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Complex Compounds are solid-gas sorption media with the coordinative bond (sharing one or more electrons) established between metal inorganic salt-based adsorbents and polar refrigerants, such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide, and water. Complex compounds utilize this unique bond to sorb large amounts of refrigerant in a process that is reversible and provides large temperature lifts in single-stage hardware, allowing for their application to heat pump processes under adverse conditions. This paper describes the ongoing development of a solid-vapor complex-compound prototype heat pump suitable for lunar base operation. Working conditions are 4-15°C cooling and 82-93°C heat rejection.

The coordinative bond that is established between metal inorganic salt based adsorbents and polar refrigerants and gases, such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide and water, bears significant thermodynamic advantages over commonly used zeolite or activated carbon inclusion compound sorption media. Complex compounds utilize this unique bond to hold large amounts of refrigerant in a process that is reversible, allowing for their application to storage processes. This paper describes the physical and thermodynamic properties of monovariant complex compounds and compares resulting equipment specifications of mass and energy storage products with competing technologies. An evaluation of the thermodynamic process and the operation of these systems for refrigerant storage/recycling and low temperature thermal storage is also described for specific applications.