Imaging of an operating LaNi 4.8Al 0.2–based hydrogen storage container

Abstract

In this paper the phenomena occurring inside of a hydrogen storage container (filled with LaNi 4.8Al 0.2 active material), in operation, are unveiled by means of high-resolution neutron radiography and tomography. Although the metallic hydride-based storage systems are commonly used and commercially available, the processes occurring inside of such devices have been derived rather on the knowledge of several external parameters (changes of H 2 pressure or the container’s temperature) characterising the whole container than on a direct experimental evidence of the container’s interior. The results of neutron imaging experiments reported here show the possibility of qualitative as well as quantitative analysis of hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics with spatial resolution of 70 μm.