Hydrogen generation by reaction of molten aluminum with water steam

•Hydrogen generation by the water steam bubbling through the Al melt was studied.•The hydrogen generation regimes were analyzed.•The maximum hydrogen yield of 40% was reached.

Possibility of effective hydrogen generation by the water steam barbotage through the aluminum melt was demonstrated experimentally. The reactor was created and a burner device with the volumetric matrix was used for melting of aluminum and generation of water steam in the reactor. The hydrogen generation regimes were analyzed. The maximum hydrogen yield of 40% was reached for steam flow rate not above than 0.01 g/s. Admixture of 10wt % KOH in aluminum increased the hydrogen yield up to 100%. The comparative experiments with air bubbling through water were carried out and it was shown that the principal limitation on the hydrogen generation efficiency for higher steam flow rates was caused by development of the bubbling instability such as a coalescence of steam bubbles and occurrence of the steam breakthrough through the melt.