Metal hydride thermal management using phase change material in the context of a standalone solar-hydrogen system

Abstract

In this paper, a model of a metal hydride thermal management using phase change material in the context of a standalone solar-hydrogen system is proposed and investigated. The HOMER software is used to simulate the optimal system architecture and yearly power profiles of the electrolyser and fuel cell stacks used in a case study of a remote household in southeast Australia. A dynamic theoretical model of a phase change material arrangement for thermal management of the metal hydride hydrogen storage unit is then built in MATLAB environment to study the performance behaviour of the hydrogen storage system in this context. Based on the case used for this study, it was found that approximately equivalent to ~12% of total energy content of the hydrogen generated by the electrolyser can be saved annually by replacing an external energy thermal management system with the proposed phase change material thermal management solution. It was also found that the conductivity of phase change materials must be improved to a minimum of 1.5 W/mK, in order to make this thermal management arrangement more practical.