Energy Storage Science and Technology

   

Design of Titanium-based Hydride Hydrogen Storage Reactor and Numerical Study of Hydrogen Absorption and Desorption Process

Sizhe YUAN1(), Yuhao LIU2, Changying ZHAO1,2()   

  1. 1.China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 201306, China
    2.Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
  • Received:2025-04-09 Revised:2025-04-30
  • Contact: Changying ZHAO E-mail:sz.yuan@sjtu.edu.cn;changying.zhao@sjtu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Titanium-based hydrogen storage alloys have become a key research focus in the hydrogen storage field due to their high volumetric hydrogen storage density at room temperature, rapid hydrogen absorption and desorption response, low absorption and desorption pressures, abundant resources, and excellent reversibility. However, research on the regulation of hydrogen absorption and desorption rates in titanium-based metal hydride hydrogen storage reactors remains limited. To optimize hydrogen absorption and desorption performance, this study designs a titanium-based metal hydride hydrogen storage reactor that is easy to assemble and refill, with high heat transfer performance. The study fits the hydrogen absorption and desorption kinetic parameters of TiFe0.8Mn0.2 based on the Pressure-Composition-Temperature (P-C-T) curve and establishes a three-dimensional multiphysics simulation model that couples flow, heat transfer, and chemical reactions. This model accurately simulates the hydrogen absorption and desorption behavior under various temperature conditions. The study systematically analyzes the impact of key parameters, such as hydrogen inlet and outlet pressure, spacer distance, heat transfer fluid inlet temperature, and flow rate, on hydrogen absorption and desorption performance. The results show that under conditions of a hydrogen inlet pressure of 3 MPa, initial porosity of 0.4, and cooling fluid temperature of 15 ℃, the reactor reaches a volumetric hydrogen storage density of 55.4 g/L after saturation absorption. When the dimensionless time reaches 0.219, the metal hydride fraction reaches 0.95, demonstrating high energy density and fast reaction rates. Under hydrogen outlet pressure of 0.3 MPa and heating fluid temperature of 70 ℃, the desorbed hydrogen amount reaches 88.6 % of the saturated hydrogen absorption amount by the end of the reaction, and at a dimensionless time of 1, the desorbed hydrogen amount reaches 84.8 %. These findings provide valuable guidance for the design of large-scale hydrogen storage systems.

Key words: Reaction kinetics, numerical simulation, metal hydride reactor, heat transfer efficiency

CLC Number: