Hydrogen storage alloy unit, thermoelectric conversion apparatus, and cooling, heating and freezing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a thermoelectric conversion apparatus having a thermoelectric conversion module and a temperature restoration module. The thermoelectric conversion module comprises hydrogen storage and release devices provided with circulating heating medium changeover valves and containers in which are formed inside a plate cassette laminate or a pipe aggregate provided with a hydrogen storage alloy in the form of a thin film on the outer surfaces of the plate cassettes or pipes, a pump device for an working liquid provided with a liquid piston, an electronic control device that controls the changeover valves, and an electric power generation device that converts the flowing force of the actuator liquid into electricity. Moreover, the temperature restoration module comprises temperature restoration devices that relatively provide the hydrogen storage alloy units, use waste heat of the thermoelectric conversion module and external heat as a heat source, reciprocally transfer hydrogen between the hydrogen storage and release devices by pump pressure or differential pressure of hydrogen dissociation pressure, and raise and restore the temperature of the waste heat of the thermoelectric conversion module, a circulation system of a generated heat receiving medium, and an electronic control device that controls changeover valves of the circulation system.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A hydrogen storage alloy unit that performs storage and release of hydrogen, comprising: 
 a metal plate or metal pipe in which a hydrogen hole is formed in a flat section, and a plurality of linear corrugated grooves are formed in parallel over the entire surface of the flat section; and    a hydrogen storage alloy in the form of a thin film is provided on the outer surface of the plate or pipe.    
     
     
         2 . A hydrogen storage alloy unit according to  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a laminate in which thin films of hydrogen storage alloy are laminated onto both sides of a plate cassette in which a plurality of the plates are layered and then brazed, followed by welding the periphery or brazing the joined sections between the plate cassettes; or    an aggregate of the pipes in which a plurality of the pipes are provided within containers, and both ends of the pipes penetrate to the outside of the plate materials on both ends.    
     
     
         3 . A thermoelectric conversion apparatus having a thermoelectric conversion module and a temperature restoration module, the thermoelectric conversion module comprising: 
 hydrogen storage and release devices provided with circulating heating medium changeover valves and containers in which are formed inside a plate cassette laminate or a pipe aggregate provided with a hydrogen storage alloy in the form of a thin film on the outer surfaces of the plate cassettes or pipes;    a pump device for an working liquid provided with a liquid piston;    an electronic control device for controlling the changeover valves; and    an electric power generation device for converting the flowing force of the actuator liquid into electricity, and    the temperature restoration module comprising:    temperature restoration devices that provided relatively the hydrogen storage alloy units, use waste heat of the thermoelectric conversion module and external heat as a heat source, reciprocally transfer hydrogen between the hydrogen storage and release devices by pump pressure or differential pressure of hydrogen dissociation pressure, and raise and restore the temperature of the waste heat of the thermoelectric conversion module;    a circulation system of a generated heat receiving medium; and    an electronic control device for controlling changeover valves of the circulation system.    
     
     
         4 . A thermoelectric conversion apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 in the case the working liquid is silicon oil,    the material of the separated liquid layer that composes the liquid piston is alcohol.    
     
     
         5 . A thermoelectric conversion apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the thermoelectric conversion module comprising    a hydrogenation reaction time shortening device provided with a reserve tank in the circulation path of the working liquid.    
     
     
         6 . A thermoelectric conversion apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the temperature restoration devices respectively use hydrogen storage alloys in the from of thin films having different hydrogen dissociation pressure characteristics within the hydrogen storage and release devices, and generates a differential pressure in the hydrogen pressure between the hydrogen storage and release devices by the heat source.    
     
     
         7 . A thermoelectric conversion apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the hydrogen storage and release devices and covers provided on both ends of a heating medium nozzle that links and opens the inside of the hydrogen storage and release devices, are respectively attached and sealed.    
     
     
         8 . A thermoelectric conversion apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein 
 the plate cassette laminate or pipe aggregate is the hydrogen storage alloy unit according to  claim 1 .    
     
     
         9 . A cooling, heating and freezing apparatus having a cooling, heating and freezing heat source module, the heat source module comprising: 
 hydrogen storage and release devices provided with circulating heating medium changeover valves and containers in which are formed inside a plate cassette laminate or a pipe aggregate provided with a hydrogen storage alloy in the form of a thin film on the outer surfaces of the plate cassettes or pipes;    cooling heat and warming heat generation devices that generate cooling heat and warming heat by using external heat as a heat source and reciprocally transferring hydrogen by pump pressure or the differential pressure of hydrogen dissociation pressure between the hydrogen storage and release devices;    a circulation system of a generated heat receiving medium that includes a heat exchanger; and    an electronic control device for controlling changeover valves of the circulation system.    
     
