Hydrogen Storage Methods Research Articles

Magnesium and iron loaded hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) for hydrogen storage

The development of a safe and efficient method for hydrogen storage is essential for the use of hydrogen with fuel cells for vehicular applications. Hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) have characteristics suitable for hydrogen storage and are expected to be a potential hydrogen carrier to be used for energy release applications. The HGMs with 10–100 μm diameters, 100–1000 Å pore width and 3–8 μm wall thicknesses are expected to be useful for hydrogen storage. In our research we have prepared HGMs from amber glass powder of particle size 63–75 μm using flame spheroidisation method. The HGMs samples with magnesium and iron loading were also prepared to improve the heat transfer property and thereby increase the hydrogen storage capacity of the product. The feed glass powder was impregnated with calculated amount of magnesium nitrate hexahydrate salt solution to get 0.2–3.0 wt% Mg loading on HGMs. Required amount of ferrous chloride tetrahydrate solution was mixed thoroughly with the glass feed powder to prepare 0.2–2 wt% Fe loaded HGMs. Characterizations of all the HGMs samples were done using FEG-SEM, ESEM and FTIR techniques. Adsorption of hydrogen on all the Fe and Mg loaded HGMs at 10 bar pressure was conducted at room temperature and at 200 °C, for 5 h. The hydrogen adsorption capacity of Fe loaded sample was about 0.56 and 0.21 weight percent for Fe loading 0.5 and 2.0 weight percentage respectively. The magnesium loaded samples showed an increase of hydrogen adsorption from 1.23 to 2.0 weight percentage when the magnesium loading percentage was increased from 0 to 2.0. When the magnesium loading on HGMs was increased beyond 2%, formation of nano-crystals of MgO and Mg was seen on the HGMs leading to pore closure and thereby reduction in hydrogen storage capacity.

Current situation and prospect of hydrogen storage technology with new organic liquid

This paper starts with the brief introduction to various methods of hydrogen storage, such as pressurized gaseous hydrogen storage, cryogenic liquefaction hydrogen storage, carbonaceous materials hydrogen storage, metal alloy hydrogen storage, complexation hydride hydrogen storage, glass microspheres hydrogen storage, liquid organic hydrogen storage, and so on. The corresponding principles of hydrogen storage were summarized with the analysis on advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the characteristics of hydrogen storage with N-ethylcarbazole were profoundly discussed. The conditions and catalysts for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation (N-ethylcarbazole) were also analyzed at some length as well. According to the present situation of hydrogen storage with organic liquids, some ideas were put forward to get higher content and speed of absorbing and releasing hydrogen.

Effect of Co loading on the hydrogen storage characteristics of hollow glass microspheres (HGMs)

The use of hydrogen as a fuel either direct combustion in an IC engine or for power generation in fuel cells continues to be a topic of significant interest. Developing and popularizing fuel cells for vehicular or other stationary applications depends upon the availability of safe and reliable hydrogen storage method. The greatest challenge as of now in this regard is the production of a light weight, nontoxic and easily transportable material which can store hydrogen. World-wide research is being conducted on developing newer materials for hydrogen storage. Hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) can be considered to be a potential hydrogen carrier which can store and deliver hydrogen for energy release applications. In this paper, we are reporting the preparation and characterization of cobalt loaded HGMs from amber glass powder for hydrogen storage applications. The feed glass powder with different percentage of cobalt loading was prepared by soaking and drying the feed glass powder in required amount of cobalt nitrate hexahydrate solution. Further, the dried feed glass powder was flame spheroidised to get cobalt loaded HGMs. Characterizations of all the HGMs samples were done using SEM, FTIR and XRD techniques. Hydrogen adsorptions on all the samples were done for 10 bar pressure at room temperature and 200 °C for 5 h. The results showed that the hydrogen adsorption capacity on these samples increased with increase in cobalt wt% from 0.2 to 2.0%. The hydrogen storage capacity of HACo2 was found to 2.32 wt% for 10 bar pressure at 200 °C.

ChemInform Abstract: Recent Research Progress in Developing Metal‐Doped Porous Matrices for Hydrogen Storage

AbstractReview: 71 refs.

