Thermal hydrogen compressor as a general-purpose compressor?

[Roland Paterson-Jones]

Ergenics, Inc (http://www.ergenics.com/) have a thermal hydrogen compressor
that uses multi-stage thermal-chemical compression to compress hydrogen to
high pressure (3000psi) using warm water (85C), for example. The low-level
poor-grade energy input allows usage of waste heat, solar, etc, and the
compressor is dead silent since the compression is chemical, not mechanical

So, why not run the hydrogen in a closed loop and use the last stage to
compress arbitrary gases (air, for example). This just has to be better than
mechanical compression.

Roland

[Ray Solar]

"Roland Paterson-Jones" <rol...@rolandpj.com> wrote in message
news:ackohg$pfu$1...@news.adamastor.ac.za...

Bravo Roland:

You have almost got it right. The last stage is chemcal too. How are
you going to compress the air etc.? with a mechanical compressor? Where is
the mechanical energy coming from?
How expensive is one of their compressors? (Put your seat belt on.)
How efficient are they?(Think Carnot-85C vs 25C)
which means alot of heat or alot of collectors or very cold.
I am not saying that it can not be done. I am saying that you would
probably need $500,000-$1,000,000.
for a one-off PROTOTYPE.
>
>
>

[Roland Paterson-Jones]

"Ray Solar" <Rays...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:mnvH8.75$9V...@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...

>
> "Roland Paterson-Jones" <rol...@rolandpj.com> wrote in message
> news:ackohg$pfu$1...@news.adamastor.ac.za...
> > Ergenics, Inc (http://www.ergenics.com/) have a thermal hydrogen
> compressor
> > that uses multi-stage thermal-chemical compression to compress hydrogen
to
> > high pressure (3000psi) using warm water (85C), for example.
> >

> > So, why not run the hydrogen in a closed loop and use the last stage to
> > compress arbitrary gases (air, for example).
>

> You have almost got it right. The last stage is chemcal too. How are
> you going to compress the air etc.? with a mechanical compressor?

The idea is to feed the last stage of the hydrogen compressor (giving
hydrogen at 3000psi, say) via a sealed mechanical coupling (a piston, say)
to compress whatever's on the other side of the piston.

To be efficient I guess you'd need a multistage system to compress the other
gas.

I haven't looked at economic aspects.

Regards
Roland

[Success_Machine]

A hydride compressor will cost about $20,000 US, but a reciprocating
compressor will cost about $3400 US. There is work being done in
Canada to reduce the cost of reciprocating compressors to just $1000,
at which point they could be sold as a package deal with a new
compressed natural gas vehicle. In the future if hydrogen cars are
used, the same compressor would work. One might consider CNG vehicles
to be the next step, allowing the marketing & mass distribution of
home refuelling systems (including compressors). This won't last long
however since natural gas supplies are limited, and preferred for
electrical power stations rather than transportation. Public buses
would be an exception.

"Roland Paterson-Jones" <rol...@rolandpj.com> wrote in message news:<ackohg$pfu$1...@news.adamastor.ac.za>...