Thermal Battery Laboratory-Scale Demonstration

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HRL Laboratories, LLC, has released a video demonstrating the principle behind its groundbreaking work on thermal battery technology for electric cars. The video, “Thermal Battery Laboratory-Scale Demonstration,” reveals that hydrogen can be stored in metal alloys that react with the gas to form compounds called metal hydrides. The thermal battery has a hot side and a cold side. When it discharges, the metal hydride on the cold side releases hydrogen gas and cools. This hydrogen flows to the hot side where it is absorbed into another metal hydride, heating the hot side
According to Dr. John J. Vajo, HRL Laboratories’ principal investigator, “In our demonstration video, we place a small droplet of water on the cool side. As the hydrogen is released, the temperature drops and the water freezes.” The cold hydride reaches temperatures below 0° C (32° F), while the hot hydride reaches maximum temperatures of 75° C (165° F).
HRL Laboratories released the video to educate the public about the technology, which was developed in conjunction with the University of Utah and General Motors for the project, “Thermal Battery Based on Advanced Metal Hydrides for Electric Vehicles.” This project was one of ten projects funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) for their High Energy Advanced Thermal Storage (HEATS) program.
The project goal was to address the critical need of heating and cooling electric vehicles more efficiently. “The driving range of an electric vehicle is limited by the charge of its on-board battery packs,” said Dr. Vajo. “By offloading heating and cooling to thermal batteries, electric cars could be driven much further on a single charge.”
Thermal battery technology offers a number of unique features - including rapid cooling, shock and vibration resistance, silence, and miniaturization - that could prove useful in other real-world applications.

[@CafeElectric]

This looks interesting!
Can you quote the raw energy density of the materials used in a heating function? I think many of us would be curious to know how many Whr/kg can be theoretically stored in the hydride.

[@MikeTrieu]

I would, too, especially in solar thermal applications.

[@mjagathguru]

Good experimental explanation. 👍 Thank you

[@jfkciudadano]

Genial

[@manasranjansahoo778]

Can we use it as a condenser in power plant.

[@yangjacky4352]

How much electricity can be generated?

[@maniacalo2901]

This technology could also be used for refrigeration.

[@yelectric1893]

Pelter plate?

[@rashmiranjannayak3251]

Perfect trick to collect solar energy but what would be its efficiency. Thank you.

[@llXchonll]

What's the lowest temperature that it needs to be heated?

[@DigitalAlligator]

energy density?

[@maniacalo2901]

I like it indeed, green technology, excellent work.

[@jasondesignmedia7495]

4:40 The motivation was for heating for electric cars, I am looking for a more sustainable way of heating a campervan or RV this would be very interesting.

[@brettmoore3194]

Good luck obtaining those compounds

[@brusso456]

thermal heat pipes on the roof (or detachable heat box) - heat pump hot air - insulated hot water tank inside RV.

[@buddingscientist170]

But where current generate

[@vinayakthote3957]

heat is a output