GB2086362A - A system for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen, and hydridable materials therefor - Google Patents

A system for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen, and hydridable materials therefor Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2086362A
GB2086362A GB8132389A GB8132389A GB2086362A GB 2086362 A GB2086362 A GB 2086362A GB 8132389 A GB8132389 A GB 8132389A GB 8132389 A GB8132389 A GB 8132389A GB 2086362 A GB2086362 A GB 2086362A
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spherule
hydrogen
hydridable
particulate
spherules
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GB8132389A
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GB2086362B (en
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UK Atomic Energy Authority
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UK Atomic Energy Authority
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    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01BNON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
    • C01B3/0005Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes ; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes
    • C01B3/001Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes ; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes characterised by the uptaking medium; Treatment thereof
    • C01B3/0078Composite solid storage mediums, i.e. coherent or loose mixtures of different solid constituents, chemically or structurally heterogeneous solid masses, coated solids or solids having a chemically modified surface region
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01BNON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
    • C01B3/0005Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes ; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes
    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01BNON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
    • C01B3/0005Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes ; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes
    • C01B3/001Reversible uptake of hydrogen by an appropriate medium, i.e. based on physical or chemical sorption phenomena or on reversible chemical reactions, e.g. for hydrogen storage purposes ; Reversible gettering of hydrogen; Reversible uptake of hydrogen by electrodes characterised by the uptaking medium; Treatment thereof
    • C01B3/0084Solid storage mediums characterised by their shape, e.g. pellets, sintered shaped bodies, sheets, porous compacts, spongy metals, hollow particles, solids with cavities, layered solids
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02EREDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/32Hydrogen storage

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Solid-Sorbent Or Filter-Aiding Compositions (AREA)

