Gas-Solid Reaction Heat Exchanger for Vehicle Engine Exhaust Waste Heat Recovery

Cross-flow heat exchangers, serving as hydride-containing reactors and aimed to absorb high temperature heat of exhaust gases, for the purpose of driving a hydrogen heat pump in the cooling mode were tested and described here. The heat transfer characteristics of the heat exchanger itself and the effects of engine exhaust gas were determined by tests in a stream of exhaust gas from a Diesel engine, with water circulating through the heat exchanger tubes. The performance of the heat exchanger as a reactor was investigated in a stream of hot gas-air mixture, which simulated engine exhaust gas. The tubes were filled with metal hydride LaNi_4.7 Al_0.3H_x powder and tested with and without hydrogen flowing through them.