a reversepolarity power supply capable of switching the direction of current applied to the electrodes which reverses the chemical reactions that take place at the electrodes. The poles of the power supply should be designed to be switched if a voltage difference across the hydrogen electrodes is within the range of about 100 mV to 600 mV for single cell. When liquid is used as a heat carrier, the polarity should be switched so that each of the electrodes alternatively produce and consume gas. The power supply may be a battery or a rectifier circuit or any other electric source capable of delivering direct current.  
           [0019]    Such a reciprocal electrochemical pump has many advantages over a standard electric or other pump. The electrochemical pump has no moving parts and hence is almost completely noiseless. The electrochemical pump is very efficient in that it takes a small amount of power from the electric source to remove a substantial amount of heat from the object to be cooled. And finally, the electrochemical pump can be made that is very small in size and has little mass.  
           [0020]    Electrochemical-based cooling systems do have drawbacks over air-cooled and other heat transfer systems. As explained above, an electrochemical pump must be used in a process in order to be utilized in a cooling system. The pump produces fluid motion by generating gas at one electrode. However, this gas only pushes the cooling liquid in one direction. Hence, after the cooling liquid is pushed in one direction, the electrochemical pump&#39;s underlying reaction must be reversed so that gas can be produced at the opposite electrode thereby pushing the cooling liquid in the opposite direction. Such a system can be quite complicated in practice.  
           [0021]    A second disadvantage of using an electrochemical pump as part of a heat exchange system is that water must be used as the cooling liquid. Vapor of the liquid used as the heat carrier penetrates in the pump area, condenses there, and adversely affects pump operation. To limit this effect, distilled water is used because the small amount of impurities limits the harmful effect on the electrodes. However, even if distilled water is used as the heat carrier, the condensation of the water vapor in the pump area creates a flooding problem for the electrode stack. Once flooding begins, it slows down hydrogen diffusion to the electrode which causes a decreased amount of hydrogen production. Such decreased amount of hydrogen production causes a decreased flow rate for the heat carrier water, which in turn causes a lower rate of heat transfer from the object to be cooled to the heat sinks. This makes the heat transfer system more efficient and decreases the object&#39;s temperature.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0022]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a radiator design in an electrochemical heat exchanger which contains a gas-based pumping or driving system which is capable of forcing movement of a liquid-based cooling system by way of a flexible diaphragm located integrally between the two systems. Preferably the gas-based pumping system is comprised of a hydrogen electrochemical pump which is capable of producing hydrogen gas at one electrode and consuming hydrogen gas at the other electrode thereby creating a pressure differential between the two electrodes. Preferably, the liquid-based cooling system is comprised of first and second liquid spaces which are mechanically coupled to first and second banks of radiator tubes or fins respectively to transfer heat from an object to be cooled, through the liquid cooling agent, and out of the heat exchange system by way of the radiator fins or tubes.  
           [0023]    Preferably, the two flexible diaphragms which are located between the gas pump system and the liquid cooling system mechanically isolate the contents of the two systems while keeping the contents of the two systems in pressure contact with each other. Pressure contact is intended to mean that a pressure on one side of the diaphragm from the contents of one of the systems will result in a deforming of the diaphragm and a resultant increase in pressure and decrease in volume on the contents of the other system at the other side of the diaphragm.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]    The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 is a graphical representation of the interconnection between the parts of the radiator of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of one preferred embodiment of the radiator of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the liquid cooling system of the present invention showing a preferred orientation of the first and second radiator tube banks. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]    The principles and workings of a radiator design utilizing an electrochemical heat exchange system can be better understood with reference to the drawing and the accompanying detailed description which describes possible embodiments of the radiator design according to the present invention.  
         [0029]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pumping or driving system is comprised of a hydrogen electrochemical pump and first and second gas spaces. As explained above, when electric power is supplied to the electrodes of the electrochemical pump, hydrogen gas is produced at one electrode (cathode) in a reduction reaction and hydrogen gas is consumed at the other electrode (anode) in an oxidation reaction. The hydrogen gas produced at the cathode is collected in a first gas space. One wall of the first gas space is comprised of a flexible diaphragm. Preferably the diaphragm does not allow the hydrogen gas to pass through the diaphragm. Hence, as gas is forced into the gas space from the hydrogen pump, pressure will build up in the gas space, and specifically, pressure from the hydrogen gas will push on the flexible diaphragm. As this pressure increases, the diaphragm will flex away from or become convex with respect to the first gas space.  
