Devices for producing hydrogen via NaBH4 and LiH hydrolysis

Chemical hydrides have already been pointed out as great potential hydrogen storage materials. In this paper, the hydrolysis of two solid hydrides, namely sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and lithium hydride (LiH) was studied to check their performance as hydrogen generators. The simplicity of the reactor design, the absence of high pressure or very high temperatures as well as the benignity of the spent fuel make this hydrogen storage approach conceptually feasible. Several devices have been developed and tested. The devices have been designed to generate hydrogen flows in the 0.5–1.0 L min−1 range. Batches up to 500 g of sodium borohydride powder were hydrolyzed with liquid water. 10.0 wt. % nickel acetate was used as catalyst. Hydrogen flows in the desired range have been continuously produced for several hours (up to 30 h). Due to the high reactivity lithium hydride was hydrolyzed without any catalyst. In this case batches of about 50 g have been hydrolyzed with steam for 4 h.