Abstract: A metal hydride heat pump system has a plurality of operating units, the metal hydride heat exchange medium of each operating unit be a combination of a first metal hydride having a lower equilibrium dissociation pressure at the operating temperature and a second metal hydride having a higher equilibrium dissociation pressure at the operating temperature and the metal hydrides being such that hydrogen can flow freely between the two metal hydrides, wherein the equilibrium dissociation pressure characteristics of one or both of the first and second metal hydrides in a given operating unit differ from those of one or both of the first and second metal hydrides in at least one other operating unit.

Abstract: A metal hydride reactor comprising a tubular pressure receptacle having an opening at its one end and a metal hydride filling the receptacle therein, at least a part of the outer wall surface of the tubular pressure receptacle forming a heat-exchanging surface; a heat-conducting fin of a heat-conducting material provided to transmit heat from the metal hydride in the pressure receptacle to the heat-exchanging surface and limit the location of the metal hydride in the pressure receptacle; and at least one porous member extending axially of the receptacle for forming within the receptacle a hydrogen gas flow passage leading to the opening of the receptacle, the porous member being permeable to hydrogen gas but impermeable to the metal hydride.

Abstract: A metal hydride heat pump comprising a first and a second heat medium receptacle having heat media flowing therein and a plurality of closed vessels each containing a hydrogen gas atmosphere and divided into a first chamber having a first metal hydride filled therein and a second chamber having a second metal hydride filled therein, said first and second chambers of each closed vessel being made to communicate with each other so that hydrogen gas passes from one chamber to the other but the metal hydrides do not, and a group of the first chambers of the closed vessels being located within the first heat medium receptacle and a group of the second chambers of the closed vessels being located within the second heat medium receptacle, whereby heat exchange is carried out between the heat media in the first and second heat medium receptacles and the first and second metal hydrides through the external walls of the closed vessels.

Abstract: A heat pump device comprising a closed receptacle divided into a first chamber and a second chamber, means forming a hydrogen flow passage extending through the two chambers, said hydrogen flow passage permitting the flow of hydrogen but rejecting the flow of metal hydrides between the two chambers and being made at least partly of a porous material permeable to hydrogen and elastically deformable in response to an applied pressure, a first metal hydride filled in the first chamber and a second metal hydride filled in the second chamber.

Abstract: A metal hydride reactor including at least one sealed chamber, the chamber being divided into two compartments by a partitioning wall made of a material permeable to hydrogen gas but impermeable to metal hydrides, the compartments containing different metal hydrides. In one embodiment, the metal hydride reactor including a sealed vessel rotatable about a central shaft, the vessel being divided into a plurality of sealed chambers by at least one sealing wall along a plane containing the central shaft and extending diametrically thereof, each of the sealed chambers being divided into two compartments by a partitioning wall made of a material permeable to hydrogen gas but impermeable to metal hydrides, the compartments containing different metal hydrides, and each of the compartments having a heat conducting surface facing exteriorly thereof.