         [0030]    Likewise in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second gas space and a second flexible diaphragm exist. The anode of the pump is contained within the second gas space. One wall of the second gas space is comprised of a second flexible diaphragm which also does not allow hydrogen gas to pass through it. As explained above, when electric power is applied to the anode of the hydrogen pump, an oxidation reaction occurs that consumes hydrogen. Preferably, as the hydrogen pump runs and more hydrogen gas is consumed at the anode, the pressure in the second gas space decreases. As the pressure in the second gas space decreases, the pressure on the second flexible diaphragm likewise decreases. When the hydrogen pressure gets too low, the flexible diaphragm will flex towards or become concave with respect to the second gas space. This completes one half of the hydrogen pump cycle.  
         [0031]    Once, the centers of the flexible diaphragms reach maximum displacement, the polarity of the power supply for the hydrogen pump will reverse itself. As described above, this reversal of polarity will reverse the reactions that take place at the hydrogen pump electrodes. Hence, the electrode at the first gas space will now consume hydrogen in an oxidation reaction and the electrode at the second gas space will produce hydrogen in a reduction reaction. In general, the former cathode has become the new anode and the former anode has become the new cathode.  
         [0032]    Because of the oxidation reaction now taking place at the first electrode, the hydrogen gas in the first gas space will be consumed at the first electrode. Hence, the pressure in the first gas space due to the hydrogen gas will decrease, and the pressure on the wall of the first flexible diaphragm will decrease also. As the pressure decreases, the flexible diaphragm that was previously bent convex with respect to the first gas space will return to a neutral position with no center displacement at all. As even more hydrogen is consumed at the first electrode, the pressure on the wall of the first flexible diaphragm will decrease further and the center of the flexible diaphragm will flex towards or become concave with respect to the first gas chamber.  
         [0033]    Preferably, the reversal of the polarity of the power supply to the hydrogen electrochemical pump will cause a reduction reaction to take place at the second electrode of the pump. As such reduction reaction occurs, hydrogen gas is produced at the second electrode and this hydrogen gas fills the second gas space. As more hydrogen gas is produced, the pressure in the second gas space increase slightly and stays almost constant because of moving liquid on the opposite side of the diaphragm. The substantially free moving liquid eliminates resistance for pushing the diaphragm from the gas side. As the pressure in the second gas space increases, the pressure on the wall of the second flexible diaphragm likewise increases. With increased pressure, the second flexible diaphragm that was previously displaced concave with respect to the first gas space will return to a neutral position with no center displacement. As the pressure of the hydrogen gas in the second gas space increases still, the pressure on the wall of the second flexible diaphragm likewise increases and the flexible diaphragm will flex away from or concave to the second gas space. This completes one full cycle of the hydrogen pump.  
         [0034]    Once the center of the flexible diaphragms reach maximum displacement, the voltage across hydrogen pump increases which serves as a signal for switching the polarity of the power source. Once again, the first electrode will become the cathode and produce hydrogen in a reduction reaction. Once again, the second electrode will become the anode and consume hydrogen in an oxidation reaction. The power supply polarity can continually be reversed to manipulate the flexible diaphragms in a cyclic manner.  
         [0035]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is also a liquid-based cooling system. Preferably, the movement of the cooling agent in the cooling system is manipulated by the gas driving system but the cooling agent is physically prevented from coming into contact with the hydrogen gas contained within the driving system.  
         [0036]    Specifically, the preferred embodiment of the cooling system of the present invention is comprised of a first liquid space. One wall of the first liquid space is comprised of the first flexible diaphragm. The first flexible diaphragm does not allow the liquid cooling agent to pass through to the first gas chamber. As such, the first flexible diaphragm prevents the liquid cooling agent in the first liquid space from coming into physical contact with the hydrogen gas in the first gas space.  
         [0037]    Preferably, another wall of the first liquid space contains an opening through which the liquid cooling agent can flow into the first bank of radiator tubes. The radiator tubes present a surface area that allows the heat from the liquid cooling agent to be dispersed through the surface of the radiator tubes and out away from the heat exchange system.  
         [0038]    As discussed above, the pumping action of the gas-based drive system causes the center of the first flexible diaphragm to displace away from the first gas chamber. Likewise, this same displacement causes the center of the first flexible diaphragm to flex into or bend concave with respect to the first liquid space. The concave bending of the flexible diaphragm causes the volume of the first liquid space to decrease. As the volume of the first liquid space decreases, the liquid cooling agent inside the first liquid space is forced out of the first liquid space and into the first bank of radiator tubes.  
