Parametric Study on Fin Structure and Injection Tube in Metal Hydride Tank Packed with LaNi5 Alloy for Efficient and Safe Hydrogen Storage

Abstract

Efficient hydrogen storage methods are crucial for the large-scale application of hydrogen energy. This work studied the effects of fin structure and injection tube on the system performance of a hydrogen storage tank packed with LaNi5 alloy. An axisymmetric finite element model of the metal hydride hydrogen storage tank was established. The fin structure and injection tube were added to the hydrogen storage tank, and the effects of the fin location and injection tube on the efficiency and safety of the hydrogen storage tank during hydriding were analyzed. A parametric study on the wall fin structure and injection tube has been carried out to optimize the design of a hydrogen storage tank, and to improve its efficiency and safety. The hydrogen storage capacity of the optimized tank packed with LaNi5 alloy can reach 1.312 wt%, which is 99% of its maximum capacity, at around 650 s. The results show that the fin structure can improve the heat transfer performance of the storage tank, and that the injection tube can enhance the mass transfer of hydrogen in the tank.