HYCSOS chemical heat pump and energy conversion system based on metal hydrides

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6078669

Sheft, I.; Gruen, D. M.; Lamich, G. J.

The Argonne HYCSOS system is a two hydride concept, operating as a chemical heat pump for storage and recovery of thermal energy for heating, cooling and energy conversion. Hydrogen gas is transferred from one hydride bed by solar thermal energy input at a characteristic temperature to a second bed where hydrogen is absorbed and thermal energy is released at another temperature appropriate for the mode of operation in use. The basic HYCSOS concept uses thermal energy from a low grade source such as a solar collector to decompose a hydride, e.g., CaNi/sub 5/, and the released hydrogen is absorbed at a lower, intermediate, temperature and stored as a second hydride, e.g., LaNi/sub 5/H/sub 6/. The heat pump mode is the low temperature dissociation of the LaNi/sub 5/H/sub 6/ and the absorption of the hydrogen at the intermediate temperature. The intermediate temperature is available for space heating, using solar energy during periods of insolation and using low temperature ambient heat via heat pump action during other times. Operated in a reverse mode, the system can be used for refrigeration, eliminating the mechanical compression required in the operation of a conventional air conditioner. With three hydride heat exchangers containing the same hydride cycling between a high temperature and a lower one, a continuous supply of high pressure hydrogen can be generated to do useful work in an expansion engine-dynamo unit supplying electricity, the hydrogen being absorbed after expansion on the alloy at a lower temperature. The current status of the HYCSOS system is discussed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6078669
• Report Number(s): CONF-790446--5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
140909 -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Miscellaneous Solar Applications-- (1980-)
142000 -- Solar Energy-- Heat Storage-- (1980-)
25 ENERGY STORAGE
250600 -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
250800 -- Energy Storage-- Chemical
ABSORPTION
AIR CONDITIONING
ALLOYS
CALCIUM ALLOYS
CHEMICAL HEAT PUMPS
CONVERSION
COOLING
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DESIGN
DISSOCIATION HEAT
ELEMENTS
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY STORAGE
ENGINES
ENTHALPY
FLUIDS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HEAT PUMPS
HEAT STORAGE
HEATING
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LANTHANUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NONMETALS
OPERATION
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE EARTH ALLOYS
REACTION HEAT
REFRIGERATION
SOLAR AIR CONDITIONING
SOLAR HEAT ENGINES
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR SPACE HEATING
SPACE HEATING
STORAGE
TEST FACILITIES
THERMOCHEMICAL HEAT STORAGE
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES