US4436539A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for air-conditioning by means of a hydrogen heat pump
Assignee: Technion Research and Development Foundation Ltd
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Filing: 1981-10-06
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Granted: 1984-03-13
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Expires: 2001-10-06
Abstract
Abstract Air-conditioning is carried out using a "hydrogen heat pump" driven by waste heat. The hydrogen heat pump includes at least two and preferably four units, wherein hydrogen passes between low-temperature and high-temperature porous metal hydride compacts, each unit having a pair of heat exchangers associated therewith.
Inventors
- 👤 Moshe Ron
- 👤 Matvei Kleiner
- 👤 Uri Navon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 23:19
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B17/00; F25B17/12; B; B60; B60H; B60H1/00; B60H1/32; B60H1/3201; B60H1/32011
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A method of air-conditioning a vehicle using a hydrogen-based chemical heat pump including a dual metal hydride system of two different hydrides capable of passing hydrogen therebetween, and wherein one of the hydrides is a low-temperature hydride and the other a high-temperature hydride, said method comprising providing said low temperature hydride in the form of a porous metal compact; heating with waste heat from said vehicle high-temperature hydride having hydrogen absorbed therein to cause desorption of said hydrogen from said high-temperature hydride and flow to said low-temperature hydride; absorbing said hydrogen by said low-temperature hydride while cooling said low-temperature hydride by heat exchange with the ambient atmosphere; stopping the flow of waste heat to said high-temperature hydride upon completion of desorption; and cooling said high-temperature hydride by heat exchange with the ambient atmosphere to provide said high-temperature hydride with a sufficiently low-temperature at which it is capable of absorbing hydrogen from said low-temperature hydride; and further cooling said cooled low-temperature hydride containing said hydrogen absorbed therein by desorbing hydrogen therefrom and then heating at a high heat transfer rate said cooled low-temperature hydride by heat exchange with the environment being air-conditioned and further desorbing said hydrogen from said low-temperature hydride and passing said hydrogen to said cooled high-temperature hydride where said hydrogen is absorbed thereby.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
215 words
A method of air-conditioning a vehicle using a hydrogen-based chemical heat pump including a dual metal hydride system of two different hydrides capable of passing hydrogen therebetween, and wherein one of the hydrides is a low-temperature hydride and the other a high-temperature hydride, said method comprising providing said low temperature hydride in the form of a porous metal compact; heating with waste heat from said vehicle high-temperature hydride having hydrogen absorbed therein to cause desorption of said hydrogen from said high-temperature hydride and flow to said low-temperature hydride; absorbing said hydrogen by said low-temperature hydride while cooling said low-temperature hydride by heat exchange with the ambient atmosphere; stopping the flow of waste heat to said high-temperature hydride upon completion of desorption; and cooling said high-temperature hydride by heat exchange with the ambient atmosphere to provide said high-temperature hydride with a sufficiently low-temperature at which it is capable of absorbing hydrogen from said low-temperature hydride; and further cooling said cooled low-temperature hydride containing said hydrogen absorbed therein by desorbing hydrogen therefrom and then heating at a high heat transfer rate said cooled low-temperature hydride by heat exchange with the environment being air-conditioned and further desorbing said hydrogen from said low-temperature hydride and passing said hydrogen to said cooled high-temperature hydride where said hydrogen is absorbed thereby.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said high temperature hydride is in the form of a porous matal hydride compact.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
262 words
An air-conditioning unit for a vehicle based on a hydrogen heat pump, comprising: a high-temperature hydride tank and a low temperature hydride tank, a fixed quantity of hydrogen disposed within at least one of said tanks, means for passing said hydrogen between said tanks, first heat exchange means between a source of waste heat from said vehicle at a high-temperature and said high-temperature hydride tank, second heat exchange means between ambient and said high-temperature hydride tank, third heat exchange means between ambient and said low-temperature hydride tank, fourth heat exchange means between a space to be cooled and said low-temperature hydride tank, and control means to control the operation of all said heat exchange means in sequence to effect heating of said high-temperature hydrides tank, desorption of hydrogen therefrom and absorption in said low-temperature hydride tank, followed by desorption of hydrogen from the low-temperature hydride tank, cooling of said space to be cooled and absorption of hydrogen in said high-temperature hydride tank; said high-temperature hydride tank and said low-temperature hydride tank respectively containing therein a high-temperature metal hydride and a low-temperature metal hydride in the form of low-temperature porous metal hydride compacts, said hydrides being so selected that the desorption pressure of said high-temperature metal hydride is higher than the absorption pressure of said low-temperature hydride at temperatures prevailing in said tanks during desorption from said high-temperature hydride tank, and the desorption pressure of said low-temperature metal hydride is higher than the absorption pressure of said high-temperature metal hydride at temperatures prevailing in said tanks during desorption from said low-pressure hydride tank.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
262 words
An air-conditioning unit for a vehicle based on a hydrogen heat pump, comprising: a high-temperature hydride tank and a low temperature hydride tank, a fixed quantity of hydrogen disposed within at least one of said tanks, means for passing said hydrogen between said tanks, first heat exchange means between a source of waste heat from said vehicle at a high-temperature and said high-temperature hydride tank, second heat exchange means between ambient and said high-temperature hydride tank, third heat exchange means between ambient and said low-temperature hydride tank, fourth heat exchange means between a space to be cooled and said low-temperature hydride tank, and control means to control the operation of all said heat exchange means in sequence to effect heating of said high-temperature hydrides tank, desorption of hydrogen therefrom and absorption in said low-temperature hydride tank, followed by desorption of hydrogen from the low-temperature hydride tank, cooling of said space to be cooled and absorption of hydrogen in said high-temperature hydride tank; said high-temperature hydride tank and said low-temperature hydride tank respectively containing therein a high-temperature metal hydride and a low-temperature metal hydride in the form of low-temperature porous metal hydride compacts, said hydrides being so selected that the desorption pressure of said high-temperature metal hydride is higher than the absorption pressure of said low-temperature hydride at temperatures prevailing in said tanks during desorption from said high-temperature hydride tank, and the desorption pressure of said low-temperature metal hydride is higher than the absorption pressure of said high-temperature metal hydride at temperatures prevailing in said tanks during desorption from said low-pressure hydride tank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
An air-conditioning unit according to claim 3 comprising two each of said tanks.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air-conditioning unit according to claim 4 wherein said fourth heat exchange means comprises at least one intermediate water-carrying radiator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An air-conditioning unit accoding to claim 1, wherin the low-temperature hydride is one having a desorption temperature below 10° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air-conditioning unit according to claim 6, having a power of at least about 188 Btu/hr./kg. of unit weight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
An air-conditioning unit according to claim 6, having a power of at least about 188 Btu/hr./kg. of unit weight.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An air-conditioning unit according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the low-temperature hydride is one having a desorption temperature below 10° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
An air-conditioning unit according to claim 3 or 4 having a power of at least about 188 Btu/hr./kg. of unit weight.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-03-13 | 1987-09-12 | 1988-03-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-03-13 | 1991-09-12 | 1992-03-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-03-13 | 1995-09-12 | 1996-03-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |