Device for varying the pressure of a pneumatic fluid through displacement of liquid droplets and heat pump using such a device

摘要

A heat pump including at least two devices for displacement of droplets of liquid by electro-wetting, where one includes a control unit such that it forms a compressor of the pneumatic fluid confined between the droplets of liquid, where the other includes a control unit such that it forms an expander to expand the pneumatic fluid confined between the droplets of liquid, where the high-pressure end of the compressor is connected to the high-pressure end of the expander through a thermal exchanger of a hot source, and where the low-pressure end of the expander is connected to the low-pressure end of the compressor through a thermal exchanger with a cold source, and where the unit formed by the compressor, the expander, and the thermal exchangers forms a single channel.

主权项

1. A device for varying a pressure of a pneumatic fluid, comprising:
a channel in which travel multiple droplets of hydraulic fluid which are at some distance from one another, and at least one of electrodes and magnetic field generators configured to displace said droplets in the channel using at least one of electrostatic and electromagnetic forces, wherein said pneumatic fluid is confined in an airtight fashion between the droplets of hydraulic fluid to form at least a first, a second and a third successive volume of pneumatic fluid, and wherein the forces applied by said at least one of electrodes and magnetic field generators increase or reduce a pressure of the pneumatic fluid from the first to the third volume of pneumatic fluid and also increase or reduce the volume between the droplets in a given displacement direction, respectively causing a compression or an expansion of the pneumatic fluid in a gradual manner.