Synthesis of a V–Ni Alloy with Low Temperature Hydriding Characteristics for Hydrogen Energy Storage

Energy needs are mainly covered by fossil fuels leading to pollutant emissions, mostly responsible for global warming. Among the different possible solutions for the greenhouse-effect reduction, hydrogen has been proposed for energy transportation. Hydrogen can be seen as a clean and efficient future energy carrier. However, the major challenges regarding hydrogen energy is its storage. Of the known methods for hydrogen storage (compressed gas, cryogenic liquid, and metal hydrides), metal hydrides offer the best compromise considering both safety and efficient storage capacity. In this study, a nano structured V–Ni alloy has been synthesized by using high-energy ball milling route. The synthesized alloy is characterized by scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer, and X-ray diffraction tools. The mean particle size of this alloy is measured as 12.5 ± 2.90 μm, and the crystallite size is computed as 8.75 ± 0.54 nm. The hydriding–dehydriding characteristics of this alloy are studied using Sievert's principle. The maximum hydrogen absorption in the synthesized V–Ni alloy is measured as 1.92 mass% at only 83°C charging temperature, and release of 1.04 mass% of H2 at discharging temperature of 210°C.

ChemInform Abstract: Mechanochemical Synthesis of Hydrogen Storage Materials

AbstractReview: 282 refs.

A Kw-Scale Integrated System for On-Demand Hydrogen Generation Using NaBH<sub>4</sub> Solution and a Low-Cost Catalyst

Among several hydrogen storage methods for application in fuel cells, on-board hydrogen generation using sodium borohydride (NaBH4; a chemical hydride) for application in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells can be considered as a low-weight method for portable applications. In this paper, an integrated continuous-flow system for on-demand hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis reaction of the NaBH4 solution in the presence of a low-cost catalyst is proposed. By using the prepared non-noble Co(NO3)2 on porous alpha-alumina support, as catalyst, the cost of the catalyst has cut down considerably. Up to 15 SLPM high-purity hydrogen gas is expected to be generated by this system to supply to a 1 kW-scale proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack (H2-air, 40% efficiency).

Electrochemical hydriding of Mg–Ni–Mm (Mm = mischmetal) alloys as an effective method for hydrogen storage

In this work, the electrochemical hydriding method was used for storing hydrogen in four binary Mg–Ni (Ni content from 15 to 34 wt.%) alloys and one ternary Mg–26Ni–12Mm alloy. Both the as-cast and powdered alloys were hydrided in a 6 M KOH solution at 80 °C for 120–480 min. The structures and phase compositions of the alloys, both before and after hydriding, were studied using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. Differential scanning calorimetry and mass spectrometry were used to study the dehydriding process. In the case of as-cast alloys, the best combination of hydriding parameters (maximum hydrogen concentration on surface; depth of hydrogen penetration) was achieved in the Mg–26Ni alloy. In the case of powdered alloys, the Mg–34Ni alloy absorbed the highest amount of hydrogen, nearly 4.5 wt.%. The only hydride formed during hydriding was the MgH2 hydride. The results of the mass spectrometry analysis reveal a significant thermodynamic destabilization of magnesium hydride due to Ni and Mm. The decomposition temperature of MgH2 was reduced by more than 200 °C. The results are discussed in relation to the electronic structure and atomic size of the alloying elements and the structural variations in the alloys.

New perspectives on potential hydrogen storage materials using high pressure

In addressing the global demand for clean and renewable energy, hydrogen stands out as the most suitable candidate for many fuel applications that require practical and efficient storage of hydrogen. Supplementary to the traditional hydrogen storage methods and materials, the high-pressure technique has emerged as a novel and unique approach to developing new potential hydrogen storage materials. Static compression of materials may result in significant changes in the structures, properties and performance that are important for hydrogen storage applications, and often lead to the formation of unprecedented phases or complexes that have profound implications for hydrogen storage. In this perspective article, 22 types of representative potential hydrogen storage materials that belong to four major classes--simple hydride, complex hydride, chemical hydride and hydrogen containing materials--were reviewed. In particular, their structures, stabilities, and pressure-induced transformations, which were reported in recent experimental works together with supporting theoretical studies, were provided. The important contextual aspects pertinent to hydrogen storage associated with novel structures and transitions were discussed. Finally, the summary of the recent advances reviewed and the insight into the future research in this direction were given.

Hydrogen storage and release by bending carbon nanotubes

Efficient storage of hydrogen at room temperature is a bottleneck problem for hydrogen-based energy applications. A simple way of hydrogen storage and release by bending carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at room temperature is demonstrated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. A large number of hydrogen molecules can be put in CNTs at low temperatures, and then the hydrogen molecules can be completely encapsulated in the CNTs by bending the CNTs to a critical angle. The critical angle decreases with increasing CNT length, while it increases with increasing hydrogen number and temperature. However, the CNT chirality has a negligible influence on the critical angle and hydrogen storage process. It is demonstrated that the release of the hydrogen molecules also can be controlled accurately at room temperature by changing bending angle. The van der Waals force plays an important role in the hydrogen storage and release process. Compared with the conventional methods for hydrogen storage, the brand-new one occurs at room temperature and the release of the hydrogen molecules can be controlled accurately by changing bending angle. Besides, the special structure of the bent CNTs will also significantly enhance their applications in atomic storage, various chemical and biological sensors and actuators, catalyst and catalyst supports, nanoelectronic devices as well as high-capacity energy storage in solar cells or fuel cells.