         [0039]    Preferably, the opposite end of the first bank of radiator tubes opens into a heat exchange chamber. This heat exchange chamber is where the heat from the object to be cooled is transferred to the cooling agent inside the cooling system of the present heat exchange system. The object to be cooled can be directly contacted by the liquid cooling agent so that by well-known laws of thermodynamics, heat from the object to be cooled will pass to the liquid cooling agent and thereby lower the temperature of the object to be cooled. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention the liquid cooling agent will come into physical and thermal contact with a member that is in physical and thermal contact with the object to be cooled. Hence, the liquid cooling agent and the object to be cooled will be in thermal contact with each other, although the liquid cooling agent and the object to be cooled are not in direct physical contact with each other. In either case, heat from the object to be cooled will be transferred to the cooling agent thereby lowering the temperature of the object to be cooled and raising the temperature of the liquid cooling agent.  
         [0040]    The opposite end of the heat exchange chamber is connected to a second bank of radiator tubes or fins. As in the first bank of radiator tubes, the second bank of radiator tubes provides a surface area for heat that has been absorbed by the cooling liquid to be transferred to the radiator tubes and out of the heat exchange system. The second bank of radiator tubes must allow the cooling liquid to flow through, but the size, shape, surface area, and position can be designed to provide the appropriate amount of heat removal by means that are well known in the art.  
         [0041]    Preferably, at the opposite end of the second bank of radiator tubes there is a second liquid space. Similar to the first liquid space, one wall of the second liquid space is comprised of the second flexible diaphragm. As the liquid cooling agent is forced through the second bank of radiator tubes, the heat absorbed in the heat exchange chamber by the liquid cooling agent from the object to be cooled is transferred out of the heat exchange system by way of the second bank of radiator tubes or fins. After passing through the second bank of radiator tubes or fins, the liquid cooling agent is collected in the second liquid space. As described above, the center of the second flexible diaphragm has been bent towards or displaced concave with respect to the inside of the second gas space. This same deflection causes the center of the second flexible diaphragm to be bent away from or displaced convex to the inside of the second liquid space. Because of the bending of the second flexible diaphragm, the volume of the second liquid space is increased and the liquid cooling agent from the second bank of radiators has a place to collect.  
         [0042]    As discussed above, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, once the first and second flexible diaphragms reach maximum displacement, the polarity of the power supply to the hydrogen electrochemical pump is reversed and the chemical reactions taking place at the hydrogen pump electrodes likewise reverse. The reversal in polarity is provided by the IC signal which manages the power supply. IC receives the indication for polarity reverse because of rise voltage when diaphragm reaches maximum displacement. The eventual result of this power supply reversal is that the first and second flexible diaphragms will displace in the opposite direction as they displaced when the electrochemical pump was in the first half of its cycle. This diaphragm reversal will reverse the flow of the liquid cooling agent through the heat exchange system.  
         [0043]    Preferably, as the second flexible diaphragm bends convex to or away from the second gas space, this same movement causes the second flexible diaphragm to displace concave or towards the second liquid space. As such, the volume of the second liquid space decreases and the pressure from the second flexible diaphragm on the liquid cooling agent present in the second liquid space increases. Because of said decrease in volume and increase in pressure, the liquid cooling agent that is present in the second liquid space will be forced out of the second liquid cooling space and into the second bank of radiator tubes. The liquid cooling agent will pass the second bank of radiator tubes and enter the heat exchange chamber.  
         [0044]    Once inside the heat exchange chamber, the liquid cooling agent will once again come into thermal contact with the object to be cooled. Heat from the object to be cooled will transfer as per well known thermodynamic laws to the liquid cooling agent in the heat exchange chamber. As such, the temperature of the object to be cooled will decrease and the temperature of the liquid cooling agent will increase.  
         [0045]    The increased temperature liquid cooling agent will next flow into the first bank of radiator tubes. As in the first half cycle of the present embodiment of the present invention, heat absorbed in the heat exchange chamber from the object to be cooled by the liquid cooling agent will be transferred through the surface of the radiator tubes and eventually out of the heat exchange system. The temperature of the liquid cooling agent will decrease as heat is transferred away from the liquid cooling agent, and the liquid cooling agent will continue to flow into the first liquid space.  
         [0046]    The expression, which translate hear removal rate (W) as current function of current across pump is:  
           W= ½ IN ( Th−Tc )  
         [0047]    Here: I is current across pump, N is number of series connected electrochemical cells, Th−Tc is temperature difference hot and cool water flows.  
