Impact of transport properties of isopropanol/acetone on the performance of electrochemical looping heat pumps.

The Electrochemical Looping Heat Pump (ELHP) introduces an innovative heat pump technology by replacing the traditional compressor with a reversible chemical reaction between a refrigerant pair. Prior research has highlighted the isopropanol/acetone pair as a highly promising candidate for this system, owing to its low Global Warming Potential (GWP) and high Coefficient of Performance (COP). This study presents a comprehensive simulation model of the electrochemical cell, the core component of the ELHP cycle, developed using COMSOL Multiphysics. The model integrates multiple physical fields, including electric potential, fluid dynamics, temperature, and mass transport, enabling a comprehensive simulation of the electrochemical cell. The study highlights the critical role of diffusivity in mass transport, demonstrating that a 10% increase in diffusivity can enhance system performance by 9.05%. These findings offer valuable guidance for optimizing the ELHP design and operation in the future.