Metal hydride based vehicular exhaust cooler

Abstract

A metal hydride heat pump comprising a first compartment, including a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid inlet is configured for fluid communication with the first fluid outlet; a second compartment, including a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid inlet is configured for fluid communication with the second fluid outlet; and a plurality of metal hydride vessels, each of the vessels being mounted to and disposed within each of the first and second compartments, and each of the vessels containing at least a hydrided form of a low temperature metal hydride material, a hydridable form of a high temperature metal hydride material, and gaseous hydrogen, wherein the hydridable form of a high temperature metal hydride material is in fluid communication with the hydrided form of a low temperature metal hydride material, such that heat can be transferred from (a) fluid flowing through the first compartment to (b) the hydrided form of a low temperature metal hydride material, so as to effect desorption of hydrogen from the hydrided form of a low temperature metal hydride material, and such that the hydridable form of a high temperature metal hydride material is configured to absorb the desorbed hydrogen and generate heat upon the absorption such that the generated heat can be transferred to fluid flowing through the second compartment; wherein each of the vessels has an external surface area, and defines an internal volume for containing at least the hydrided form of a low temperature metal hydride material, the hydridable form of a high temperature metal hydride material, and gaseous hydrogen, wherein a ratio of the external surface area to the internal volume is greater than 45 inches2 per cubic inch.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 916,371, filed Aug. 11, 2004, and entitled “METAL HYDRIDE BASED VEHICULAR EXHAUST COOLER,” which application is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 578,727 entitled “METAL HYDRIDE BASED VEHICULAR EXHAUST COOLER,” filed Jun. 10, 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to the field of metal hydride-based heat pumps and, in particular, metal hydride based heat pumps used for air conditioning. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] A metal hydride based heat pump has been developed for vehicular applications, and particularly for passenger compartment air conditioning using energy from the hot exhaust gas of a vehicle, such as an automobile. Although the invention is described in relation to an automobile, it is understood th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] In one aspect the present invention provides a metal hydride heat pump comprising a first compartment, including a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid inlet is configured for fluid communication with the first fluid outlet; a second compartment, including a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, wherein the first fluid inlet is configured for fluid communication with the second fluid outlet; and a plurality of metal hydride vessels, each of the vessels being mounted to and disposed within each of the first and second compartments, and each of the vessels containing at least a hydrided form of a low temperature metal hydride material, a hydridable form of a high temperature metal hydride material, and gaseous hydrogen, wherein the hydridable form of a high temperature metal hydride material is in fluid communication with the hydrided form of a low temperature me

Problems solved by technology

When the air conditioner operates, it consumes engine power that would otherwise be available for propulsion.

New refrigerant formulations are claimed to cause only 10% of the environmental damage of today's freon, but even this rate is unacceptably high.

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