         [0048]    As discussed above, in the second half cycle of the present embodiment of the present invention, the first flexible diaphragm has been displaced concave to or bent toward the first gas space. This same movement results in the first flexible diaphragm displacing away from or bending convex to the first liquid space. This bending of the first flexible diaphragm causes the volume of the first liquid space to increase and gives the flowing liquid cooling agent an area to flow into.  
         [0049]    Preferably, when the center of the first and second flexible diaphragm reach maximum displacement, the polarity of the power supply of the hydrogen pump will reverse and the chemical reactions at the electrodes of the hydrogen pump will likewise reverse. This completes one cycle of the hydrogen pump and one cycle of the flow of liquid cooling agent through the cooling system of the heat exchange system. Preferably, a maximum amount of heat has been transferred from the object to be cooled, through the liquid cooling agent, and out of the heat exchange system by way of the first and second bank of radiator tubes. This cycle can repeat itself to continue the cooling effect on the object to be cooled.  
         [0050]    Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a graphical representation of the components in a preferred embodiment of the radiator design utilizing an electrochemical heat exchange system. The pumping or driving system is comprised of a hydrogen electrochemical pump  100  and first and second gas spaces  120 ,  121 .  
         [0051]    The hydrogen electrochemical pump  100  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is comprised of an electric power source  101 , first and second hydrogen electrodes  102 ,  103 , first and second electrode gas spaces  108 ,  109 , and a proton exchange membrane (“PEM”)  105 . The PEM is also known in the industry as MEA (membrane electrode assembly). The preferred hydrogen pump  100  utilizes symmetrical hydrogen electrodes. “Symmetrical” means that both sides of a PEM contain substantially identical hydrogen electrodes. In this design, a first hydrogen electrode  102  is utilized as a cathode to produce hydrogen and a second hydrogen electrode  103  is utilized as an anode to consume hydrogen. In between these two electrodes, it is preferable to utilize a proton exchange membrane  105 . Each of the electrodes  102 ,  103  is connected to opposite ends of a power supply  101  via terminals  106 ,  107 .  
         [0052]    When current from the power supply  101  is supplied to the electrodes  102 ,  103  of the electrochemical pump  100 , hydrogen gas is produced at the first electrode  102  (cathode) in a reduction reaction and hydrogen gas is consumed at the second electrode  103  (anode) in an oxidation reaction. The hydrogen gas produced at the cathode is collected in a first electrode gas space  108  that is contained within the hydrogen pump but is mechanically isolated from the second electrode  103  by the proton exchange membrane  102 . The first electrode gas space  108  is connected to a first gas conduit  110  that allows hydrogen produced at the first electrode  102  to travel away from the hydrogen pump  100 . The first gas conduit  110  opens into the first gas space  120  by way of the first gas inlet-outlet  112 .  
         [0053]    The first gas space  120  is a hollow chamber which has one wall comprised of a first flexible diaphragm  130 . The first flexible diaphragm  130  is a membrane that is not permeable to either hydrogen gas or the liquid cooling agent to be used in the preferred embodiment of the electrochemical heat exchanger. Hence, as hydrogen gas is produced at the first electrode  102  in the electrochemical pump  100 , the first electrode gas space  108  fills with hydrogen gas. As more hydrogen is produced, the gas travels into the first gas conduit  110 , through the first gas inlet-outlet  112 , and into the first gas space  120 . As more hydrogen enters the first gas space  120 , the pressure inside the first gas space increases. This pressure increase also increases the pressure on the face of the first flexible diaphragm  130  that faces the inside of the first gas space  120 . Ultimately, the pressure inside the first gas space  120  will reach a point where the center of the first flexible diaphragm  130  will bend away from or become convex with respect to the inside of the first gas space. Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  132  in FIG. 1.  
         [0054]    Likewise in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second gas space  121  and a second flexible diaphragm  131  exist. The oxidation reaction that occurs at the second electrode  103  (anode) consumes all of the hydrogen that is present in the second electrode gas space  109 . The second electrode gas space  109  is connected to a second gas conduit  111 . Finally, the second gas conduit  111  opens into the second gas space  121  by way of the second gas inlet-outlet  114 . These interconnections allow all of the hydrogen gas in any of these areas to move into the second electrode gas space  109  and be consumed in a oxidation reaction at the second electrode  103 .  