     
         10 . A cooling, heating and freezing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the cooling heat and warming heat generation devices respectively use hydrogen storage alloys in the from of thin films having different hydrogen dissociation pressure characteristics within the hydrogen storage and release devices, and generates a differential pressure in the hydrogen pressure between the hydrogen storage and release devices by the heat source.    
     
     
         11 . A cooling, heating and freezing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the hydrogen storage alloy units and covers provided on both ends of a heating medium nozzle that links and opens the inside of the hydrogen storage and release devices, are respectively attached and sealed.    
     
     
         12 . The cooling, heating and freezing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein 
 the plate cassette laminate or pipe aggregate is the hydrogen storage alloy unit according to  claim 1 .    
     
     
         13 . A hydrogen storage alloy deposition method of a hydrogen alloy storage device, wherein 
 the hydrogen storage alloy unit is provided with a plate cassette in which a plurality of metal plates are formed by lamination,    the hydrogen storage alloy deposition method employs a hydrogen storage alloy paste in which a powder that has gone through an initial crushing step in which hydrogen storage alloy is made to absorb hydrogen, is mixed with a rubber agent or adhesive, and    the hydrogen storage alloy paste is coated and hardened in grooves formed in both sides of the plate cassette, and deposited in the form of a thin layer.    
     
     
         14 . A hydrogen storage alloy deposition method of a hydrogen storage alloy device, wherein 
 the hydrogen storage alloy unit is provided with metal pipes,    the hydrogen storage alloy deposition method employs a hydrogen storage alloy paste in which a powder that has gone through an initial crushing step in which hydrogen storage alloy is made to absorb hydrogen, is mixed with a rubber agent or adhesive, and    the hydrogen storage alloy paste is coated and hardened in grooves formed in the outer periphery of the pipes, and deposited in the form of a thin layer.    
     
     
         15 . A heating medium circulation method in the temperature restoration devices according to  claim 3 , comprising: 
 a first stroke having a heating medium circulation in which heating medium that has received waste heat of the thermoelectric conversion module as a heat source is sent to the relatively provided hydrogen storage and release devices of the temperature restoration module, passes through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side, and circulates as a cooling heat source of the thermoelectric conversion module, and    a heating medium circulation in which heating medium passes through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogen release side and circulates as a cooling heat source of the thermoelectric conversion module; and    a second stroke having a heating medium circulation in which heating medium receives generated warming heat of the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side in the first stroke or waste heat of the thermoelectric conversion module, and circulates by passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogen release side of the second stroke, and    a heating medium circulation in which heating medium receives an external cooling heat source and circulates by passing through the hydrogen storage alloy unit on the hydrogenation side.    
     
     
         16 . A heating medium circulation method in the cooling heat and warming heat generation devices according to  claim 9 , comprising: 
 a heating medium circulation in which the heating medium is circulated by passing through the hydrogen storage and release devices, after making heating medium that pass through heat exchangers of an outdoor device and indoor device the same temperature by merging or heat exchanging in the heat generation module on the primary side.    
     
     
         17 . A heating medium circulation method according to  claim 16 , wherein the heat source module on the secondary side comprising: 
 a first stroke having a heating medium circulation in which,    heating medium that has received generated cooling heat of the primary side heat source module is sent to the hydrogen storage and release devices, and circulates by passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side, and    heating medium, which after passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogen release side and passing through a heat exchanger inside a freezer, passes through a hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side of a second stroke, and then passes through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side of the first stroke,    are merged or heat exchanged; and,    a second stroke having a heating medium circulation in heating medium receives generated warming heat of the heat source module on the primary side, and circulates by passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogen release side.    
     
     
         18 . A heating medium circulation method according to  claim 17 , wherein the first stroke of the primary heat source module comprising: 
 an initial heating medium circulation system in which, heating medium that circulates by receiving an external cooling heat source after passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side, and heating medium that circulates by collecting heat after passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogen release side, circulate by merging or heat exchange; and    a subsequent circulation system in which heating medium that circulates by passing through a heat exchanger in a freezer after passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogen release side, and heating medium that circulates by receiving collected heat after passing through the hydrogen storage and release device on the hydrogenation side, circulate by merging or heat exchange.