Effects of heat exchanger design on the performance of a solid state hydrogen storage device

• A new heat exchanger design for solid state hydrogen storage device is presented.
• Circular radial fins are used to enhance the heat transfer rate.
• The experimental results show a good agreement with the numerical results.
• Hydrogen supply pressure and fluid temperature have great impact on charging time.
• Influences of different fin configuration on charging time are investigated.

Heat exchanger design plays a significant role in the performance of solid state hydrogen storage device. In the present study, a cylindrical hydrogen storage device with an embedded annular heat exchanger tube with radial circular copper fins, is considered. A 3-D mathematical model of the storage device is developed to investigate the sorption performance of metal hydride (MH). A prototype of the device is fabricated for 1 kg of MH alloy, LaNi5, and tested at constant supply pressure of hydrogen, validating the simulation results. Absorption characteristics of storage device have been examined by varying different operating parameters such as hydrogen supply pressure and cooling fluid temperature and velocity. Absorption process is completed in 18 min when these parameters are 15 bar, 298 K and 1 m/s respectively. A study of geometric parameters of copper fins (such as perforation, number and thickness of fin) has been carried out to investigate their effects on absorption process.

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