         [0055]    The second gas space  121  is a hollow chamber which has one wall comprised of a second flexible diaphragm  131 . The second flexible diaphragm  131  is a membrane that is not permeable to either hydrogen gas or the liquid cooling agent to be used in the preferred embodiment of the electrochemical heat exchanger. Hence, hydrogen is pulled from the second gas space  121 , through the second gas inlet-outlet  114 , through the second gas conduit  111 , and into the second electrode gas space  109  where the hydrogen is consumed in an oxidation reaction at the second electrode  103 . As more hydrogen leaves the second gas space  121 , the pressure inside the second gas space decreases. This pressure decrease also decreases the pressure on the face of the second flexible diaphragm  131  that faces the inside of the second gas space  121 . Ultimately, the pressure inside the second gas space  121  will reach a point where the center of the second flexible diaphragm  131  will bend toward or become concave with respect to the inside of the first gas space. Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  133  in FIG. 1.  
         [0056]    Once, the diaphragms  130 ,  131  reach the maximum displacement of the center portion of the diaphragms, the pump  100  has reached the halfway point in its pumping cycle, and the polarity of the power supply  101  for the hydrogen pump will reverse itself. This polarity reversal can be accomplished by a variety of different sensors that measure either the physical position of the first or second flexible diaphragm&#39;s displacement or some other characteristic of the heat exchange system. The reversal of polarity on the hydrogen pump power supply  101  will reverse the reactions that take place at the hydrogen pump electrodes  102 ,  103 . Hence, the first electrode  102  will now consume hydrogen in an oxidation reaction (anode) and the second electrode  103  will now produce hydrogen in a reduction reaction (cathode). In general, the former cathode has become the new anode and the former anode has become the new cathode.  
         [0057]    Because of the oxidation reaction now taking place at the first electrode  102 , the hydrogen gas in the first gas space  120 , first gas conduit  110 , and first electrode gas space  108  will now be consumed at the first electrode  102 . Hence, the pressure in the first gas space  120  due to the hydrogen gas will decrease, and the pressure on the wall of the first flexible diaphragm  130  will also decrease. As the pressure decreases, the first flexible diaphragm  130  that was previously bent convex with respect to the first gas space will return to a neutral position  130  with no center displacement at all. As even more hydrogen is consumed at the first electrode  102 , the pressure on the wall of the first flexible diaphragm  130  will decrease further and the center of the flexible diaphragm will flex towards or become concave with respect to the first gas chamber  120 . Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  134  in FIG. 1.  
         [0058]    Preferably, the reversal of the polarity of the power supply  101  to the hydrogen electrochemical pump  100  will cause a reduction reaction to take place at the second hydrogen electrode  103  of the pump. As such reduction reaction occurs, hydrogen gas is produced at the second electrode  103  and this hydrogen gas fills the second electrode gas space  109 . As more hydrogen gas is produced, the hydrogen will travel through the second gas conduit  111  and into the second gas space  121  by way of the second gas inlet-outlet  114  thereby causing the pressure in the second gas space  121  to increase. As the pressure in the second gas space  121  increases, the pressure on the wall of the second flexible diaphragm  131  likewise increases. With increased pressure, the second flexible diaphragm  131  that was previously displaced concave with respect to the first gas space will return to a neutral position  131  with no center displacement. As the pressure of the hydrogen gas in the second gas space  121  increases still more, the pressure on the wall of the second flexible diaphragm  131  likewise increases and the flexible diaphragm will flex away from or concave to the second gas space. Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  135  in FIG. 1.  
         [0059]    Preferably, once the center of the flexible diaphragms  130 ,  131  displace to the maximum, the polarity of the power source  101  of the electrochemical pump  100  will reverse again. Once again, the first electrode  102  will become the cathode and produce hydrogen in a reduction reaction. Once again, the second electrode  103  will become the anode and consume hydrogen in an oxidation reaction. The power supply  101  polarity can continually be reversed to manipulate the flexible diaphragms  130 ,  131  in a cyclic manner.  
         [0060]    It should be noted that although the various gas spaces in the gas driving system have been described in detail with various gas spaces and conduits, in actual practice the electrochemical gas driving system need only preferably be comprised of a reversible electrochemical pump, first and second gas spaces with interiors in contact with the opposite ports of the electrochemical pump, and first and second flexible diaphragms to mechanically isolate the contents of the gas driving system from the contents of the liquid cooling system while maintaining a pressure coupling between the contents of the two systems. Any other elaboration or extra components were inserted merely for ease of understanding and for illustrative purposes only.  
         [0061]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is also a liquid-based cooling system. Preferably, the movement of the cooling agent in the cooling system is dictated by the gas driving system, but the cooling agent is physically prevented from coming into contact with the hydrogen gas contained within the driving system. The contents of the gas driving system (hydrogen gas) and the contents of the liquid cooling system (liquid cooling agent) are coupled only by mechanical pressure through the first and second flexible diaphragm membranes  130 ,  131 .  
         [0062]    Specifically, the preferred embodiment of the cooling system of the present invention is comprised of a first liquid space  136 . One wall of the first liquid space  136  is comprised of the first flexible diaphragm  130 . The first flexible diaphragm  130  does not allow the liquid cooling agent to pass through to the first gas space  120 . As such, the first flexible diaphragm  130  prevents the liquid cooling agent in the first liquid space  136  from coming into physical contact with the hydrogen gas in the first gas space  120 .  
         [0063]    Preferably, another wall of the first liquid space  136  contains an opening through which the liquid cooling agent can flow into the first bank of radiator tubes  140 . The first bank of radiator tubes  140  can be either hollow tubes, hollow fins, or any other heat transfer device as is well known in the art. The radiator tubes  140  present a surface area that allows the heat from the liquid cooling agent to be dispersed through the surface of the radiator tubes and out away from the heat exchange system.  
         [0064]    As discussed above, the pumping action of the gas-based drive system causes the center of the first flexible diaphragm  130  to displace away from the first gas chamber  120 . Likewise, this same displacement results in the center of the first flexible diaphragm  130  flexing into or bending concave with respect to the first liquid space  136 . Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  132  in FIG. 1. The concave bending of the flexible diaphragm causes the volume of the first liquid space  136  to decrease. As the volume of the first liquid space  136  decreases, the liquid cooling agent inside of the first liquid space  136  is forced out of the first liquid space and into the first bank of radiator tubes  140 .  
         [0065]    Preferably, the opposite end of the first bank of radiator tubes  140  opens into a heat exchange chamber  150 . This heat exchange chamber  150  is where the heat from the object to be cooled is transferred to the cooling agent inside the cooling system of the present heat exchange system. The object to be cooled can be directly contacted by the liquid cooling agent so that, by well-known laws of thermodynamics, heat from the object to be cooled will pass to the liquid cooling agent and, hence, lower the temperature of the object to be cooled. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the liquid cooling agent will come into physical and thermal contact with a member that is in physical and thermal contact with the object to be cooled. Hence, the liquid cooling agent and the object to be cooled will be in thermal contact with each other through this additional member, although the liquid cooling agent and the object to be cooled are not in direct physical contact with each other. In either case, heat from the object to be cooled will be transferred to the cooling agent thereby lowering the temperature of the object to be cooled and raising the temperature of the liquid cooling agent.  
         [0066]    The opposite end of the heat exchange chamber  150  is connected to a second bank of radiator tubes or fins  141 . As in the first bank of radiator tubes  140 , the second bank of radiator tubes  141  provides a surface area for heat that has been absorbed by the cooling liquid to be transferred to the radiator tubes  141  and out of the heat exchange system. The second bank of radiator tubes  141  must allow the cooling liquid to flow through, but the size, shape, surface area, and position can be designed to provide the appropriate amount of heat removal by means that are well known in the art.  
         [0067]    Preferably, at the opposite end of the second bank of radiator tubes  141  there is a second liquid space  137 . Similar to the first liquid space  136 , one wall of the second liquid space  137  is comprised of the second flexible diaphragm  131 . As the liquid cooling agent is forced through the second bank of radiator tubes  141 , the heat absorbed in the heat exchange chamber  150  by the liquid cooling agent from the object to be cooled is transferred out of the heat exchange system by way of the second bank of radiator tubes or fins  141 . After passing through the second bank of radiator tubes or fins  141 , the liquid cooling agent is collected in the second liquid space  137 . As described above, the center of the second flexible diaphragm is  131  has been bent towards or displaced concave with respect to the inside of the second gas space. This same deflection causes the center of the second flexible diaphragm  131  to be bent away from or displaced convex to the inside of the second liquid space. Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  133  in FIG. 1. Because of the bending of the second flexible diaphragm  131 , the volume of the second liquid space  137  is increased and the liquid cooling agent from the second bank of radiators  141  has a place to collect.  
