Physics based models for metal hydride particle morphology, distribution, and effective thermal conductivity

Abstract

AbstractThis paper describes a modeling approach to target aspects of heat conduction in metal hydride powders that are essential to metal hydrides as viable H2storage media, including particle morphology distribution, size distribution, particle packing properties at specified solid fraction, and effective thermal conductivity. An isotropic fracture model is presented that replicates features of particle size and shape distributions observed experimentally. The discrete element method is used to simulate evolution of metal hydride particle contact networks during quasi-static consolidation of decrepitated metal hydride powders. Finally, the effective thermal conductivity of such a powder is modeled assuming that contact conductance is the same for each interparticle contact.