Aiming at developing exhaust gas driving automobile air conditioning systems, a hydride pair LaNi4.61Mn0.26A10.13/ La0.6Y0.4Ni4.8Mn0.2 was developed working at 393-473 K/293-323 K/263-273 K. Property tests showed that both alloys have flat plateau slopes and small hystereses; system theoretical coefficient of performance （COP） is 0.711. Based on this work pair, a function proving automobile metal hydride refrigeration system was constructed. The equivalent thermal conductivities of the activated reaction beds were merely 1.1-1.6 W/（m-K）, which had not met practical requirement. Intermittent refrigeration cycles were achieved and the average cooling power was 84.6 W at 423 K/303 K/273 K with COP being 0.26. By altering cycling parameters, experiment data showed that cooling power and system COP increase with the growth of heat source temperature as well as pre-heating and regeneration time while decrease with heat sink temperature increment. This study confirms the feasibility of automobile metal hydride refrigeration systems, while heat transfer properties of reaction beds still need to be improved for better performance.
Hydrogen storage properties of LaN4.25Al0.75 alloy were experimentally investigated by XRD, PC isotherm curves, hydrogen absorption kinetics curves, XPS and its particle diameter. The structure of unit cell of LaNi4.25Al0.75 alloy was deduced. The relationship between its structure and hydrogen storage performance of LaNi4.25Al0.75 alloy was analyzed. The results show that LaNi4.25Al0.75 alloy has rapid hydrogen absorption rate and good resistance to combustibility. It is also found that the function of the hydrogen absorption plateau pressure and temperature is ln peq=-4 820/T＋12.46, and the hydrogen absorption rate of the alloy decreases with increasing the temperature.
The structure and hydriding performance of La0.6Nd0.4Ni4.8Mn0.2Cux (x = 0 ～ 0.4) alloys were investigated in order to develop suitable materials for metal hydride air conditioner. The effect of Cu addition on the crystal structure,equilibrium pressure, hydrogen capacity and hysteresis as well as hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics were systematically studied by using the measurement of P-C isotherms, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. As the amount of Cu increases, the plateau pressure increases and hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics is improved, but the effective hydrogen storage capacity decreases. It is shown that variations in the basal plane parameter a can be used as an indication for the plateau pressure changes. With the increase of parameter a, the plateau pressure decreases. For La0.6 Nd0.4Ni4.8Mn0.2Cux(x = 0 ～ 0.4) alloys there is a relationship between the effective hydrogen storage capacities and the ratios of their unit cell parameters c and a. The effective hydrogen storage capacity decreases with increase of a/c.
With COP and dynamic characteristics in refrigeration cycle as criteria,a new metal hydride couple——LaNi 4.61 Mn 0.26 Al 0.13 /La 0.6 Y 0.4 Ni 4.8 Mn 0.2 was selected by establishing calculation procedure and metal hydride selection model.The experimental results show that the refigeration cycle of the selected couple is good in the performance.The recovered waste heat and refrigeration power from exhaust gas of several kinds of automobile are calculated by waste-heat formula,coefficient R Q and COP.Refrigeration cycle of the new couple can satisfy the air-conditioning requirement of truck and car and is not enough in passenger car,according to the respective cooling load.
