Abstract: A heat carrier comprises a closed or looped heat pipe having a heat receiving section and a heat radiating section, and accommodating therein a heating medium such as carbon dioxide, which becomes a low-viscous supercritical fluid when it is heated. The supercritical fluid is circulated in the heat pipe by convection due to a density difference based on a temperature difference between the heat receiving section and the heat radiating section, thereby carrying heat from the heat receiving section to the heat radiating section.

Abstract: An impeller for use in a centrifugal blower comprises a hub for receiving a driving torque at a central portion thereof, a shroud of a ring-like shape in plane formed with an opening for air intake at the center thereof and opposed to the hub across a required distance therebetween, and a plurality of vane members interposed between the hub and shroud as circumferentially spaced from one another at required intervals, the impeller having an arrangement wherein an leading edge of each vane member has varied angles (inlet angles) with respect to a tangent line thereat thereby conforming to inflow angles of an air flow guided by the vane member at different points of a span between the shroud and hub.

Abstract: The absorber for use in absorption chillers of the present invention comprises a plurality of cooling water pipes 2 extending horizontally in the interior of the absorber chamber. A plurality of flat heat transfer plates 1 are spaced apart from one another and arranged horizontally in a vertical position, and the plurality of cooling water pipes 2 extend through these heat transfer plates 1 perpendicular thereto. The pitch Pd of the plates 1 is 3 to 15 mm. Each heat transfer plate 1 is integrally formed on its upper end face with an absorbent receptacle 10 V-shaped in cross section and extending longitudinally of the upper end face. The bottom portion of the receptacle 10 is formed with two rows of absorbent holes 11 positioned upwardly of respective surfaces of the plate 1. The holes 11 of each row are spaced apart from one another longitudinally of the plate 1 and each have an outlet adjoining the surface of the plate 1.

Abstract: In a heat exchanger according to the present invention, there are provided a filling container having a first containing section containing a hydrogen-absorbing metal material for middle or high temperature, a second containing section containing a hydrogen-absorbing metal material for low temperature which is higher in equilibrium hydrogen pressure at the same temperature than the hydrogen-absorbing metal material for middle or high temperature, and a hydrogen passage for moving hydrogen between the first containing section and the second containing section; a guiding section having a heating section provided with heating means for heating the filling container, a heat radiating section provided with a heat exchanging section for radiating heat generated in the filling container outward, and a heat absorbing section provided with a heat exchanging section for cooling the outside by absorption of heat in the filling container; and moving means for moving the filling container back and forth in the guiding sec

Abstract: A heat transfer system comprising a hydrogen supply unit 1, which transfers hydrogen from a hydrogen recovery tube 8 to a hydrogen supply tube 7, and a multiplicity of hydrogen utilization units 2A and 2B which utilize hydrogen supplied from the hydrogen supply tube 7 via its branching tubes 7a and 7b, respectively, and return hydrogen to the hydrogen recovery tube 8 via associated branching tubes 8a and 8b. By the use of the hydrogen supply tube 7 and the hydrogen recovery tube 8 having large volumetric capacities and filled with hydrogen, the hydrogen supply unit 1 and the hydrogen utilization units 2A and 2B may operate independently, without being synchronized one other.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for directly converting chemical energy of a fuel into electric energy electrochemically. A fuel cell has a cathode and an anode. A main hydrogen absorbing alloy supplies hydrogen gas to the anode of the fuel cell during steady-state operation of the system. An auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy originally having a higher hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure than the main hydrogen absorbing alloy at an equal temperature supplies hydrogen gas to the anode until the equilibrium pressure of the main hydrogen absorbing alloy, which is supplied an exhaust gas from the fuel cell is equal to a hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure of the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy, the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy receiving the hydrogen gas from the main hydrogen absorbing alloy during steady-state operation.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for directly converting chemical energy of a fuel into electric energy electrochemically. A fuel cell has a cathode and an anode. A main hydrogen absorbing alloy supplies a hydrogen gas to the anode of the fuel cell during steady-state operation of the system. An auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy originally having a higher hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure than the main hydrogen absorbing alloy at an equal temperature supplies a hydrogen gas to the anode until the equilibrium pressure of the main hydrogen absorbing alloy, which is supplied an exhaust gas from the fuel cell is equal to a hydrogen gas absorbing/desorbing equilibrium pressure of the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy, the auxiliary hydrogen absorbing alloy receiving the hydrogen gas from the main hydrogen absorbing alloy during steady-state operation.

Abstract: In order to make a thermal utilization system operable in a stable and efficient condition regardless the variation of the operating heat source used, the system is provided with three hydrogen absorbing alloys having different pressure-temperature characteristics, wherein absorption/desorption of hydrogen gas is performed in two steps, i.e. the hydrogen gas desorbed from a first alloy is absorbed by a second alloy at a predetermined pressure, and is absorbed by the third alloy at a higher pressure after it is desorbed from the second alloy in a case when the temperature of the operating heat source is low, while the hydrogen gas desorbed from the first alloy is directly transported from the first alloy to the third alloy to be absorbed there when the temperature of the operating heat source is high.

Abstract: A refrigerating and/or heating device of the contact type utilizing the endothermic and exothermic reactions of a hydrogen absorbing alloy comprises a contact member (16) in the form of a closed container (18) having a contact surface (17) and packed with a hydrogen absorbing alloy (19), a handle member (21) in the form of a closed container (22) packed with another hydrogen absorbing alloy (23), and a gas pipe (25) interconnecting the two members and having a valve (26).