Progress on first-principles-based materials design for hydrogen storage

This article briefly summarizes the research activities in the field of hydrogen storage in sorbent materials and reports our recent works and future directions for the design of such materials. Distinct features of sorption-based hydrogen storage methods are described compared with metal hydrides and complex chemical hydrides. We classify the studies of hydrogen sorbent materials in terms of two key technical issues: ( i ) constructing stable framework structures with high porosity, and ( ii ) increasing the binding affinity of hydrogen molecules to surfaces beyond the usual van der Waals interaction. The recent development of reticular chemistry is summarized as a means for addressing the first issue. Theoretical studies focus mainly on the second issue and can be grouped into three classes according to the underlying interaction mechanism: electrostatic interactions based on alkaline cations, Kubas interactions with open transition metals, and orbital interactions involving Ca and other nontransitional metals. Hierarchical computational methods to enable the theoretical predictions are explained, from ab initio studies to molecular dynamics simulations using force field parameters. We also discuss the actual delivery amount of stored hydrogen, which depends on the charging and discharging conditions. The usefulness and practical significance of the hydrogen spillover mechanism in increasing the storage capacity are presented as well.

Recent research progress in developing metal-doped porous matrices for hydrogen storage

The lack of fuels and the increasing pollution caused by fossil fuels have led to the quest for new efficient and clean energy. Hydrogen is recognized as an ideal substitute for conventional sources of energy. However, traditional methods for hydrogen storage have some disadvantages, so hydrogen has not been available for industrial or commercial use. Porous materials with high surface areas are actively being developed as promising candidates for hydrogen storage. Recent advances in the application of porous matrices with doped-metals have shown superiority over net porous materials in hydrogen storage. The progress towards hydrogen storage in these metal-doped materials is reviewed. A spillover effect, which enhances hydrogen storage using metal elements, is also discussed. Suggestions to the further enhancement of efficiency of hydrogen storage are given.

Photovoltaic Production of Hydrogen at Stratospheric Altitude

This paper compares hydrogen production by photovoltaic powered electrolysis of water at sea level and at low stratospheric altitudes up to 21 km. All the hydrogen production processes have been considered from catchable solar radiation to storage technologies. The evaluation has been performed for 1 m2 of flat horizontal plane. It has been considered the electric energy amount produced by considering the equilibrium temperature of photovoltaic (PV) modules and its evolution due to external temperature and solar radiation. Hydrogen production through electrolysis has been evaluated too. Two different methods of hydrogen storage have been evaluated: high pressure compression up to 20 MPa and the liquefaction process. The energetic cost of both production processes has been evaluated. The comparison is presented in terms of effective energy deliverable to final users considered in terms of HHV. This evaluation considers also, in the case of the liquefaction process the energy which can be recovered by the regasification process.

Evaluation of a thermally-driven metal-hydride-based hydrogen compressor

Currently, the hydrogen storage method used aboard fuel cell electric vehicles utilizes pressures up to 70 MPa. Attaining such high pressures requires mechanical gas compression or hydrogen liquefaction followed by heating to form a high-pressure gas, and these processes add to the cost and reduce the energy efficiency of a hydrogen fueling system. In previous work we have evaluated the use of high-pressure electrolysis, in which hydrogen is generated from water and the electrolyzer boosts the hydrogen pressure to values from 13 to 45 MPa. While electrolytic compression is a novel and energy efficient method to produce high-pressure hydrogen, it has several limitations at present and will require more development work. Another concept is to use hydrogen absorbing alloys that form metal hydrides, in combination with a heat engine (hot and cold reservoirs), to drive a cyclic process in which hydrogen gas is absorbed and desorbed to compress hydrogen. Furthermore, by using a thermally-driven compressor, the hot and cold reservoirs can be obtained using renewable energy such as sunlight for heating together with ambient air or water for cooling. In this work we evaluated the thermodynamics and kinetics of a prototype metal hydride hydrogen compressor (MHHC) built for us by a research group in China. The compressor utilized a hydrogen input pressure of approximately 14 MPa, and, operating between an initial temperature of approximately 300 K and a final temperature of 400 K, a pressure of approximately 41 MPa was attained. In a series of experiments with those conditions the average compression ratio for a single-stage compression was approximately three. In the initial compression cycles, up to 300 g of hydrogen was compressed for each 100 K temperature cycle. The enthalpy of the metallic-alloy-hydriding reaction was found to be approximately 20.5 kJ per mole of H2, determined by measuring the pressure composition isotherm at three temperatures and using a Van't Hoff plot. The thermodynamic efficiency of the compressor, as measured by the value of the compression work performed divided by the heat energy added and removed in one complete cycle, was determined via first and second law analyses. The Carnot efficiency was approximately 25%, the first law efficiency was approximately 3–5%, and the second law efficiency was approximately 12–20%, depending on the idealized compression cycle used to assign a value to the compression work, as well as other assumptions. These efficiencies compare favorably with values reported for other thermally-driven compressors.

