Development of a Thermal Model for Discharge Behavior of MH Hydrogen Storage Vessels

Abstract

Metal hydride alloys are a promising type of material in hydrogen storage applications, allowing for low-pressure, high-density storage. However, while many studies are being performed on enhancing the hydrogen storage properties of such alloys, there has been little research on large-scale storage vessels which make use of the alloys. In particular, large-scale, high-density storage devices must make allowances for the inevitable generation or absorption of heat during use, which may negatively impact functioning properties of the alloys. In this study, we develop a numerical model of the discharge properties of a high-density MH hydrogen storage device. Discharge behavior for a pilot system is observed in terms of temperature and hydrogen flow rates. These results are then used to build a numerical model and verify its calculated predictions. The proposed model may be applied to scaled-up applications of the device, as well as for analyses to enhance future device designs.