skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: LiH thermal-storage capsule/heat exchanger

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5990548

This invention provides a thermal-storage system using lithium hydride as the heat sink material. The unique discovery of the present invention is that small, lightweight, lithium-compatible and hydrogen impermeable spheres for encapsulating lithium hydride can be made by placing a thin layer of refractory metal on the inner and outer surfaces of a ceramic spherical shell. The high surface area-to-volume ratio of the spheres provides high heat transfer rates and their small size reduces the forces of expansion. Accordingly, this invention is directed to a thermal-storage apparatus comprising a generally spherically shaped hollow shell containing a heat-sink material wherein the hollow shell comprises an inner-shell layer of metal, a middle-shell layer of ceramic, and an outer-shell layer of metal. The inner- and outer-shell layers may be molybdenum and the middle shell layer silicon carbide.

Research Organization:
Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC (USA)
Assignee:
Dept. of the Air Force, Washington, DC
OSTI ID:
5990548
Resource Relation:
Other Information: This Government-owned invention available for U.S. licensing and, possibly, for foreign licensing. Copy of application available NTIS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English