SOLID SORPTION MACHINES: A CONTRIBUTION TO CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY

The operational principle and some machine designs of solid sorption machines are discussed. The paper comprises the economic feasibility of selected metal hydride machines for industrial applications, viz. a two-stage heat transformer (in the MW-range) for upgrading thermal energy from about 130 to 140°C up to 200°C or more, a double-effect refrigerator (100 kW-range) to provide cold of about 0 to − 1 0°C, and a smaller system for combined room heating and air conditioning applications in the domestic sector (10 kW-range).