Hydrogen from sodium borohydride and fossil source: An energetic and economical comparison

In this paper, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is examined as a method of hydrogen storage and transport, and compared with hydrogen obtained from fossil sources. This chemical hydride has a very high storage density capability due to its large hydrogen content. Hydrogen is released as the main product of the reaction of NaBH4 with water, with sodium metaborate (NaBO2) as a by-product. The main disadvantage of the process is the production cost of the borohydride.In this paper, an economic analysis is carried out of the production, storage and transport of hydrogen from NaBH4 and from fossil fuels.Finally, a comparison is presented between various vehicles fuelled by petrol, hydrogen and sodium borohydride.

Challenges in hydrogen adsorptions: from physisorption to chemisorption

In this short review, we will briefly discuss the story of hydrogen storage, its impact on clean energy application, especially the challenges of using hydrogen adsorption for onboard application. After a short comparison of the main methods of hydrogen storage (high pressure tank, metal hydride and adsorption), we will focus our discussion on adsorption of hydrogen in graphitic carbon based large surface area adsorbents including carbon nanotubes, graphene and metal organic frameworks. The mechanisms, advantages, disadvantages and recent progresses will be discussed and reviewed for physisorption, metal-assisted storage and chemisorption. In the last section, we will discuss hydrogen spillover chemisorption in detail for the mechanism, status, challenges and perspectives. We hope to present a clear picture of the present technologies, challenges and the perspectives of hydrogen storage for the future studies.

Electrochemical Hydriding of Mg-Based Alloys

Mg-based alloys are prospective materials for reversible hydrogen storage in the form of metallic hydrides. Usually, hydrogen saturation is carried out at high temperatures and high hydrogen pressures. This is the reason for the high cost of metallic hydrides in comparison with other hydrogen storage methods. Electrochemical hydriding, on the other hand, can be realized at room temperature. Moreover, this process does not need any hydrogen atmosphere. In the presented work, electrochemical hydriding of several Mg-Ni-Mm-based alloys (Mm = mishmetal) is performed. Hydriding efficiency, mechanism and kinetics are described. It is shown that the additions of Ni, Mm and the formation of eutectic structures support hydriding of alloys.

Hydrogen generation by aluminum corrosion in aqueous alkaline solutions of inorganic promoters: The AlHidrox process

The research of alternative processes to obtain clean fuels has become a main issue because of the concerns related to the current energy system, both from economical and environmental points of view. Hydrogen storage and production methods are being investigated for stationary and portable applications. Up to now, a significant part of H 2 production on demand was thought to be fulfilled by using chemical hydrides, but recent studies have proved the limitations of this approach. Conversely, H 2 production based in the corrosion of light metals in water solutions is an interesting alternative. Among all of them, Al is probably the most adequate metal for energetic purposes due to its high electron density and oxidation potential. But concerning H 2 production from Al corrosion in water, a major issue remains unsolved: metal passivation due to the formation of Al(OH) 3 inhibits H 2 evolution. In this work we show the last results obtained for the generation of H 2 from water using Al powder using diverse alkaline solutions. It is confirmed that corrosion is not affected solely by the solution pH but also by the nature of the ionic species found in the aqueous medium. Moreover, we describe the AlHidrox process, which minimizes Al passivation under mild conditions by the addition of different inorganic salts as corrosion promoters, allowing 100% yields and flow rates up to 2.9 L/min per gram of Al. The feasibility of the process has been regarded in terms of stability (by conducting several successive runs) and self-initiation without an external heating.

The Method of High-Density Hydrogen Storage and Transportation

The Method of High-Density Hydrogen Storage and Transportation

Analiza procesów magazynowania biowodoru jako paliwa

Possibilities of biohydrogen fuel storing were represented. Hydrogen can be store in gas, liquid, or constant form. Technological, material, and economic hydrogen storing determinates were shown. Experiments and researches on finding optimal hydrogen storage methods have been taken into consideration.