Heat transfer characteristics of the metal hydride vessel based on the plate-fin type heat exchanger

Abstract

Abstract Heat transfer characteristics of the metal hydride vessel based on the plate-fin type heat exchanger were investigated. Metal hydride beds were filled with AB 2 type hydrogen-storage alloy’s particles, Ti 0.42 Zr 0.58 Cr 0.78 Fe 0.57 Ni 0.2 Mn 0.39 Cu 0.03 , with a storage capacity of 0.92 wt.%. Heat transfer model in the metal hydride bed based on the heat transfer mechanism for packed bed proposed by Kunii and co-workers is presented. The time-dependent hydrogen absorption/desorption rate and pressure in the metal hydride vessel calculated by the model were compared with the experimental results. During the hydriding, calculated hydrogen absorption rates agreed with measured ones. Calculated thermal equilibrium hydrogen pressures were slightly lower than the measured hydrogen pressures at the inlet of metal hydride vessel. Taking account of the pressure gradient between the inlet of metal hydride vessel and the metal hydride bed, it is considered that this discrepancy is reasonable. During the dehydriding, there were big differences between the calculated hydrogen desorption rates and measured ones. As calculated hydrogen desorption rates were lower than measured ones, there were big differences between the calculated thermal equilibrium hydrogen pressures and the measured hydrogen pressures at the inlet of metal hydride vessel. It is considered that those differences are due to the differences of the heat transfer characteristics such as thermal conductivity of metal hydride particles and porosity between the assumed and actual ones. It is important to obtain the heat transfer characteristics such as thermal conductivity of metal hydride particles and porosity both during the hydriding and dehydriding to design a metal hydride vessel.