EFFECTIVE THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY OF A METAL HYDRIDE BED AUGMENTED WITH A COPPER WIRE MATRIX

The effective thermal conductivity K//e prime of a copper wire matrix improved metal hydride bed of MmNi//4//. //4//6Al//0//. //5//4 powder has been measured using a steady state method. Effects of the copper wire matrix, the metal hydride itself, the system pressures and the hydrogen-to-metal atom ratio (H/M) on K//e prime are analysed and expressed through an empirical equation.