Metal hydride hydrogen storage tank for light fuel cell vehicle

Abstract

Abstract We describe a metal hydride (MH) hydrogen storage tank for light fuel cell vehicle application developed at HySA Systems. A multi-component AB2-type hydrogen storage alloy was produced by vacuum induction melting (10\xa0kg per a load) at our industrial-scale facility. The MH alloy has acceptable H sorption performance, including reversible H storage capacity up to ∼170 NL/kg (1.5\xa0wt% H). The cassette-type MH tank was made up of 2 cylindrical aluminium canisters with transversal internal copper fins and external aluminium fins for improving the heat exchange between the heating medium and the MH tank. Heat supply and removal was provided from the outside using air at T\xa0=\xa015–25\xa0°C. The MH tank was tested at the conditions of natural or forced (velocity ∼2\xa0m/s) air convection. The tests included H2 charge of the tank at P\xa0=\xa015–40\xa0bar and its discharge at P\xa0=\xa01\xa0bar. The tank in the H2 discharge mode was also tested together with open cathode low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (LT PEMFC).