         [0068]    As discussed above, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, once the first and second flexible diaphragms  130 ,  131  reach maximum displacement, the polarity of the power supply  101  to the hydrogen electrochemical pump  100  is reversed and the chemical reactions taking place at the hydrogen pump electrodes  102 ,  103  also reverse. As explained above, the eventual result of this power supply  101  reversal is that the first and second flexible diaphragms  130 ,  131  will displace in the opposite direction as the first and second diaphragms displaced when the electrochemical pump was in the first half of its cycle. This diaphragm reversal will reverse the flow of the liquid cooling agent through the heat exchange system. Such a reversal of flexible diaphragm center displacement is represented by the dotted lines  134 ,  135  in FIG. 1.  
         [0069]    Preferably, as the second flexible diaphragm  130  bends convex to or away from the second gas space  121 , this same movement causes the second flexible diaphragm to displace concave or towards the second liquid space  137 . Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  135  in FIG. 1. As such, the volume of the second liquid space  137  decreases and the pressure from the second flexible diaphragm  131  on the liquid cooling agent present in the second liquid space  137  increases. Because of said decrease in volume and increase in pressure, the liquid cooling agent that is present in the second liquid space  137  will be forced out of the second liquid space and into the second bank of radiator tubes  141 . The liquid cooling agent will pass the second bank of radiator tubes  141  and enter the heat exchange chamber  150 .  
         [0070]    Once inside the heat exchange chamber  150 , the liquid cooling agent will once again come into thermal contact with the object to be cooled—either directly or through an intermediate member. Heat from the object to be cooled will transfer as per well known thermodynamic laws to the liquid cooling agent in the heat exchange chamber  150 . As such, the temperature of the object to be cooled will decrease and the temperature of the liquid cooling agent will increase.  
         [0071]    The increased-temperature liquid cooling agent will next flow into the first bank of radiator tubes  140 . As in the first half cycle of the present embodiment of the present invention, heat absorbed in the heat exchange chamber  150  from the object to be cooled by the liquid cooling agent will be transferred through the surface of the radiator tubes  140  and eventually out of the heat exchange system. The temperature of the liquid cooling agent will decrease as heat is transferred away from the liquid cooling agent, and the liquid cooling agent will continue to flow into the first liquid space  136 .  
         [0072]    As discussed above, in the second half cycle of the present embodiment of the present invention, the first flexible diaphragm  130  has been displaced concave to or bent toward the first gas space  120 . This same movement results in the first flexible diaphragm  130  displacing away from or bending convex to the first liquid space  136 . Such a center displacement is represented by the dotted line  134  in FIG. 1. This bending of the first flexible diaphragm  130  causes the volume of the first liquid space  136  to increase and gives the flowing liquid cooling agent an area to flow into.  
         [0073]    Preferably, when the center of the first and second flexible diaphragms  130 ,  131  reach maximum displacement, the polarity of the power supply  101  of the hydrogen pump  100  will reverse and the chemical reactions at the electrodes  102 ,  103  of the hydrogen pump  100  will likewise reverse. This completes one cycle of the hydrogen pump  100  and one cycle of the flow of liquid cooling agent through the cooling system of the heat exchange system. Preferably, a maximum amount of heat has been transferred from the object to be cooled, through the liquid cooling agent, and out of the heat exchange system by way of the first and second banks of radiator tubes  140 ,  141 . This cycle can repeat itself to continue the cooling effect on the object to be cooled.  
         [0074]    [0074]FIG. 2 shows one preferred orientation of the components of the electrochemical heat exchanger. Such components are placed to reduce the size of the heat exchange system while maintaining a maximum amount of heat transfer. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows the heat exchange system from a side elevational view. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the back elevation of a preferred embodiment of the liquid cooling system of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the gas driving system has been removed to facilitate identification of internal device components. By examining these two drawings together, we can determine a preferred orientation for the heat exchanger elements. The reference numbers in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 have been kept consistent with the reference numbers in FIG. 1 for clarity.  
         [0075]    The hydrogen pump  100  causes hydrogen gas to be released and to travel into the first gas conduit  110 , through the first gas inlet-outlet  112 , and finally into the first gas space  120 . Adjacent to the first gas space  120  is a first liquid space  136 . A first flexible diaphragm  130  is located integrally between the first gas space  120  and the first liquid space  136 . This first flexible diaphragm  130  moves in response to pressure differentials in the gas driving system. This diaphragm movement thereby causes the liquid coolant in the cooling system to flow.  
         [0076]    The first liquid space  136  is mechanically coupled and internally open (hollow) to a first bank of radiator tubes  140 . The first liquid space  136  filled with liquid coolant is mechanically coupled but internally closed to a second bank of radiator tubes  141  on the other side. A first liquid shield  160  covers the open hole between the first liquid space  136  and the second bank of radiator tubes  141 .  
         [0077]    As the first flexible diaphragm displacement forces the liquid cooling agent out of the first liquid space  136 , the liquid cooling agent passes through the first bank of radiator tubes  140  and out the first liquid inlet-outlet  170 . From here, the liquid goes to the heat exchange chamber  150 , which is not strictly part of the radiator design of the present invention, where the cooling agent draws heat off of the object to be cooled.  
         [0078]    After heating, the liquid cooling agent re-enters the radiator heat exchange system by way of the second liquid inlet-outlet  171 . The liquid coolant is fed into the second bank of radiator tubes  141  for heat transfer from the liquid cooling agent, through the surface of the radiator tubes, and out away from the thermal exchange system. The liquid coolant&#39;s temperature reduces and it is forced out of the left bank of radiator tubes  141  into the second liquid space  137 .  
         [0079]    One wall of the second liquid space  137  is comprised of a second liquid shield  161  to prevent the liquid cooling agent from reentering the first bank of radiator tubes  140 . Another wall of the second liquid space  137  is made up of a second flexible diaphragm  131  similar to the first flexible diaphragm  130 . The opposite face of the second flexible diaphragm  131  makes up one wall of a second gas space  121 . As more coolant enters the second liquid space  137 , the pressure on the liquid side of the second flexible diaphragm  131  increases. The increased pressure causes the diaphragm  131  to flex into the second gas space  137  thereby reducing the volume of the second gas space.  
         [0080]    The second gas space  121  is mechanically coupled to a hollow second gas inlet-outlet  114  which empties into a second gas conduit tube  111 . This second gas conduit tube  111  empties into the hydrogen electrochemical pump  100  at the opposite side from where the first gas conduit tube  110  exited the hydrogen pump  100 . As the pump operates, thereby forcing hydrogen gas out of the hydrogen pump  100  and into the first gas tube  110 , hydrogen gas is taken into the other side of the pump through the second gas tube  111  to be used by the pump. This completes one half of the heat transfer cycle. As discussed above, the polarity on the hydrogen pump&#39;s power supply will be reversed and the second half of the heat transfer cycle will take place in the reverse order. Upon completion, the power supply&#39;s polarity will reverse again, and the process will start over from the beginning.  
         [0081]    As the pump operates, minute amounts of hydrogen can escape from the gas driving system. Although not shown, it is possible to use a metal hydride compensating plate to compensate for hydrogen lost during leakage. The metal hydride compensating plate should be able to occlude hydrogen and is designed to occlude or disassociate hydrogen upon a loss of hydrogen from the system below a predetermined level. Although hydrogen leakage generally is minor, without a source of compensation, it may cause serious problems. If hydrogen pressure drops as a result of hydrogen leakage, hydrogen will escape from the metal hydride plate and will compensate for the loss of hydrogen. The hydrogen capacity of the plate should be enough for compensation of hydrogen leakage during the lifetime of the electrochemical heat exchanger. Assuming free gas volume of the electrochemical heat exchanger is equal to V (m 3 ) and average pressure is equal to P (Pa), the total number of hydrogen molecules in the gas space of the electrochemical heat exchanger is:  
         
       n=PV/RT  
     
         [0082]    Here: R is the molar gas constant and equal to 8.31 Jmol −1 K −1 , and T is Kelvin temperature. If the electrochemical heat exchanger has a 50% hydrogen loss per year, total hydrogen lost during a five-year cycle life would be 250%. This means that the compensated metal hydride plate should contain at least 0.96875 PV/RT molecules hydrogen. If it is necessary to remove 100 watts of heat, the free volume of the electrochemical heat exchanger would be equal to 3×10 −4 m 3 .  
         [0083]    As evidenced by the above detailed description of the preferred embodiments, the present invention provides an effective design for an electrochemical radiator that minimizes the size and weight of the radiator if necessary to lower the temperature of small electronic or other devices.  
         [0084]    Further, the present invention isolates the liquid cooling agent from the contents of the gas driving system thereby allowing any liquid to be used as the cooling agent. Because the liquid will not flood or contact the driving system electrodes, the liquid (or even gas) with the most relevant thermal characteristics can be chosen.  
         [0085]    Further, the present invention relies on an internal gas driving system rather than gravity or some other external force to circulate the liquid cooling agent through the cooling system. Hence, the orientation of the elements of the present invention with respect to any external body is irrelevant and the present heat exchange system will operate in any such orientation.  
         [0086]    Finally, although this invention has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.