Envisaged is an exhaust gas heat recovery system comprising a heat pump, a mixer and a flow regulating means. The heat pump is configured to pump heat from a refrigerant. The heat pump has an inlet and an outlet wherein the exhaust gas stream leaving the outlet is split into two streams: a stream rejected to atmosphere and a recirculating exhaust stream re-circulated back to the heat pump. The mixer is provided at the inlet of the heat pump to mix an inlet exhaust stream with the recirculating exhaust gas stream to get a resultant exhaust stream at an intermediate temperature of the two streams. The flow regulating means is adapted to compress the recirculating exhaust stream.

Envisaged is a regeneration system for a metal hydride heat pump of a damper type. The system comprises a plurality of reactor assembly modules configured to act as a heat pump, an ambient air inlet and a fluid recirculation circuit. The plurality of reactor assembly modules includes first, second, third and fourth metal hydride reactor assembly modules. The fluid recirculation circuit comprises a mixer, a fluid stream switching means, a flow regulating means and an exhaust out let. The mixer is adapted to mix a portion of a recirculation stream received from the exhaust outlet and the exhaust gas stream to provide a resultant stream. The fluid stream switching means is coupled to the mixer and is adapted to switch flow of the resultant stream as received from the mixer and the ambient air stream in a cyclic manner in a series of half-cycles of operation.

Envisaged is a regeneration system for a metal hydride heat pump of a damper type. The system comprises a plurality of reactor assembly modules configured to act as a heat pump, an ambient air inlet and a fluid recirculation circuit. The plurality of reactor assembly modules includes first, second, third and fourth metal hydride reactor assembly modules. The fluid recirculation circuit comprises a mixer, a fluid stream switching means, a flow regulating means and an exhaust out let. The mixer is adapted to mix a portion of a recirculation stream received from the exhaust outlet and the exhaust gas stream to provide a resultant stream. The fluid stream switching means is coupled to the mixer and is adapted to switch flow of the resultant stream as received from the mixer and the ambient air stream in a cyclic manner in a series of half-cycles of operation.

A self-cleaning metal hydride heat recovery system comprising a thermally insulated housing partitioned into at least two thermally insulated chambers, each chamber enclosing a metal hydride reactor assembly containing a regenerating, high-temperature metal hydride alloy, an ambient air inlet adapted to receive an ambient air stream into the housing to be fed to at least one of the two thermally insulated chambers, a fluid recirculation circuit configured to recirculate an exhaust stream as received from an exhaust source, the fluid recirculation circuit comprises a mixer adapted to mix a portion of a recirculation stream and the exhaust stream to provide a resultant stream, fluid stream switching means coupled to the mixer and adapted to switch flow of the resultant stream and the ambient air stream in a cyclic manner, flow regulating means provided downstream of the metal hydride reactor assemblies, and an exhaust outlet.

A self-cleaning metal hydride heat recovery system comprising a thermally insulated housing partitioned into at least two thermally insulated chambers, each chamber enclosing a metal hydride reactor assembly containing a regenerating, high-temperature metal hydride alloy, an ambient air inlet adapted to receive an ambient air stream into the housing to be fed to at least one of the two thermally insulated chambers, a fluid recirculation circuit configured to recirculate an exhaust stream as received from an exhaust source, the fluid recirculation circuit comprises a mixer adapted to mix a portion of a recirculation stream and the exhaust stream to provide a resultant stream, fluid stream switching means coupled to the mixer and adapted to switch flow of the resultant stream and the ambient air stream in a cyclic manner, flow regulating means provided downstream of the metal hydride reactor assemblies, and an exhaust outlet.

A heating/cooling system for furnishing employs an electrochemical heat transfer device. An electrochemical heat transfer device may be an electrochemical hydrogen compressor that pumps hydrogen into and out of a tank having a metal hydride forming alloy therein. The absorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride forming alloy is exothermic, produces heat, and the desorption of the hydrogen from the metal hydride forming, alloy is endothermic and draws heat in. An electrochemical hydrogen compressor may be configured between the tanks and pump hydrogen back and forth to form a heat transfer device. A heat exchange device may be coupled with the tank or may comprise the outer surface of the tank to transfer heat to an object or to the surroundings. A closed loop may be configured having two tanks and one or two electrochemical hydrogen compressors to pump the hydrogen in a loop around the system.

A heating/cooling system for furnishing employs an electrochemical heat transfer device. An electrochemical heat transfer device may be an electrochemical hydrogen compressor that pumps hydrogen into and out of a tank having a metal hydride forming alloy therein. The absorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride forming alloy is exothermic, produces heat, and the desorption of the hydrogen from the metal hydride forming, alloy is endothermic and draws heat in. An electrochemical hydrogen compressor may be configured between the tanks and pump hydrogen back and forth to form a heat transfer device. A heat exchange device may be coupled with the tank or may comprise the outer surface of the tank to transfer heat to an object or to the surroundings. A closed loop may be configured having two tanks and one or two electrochemical hydrogen compressors to pump the hydrogen in a loop around the system.

A heat generating device includes a container, a heat generating element, and a heater. A hydrogen-based gas contributing to heat generation is introduced into the container. The heat generating element is provided inside the container. The heater is configured to heat the heat generating element. The heat generating element includes a base made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or a proton conductor, and a multilayer film provided on a surface of the base. The multilayer film having a stacking configuration of: a first layer that is made of a hydrogen storage metal or a hydrogen storage alloy, and a second layer that is made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or ceramics different from that of the first layer. The first layer and the second layer have a layer shape with a thickness of less than 1000 nm.

A heat generating device includes a container, a heat generating element, and a heater. A hydrogen-based gas contributing to heat generation is introduced into the container. The heat generating element is provided inside the container. The heater is configured to heat the heat generating element. The heat generating element includes a base made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or a proton conductor, and a multilayer film provided on a surface of the base. The multilayer film having a stacking configuration of: a first layer that is made of a hydrogen storage metal or a hydrogen storage alloy, and a second layer that is made of a hydrogen storage metal, a hydrogen storage alloy, or ceramics different from that of the first layer. The first layer and the second layer have a layer shape with a thickness of less than 1000 nm.

An electrochemical heat transfer device for a hot water tank utilizes an electrochemical hydrogen compressor to pump hydrogen into and out of a tank having a metal hydride forming alloy therein. The absorption of hydrogen by the metal hydride forming alloy is exothermic, produces heat, and the desorption of the hydrogen from the metal hydride forming alloy is endothermic and draws heat in. An electrochemical hydrogen compressor may be configured between to tanks and pump hydrogen back and forth to form a heat transfer device, such as a hot water heater. A heat transfer device may be coupled with the tank or may comprise the outer surface of the tank to transfer heat to an object or to the surroundings. A closed loop may be configured having two tanks and one or two electrochemical hydrogen compressors to pump the hydrogen in a loop around the system.