Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Masakazu Moroto

Ikuo Yonezu

Toshihiko Saito

Naoki Hiro

Akio Furukawa

Kenji Nasako

Takahiro Yonesaki

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. Alternatively, two hydrogen absorbing alloys having different pressure-temperature characteristics are used in such a way that, when the temperature of the operating heat source is low, the hydrogen gas desorbed from the first alloy is pumped to the second alloy to be absorbed there, but the gas is directly transported from the first alloy to the second alloy to be absorbed there when the temperature of the operating heat source is high.

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Osaka, Japan

Masakazu Moroto