Investigation of heat and mass transfer process in metal hydride hydrogen storage reactors, suitable for a solar powered water pump system

Abstract

The paper analyzes heat and mass transfer process in metal hydride hydrogen storage systems as key element in the development of a solar powered pump system. Hydrogen storage and compression performance of the developed reactors are investigated according to the type of metal alloys, the metal hydride bed parameters and system operating conditions. To reach the desired goal, some metal hydride from groups AB5 and AB2 were synthesized and characterized using elements substitution for tailoring their properties: reversible hydrogen absorption capacity between the hydrogen absorption and desorption pressures at equilibrium at small temperature differences. For the designed hydrogen storage reactors, a new technical solution which combines the effective increase of the thermal conductivity of MH bed and good permeability to hydrogen gas circulation, was implemented and tested. The results permitted us to develop a heat engine with metal hydride, the main element of the functional model of a heat operated metal hydride based water pumping system using solar energy. This is a free energy system able to deliver water, at a convenience flow and pressure, in remote places without conventional energy access.