Hydrogen Storage
Hydrogen can be stored physically as either a gas or a liquid. Storage of hydrogen as a gas typically requires high-pressure tanks. Storage of hydrogen as a liquid requires cryogenic temperatures. Hydrogen can also be stored on the surfaces of solids, or within solids. Unlike electricity it can also be stored in large amounts for extended periods of time. For that reason, hydrogen produced on an industrial scale could play an important part in the energy transition.
Physical Compression using electromechanical equipment
- Expensive to store by Physical Compression until liquefication, as it needs to reach 5,000 psi in a conventional tank
- Preventative maintenance of the pressure release mechanism (valve) in conventional tanks to avoid thermal incidents
- Inefficient from a displacement standpoint as, given that 852L of H2 gas compress to approximately 1L of liquid H2, it would require quite a large tank in order for a significant amount of Energy to be stored
Metal-Hydride Hydrogen compressors
- Low pressure Hydrogen is inserted to the metal-hydride powder filled cylinder
- After the cylinder fills up, the cylinder is heated with a temperature differential of at least 303,3 K (As the ΔΤ rises, so does the compression ratio)
- Heating continues as high-pressure Hydrogen is exerted
- The Cylinder then cools down and the process is repeated
- High reliability rates as there are virtually no moving parts
- The Heat transfer fluid can be Water, SH Water, Oil, Steam and so on
Metal-Hydride tanks
- Absorption of Hydrogen atoms as well as any impurities within the composite’s spaces
- Safe delivery of Hydrogen at a constant pressure value
- The total amount of stored Hydrogen could account for 1% - 7%, depending on the Thermal exposure
- Life expectancy is directly affected by the –to be stored- Hydrogen purity (Industrial Electrolysers produce with a 99.8% purity rate)
In-compound storage
Hydrogen can also be stored in Ammonia due to the fact that 3 Hydrogen atoms are binded to each Ammonia molecule.