Abstract

The invention provides a system for the cyclic absorption and desorption of hydrogen, in which a bed 16 in the form of a multiplicity of particulate hydridable spherules 15 is contained in a hollow cylinder 10. An expansion space 17 is provided in the cylinder 10 to accept the expansion of the bed 16 as the hydridable material in the spherules 15 absorbs hydrogen to form a metallic hydride. The spherules 15 are manufactured by one of several routes in which the particulate hydridable material is retained in the spherules 15 by a deformable binder. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A system for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen, and hydridable materials therefor This invention relates to hydridable materials which are capable of absorbing and desorbing hydrogen in response to changes in temperature and hydrogen pressure.
With the expected shortage of fossil fuels in the foreseeable future, there is an interest in energy systems that can use alternative fuels, and hydrogen is one of the fuels that is currently receiving attention. In order to overcome the weight problem associated with the storage of hydrogen at high pressure in storage cylinders, the use of metallic hydrides has been proposed. A review of some of the more immediate applications of metallic hydrides, and the technical and economic limitations of such applications, has been made by F. E. Lynch, Denver Research Institute and E. Snape, M.P.D. Technology Corporation, in a paper entitled "The Role of Metal Hydrides in Hydrogen Storage and Utilisation" and presented at the 2nd World Hydrogen Conference, Zurich, 1978,pp. 1475 et seq.
A typical application for such metallic hydrides relates to the use of a bed of the metallic hydride in a vessel which is subjected to hydrogen pressure changes, and one of the problems associated with such beds is that repeated hydrogen sorption/desorption cycling of the metallic hydride involves volume changes that can cause bulging or rupture of the vessel and comminution of the metallic hydride into finely divided particles, referred to as "fines". Some of the fines sink through the bed, and produce a compaction of the lower portion of the bed, which reduces the permeability of that portion of the bed and worsens the expansion problem.
The invention therefore provides in a first aspect, a spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and comprising particulate hydridable material dispersed in a deformable binder.
The spherules of the first aspect of the invention may be manufactured by a method which constitutes the second aspect of the invention, the method including, forming a slurry comprising particulate hydridable material in a liquid containing deformable binder material in solution, forming droplets from the slurry, and contacting the droplets with a reagent so as to produce from the droplets spherules comprising the particulate hydridable material disposed in a precipitated deformable binder.
Alternatively, the spherules of the first aspect of the invention may be manufactured by a method in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, the method including forming a viscous mixture comprising particulate hydridable material and deformable binder material, and forming spherules of the mixture by orbital spheroidisation thereof.
Spherules of the invention have an application in a system for the cycle absorption and desorption of hydrogen and which constitutes the fourth aspect of the invention, the system comprising a chamber, a bed in the chamber and comprising a multiplicity of spherules comprising particulate hydridable material dispersed in a deformable binder, the bed partially filling the chamber in the dehydrided state of the hydridable material to provide a space above the bed to receive expansion of the bed during hydrogen sorption by the hydridable material, and port means for the chamber for the flow of hydrogen from and into the chamber.
The hydridable material might comprise FeTi,,Mn,,, Ca Ni5, or Mg2Ni, and the binder preferably comprises an organic material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), an air hardening polymer or an alginate, the binder and the hydridable material being selected inter alia to suit the temperature range at which the hydridable material is to be used.
The system of the invention by providing a bed in the form of a multiplicity of spherules can accommodate volume changes thereof by allowing the spherules to move relative to each other during the hydrogen sorption/desorption cycle, so that expansion of the bed to a substantial extent can be unidirectional and into an expansion space in the chamber. Furthermore, local deformation of adjacent spherules may occur at their points of contact, and the interstices between adjacent spherules can accept some of the expansion of the spherules. As a result, the lateral pressure exerted by the bed on the walls of the chamber should be less than that exerted by a solid bed of hydridable material in the chamber.
Fines should be retained in the spherules, but if small quantities of fines do escape from the spherules, the interstices between the spherules should allow the fines to settle without packing the lower portion of the bed.
The system of the invention has one application in which a relatively small cylinder containing a bed of a metallic hydride is used for a laboratory, workshop, or self-propelled vehicle as a source of hydrogen, the spent metallic hydride subsequently being recharged with hydrogen from a small scale electrolysis unit.
The invention will now be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side view in median section of a system for the cycle absorption and desorption of hydrogen, and Figure 1 a shows to an enlarged scale a median sectional view of a spherule in the system of Figure 1.
Referring now to Figure 1, the system comprises a pressure vessel in the form of a small cylinder 10 defining a chamber 11 and having a nozzle 1 2 controlled by a valve 1 3. A multiplicity of spherules 1 5 are packed in contiguous relationship inside the chamber 11 to provide a bed 16 and leave a space 17 above the bed 16 in the chamber 11. Each spherule 15, as shown in Figure 1 a to which reference is made, comprises particulate hydridable material 20 dispersed in a matrix of a deformable binder material 21.
In operation, with the cylinder 10 held vertically as shown, the chamber 11 is charged with pressurized gaseous hydrogen which is absorbed by the hydridable material 20 as it reacts exothermically with the hydrogen to form a metallic hydride and is accompanied by an expansion of the hydridable material 20 and thus of the spherules 1 5. This expansion causes internal mobility within the bed 1 6 as the spherules 1 5 move relative to each other, with the result that the bed 1 6 expands into the space 1 7 in the chamber 11.Some local deformation might also occur at the point of contact of contiguous spherules 1 5. Subsequently, when the valve 13 is opened to reduce the hydrogen pressure, decomposition of the metallic hydride occurs, desorbing hydrogen which is discharged through the nozzle 12. During this decomposition phase, the spherules 1 5 contract and the level of the bed 1 6 falls in the chamber 11. The cycle of hydrogen absorption/desorption can be repeated as and when required by a user. A heat transfer circuit (not shown) may be fitted inside the cylinder 10 to dissipate excess heat when the hydridable material 20 is charged rapidly with hydrogen.
Conveniently, the hydrogen supply for charging the spherules 1 5 might be from an electrolysis unit located either at the user's establishment, or at some central recharging depot to which the cylinders 10 would be returned.
Suitable spherules 1 5 might be from about 2 mm to 10 mm diameter, and the hydridable material might comprise FeTiO 8MnO 2t Cants, or Mg2Ni.
Some suitable binder materials will now be described by way of example only in the following examples of methods of manufacturing spherules for the system of Figure 1.
EXAMPLE I A sample of 2 grammes Cants powder (^100 ,zm particle size) was prepared by hydriding and dehydriding the alloy. The powder was then stirred into 10 ml of 1% aqueous ammonium alginate containing zinc ions, and the resulting slurry added dropwise into 0.1 M CaCI2 solution to produce spherules of about 2 mm diameter comprising particulate Cants bound together by precipitated calcium alginate. The spherules were vacuum dried at 1 000C, and were found to have the original hydridation characteristic of the Cants, and to retain their sphericity during hydriding and dehydriding of the spherules.
This example was repeated using FeTi0,8Mn0,2, and Mg2Ni, as the hydridable material with similar results.
EXAMPLE II A sample of Cants 100 ym powder was prepared as described in Example I, and mixed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) emulsion to form a slurry which was subsequently formed into 10 mm diameter spherules by orbital spheroidisation. The spherules were subsequently vacuum dried at 1 000C. The basic orbital spheroidisation procedure is described in British Patent Specifications Nos. 992237 and 1033143 which are incorporated by reference herein and to which reference should be made.
This example was repeated using FeTiO 8MnO 2 as the hydridable material.
EXAMPLE Ill A sample of Cants 100 ym powder was prepared as described in Example I, and mixed with an air hardening polymer (e.g. Araldite) having a hardening period of about one hour. The mixture was formed into 10 mm diameter spherules by orbital spheroidisation as described in Example II while the polymer remained in a viscous state.
This example was repeated using FeTiO8MnO2 as the hydridable material.
It will be understood that alternative hydridable and binder materials might be used to those aforedescribed, and that the spherules of the invention might be used in alternative systems for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen

Claims (27)

1. A spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and comprising particulate hydridable material disposed in a deformable binder.
2. A spherule as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the binder comprises an organic material.
3. A spherule as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the organic material is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, an air hardening polymer, or an alginate.
4. A spherule as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the hydridable material is selected from the group consisting of FeTiO 8MnO.2, Cants, or Mg2Ni.
5. A spherule as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the particulate hydridable material has a particle size of about 100,us.
6. A spherule as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the spherule is between 2 mm to 10 mm diameter.
7. A method of manufacturing a spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and comprising particulate hydridable material disposed in a deformable binder, the method comprising.
forming a slurry comprising particulate hydridable material in a iiquid containing deformable binder material in solution, forming droplets from the slurry, and contacting the droplets with a reagent so as to produce from the droplets spherules comprising the particulate hydridable material disposed in a precipitated deformable binder.
8. A method as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the precipitated deformable binder comprises an organic material.
9. A method as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the organic material comprises an alginate.
10. A method as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the deformable binder material in solution comprises 1% aqueous ammonium alginate containing zinc ions.
11. A method of manufacturing a spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and comprising particulate hydridable material disposed in a deformable binder, the method comprising forming a viscous mixture comprising particulate hydridable material and deformable binder material, and forming spherules of the mixture by orbital spheroidisation thereof.
12. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the binder material comprises an organic material.
13. A method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the organic material comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.
14. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 11 to 13, including subsequently vacuum drying the spherules.
15. A method as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the organic material comprises an air hardening polymer.
1 6. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 15, wherein the particulate hydridable material is selected from the group consisting of FeTi0,8Mn0,2, Cants, or Mg2Ni.
17. A method as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 16, wherein the particulate hydridable material has a particle size of about 100 Mm.
1 8. A spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and made by the method as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 17.
19. A spherule as claimed in Claim 18, the spherule being between 2 mm and 10 mm diameter.
20. A spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 a of the accompanying drawing.
21. A method of manufacturing a spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Example I, or Example II, or Example Ill.
22. A spherule for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and made by the method as claimed in Claim 21.
23. A system for the cyclic absorption and desorption of hydrogen, the system comprising a chamber, a bed in the chamber and comprising a multiplicity of spherules as claimed in any one of, Claims 1 to 6 or Claims 1 8 to 20 or Claim 22, the bed partially filling the chamber in the dehydrided state of the hydridable material in the spherules to provide a space above the bed to receive expansion of the bed during hydrogen sorption by the hydridable material, and port means for the chamber for the flow of hydrogen from and into the chamber.
24. A system as claimed in Claim 23, including a heat transfer means in the chamber, for the extraction of heat from the chamber.
25. A system as claimed in Claim 23 or Claim 24, wherein the chamber is defined by an interchangeable pressure vessel.
26. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 25, including an electrolysis means for recharging the hydridable material with hydrogen.
27. A self-propelled vehicle arranged to be fueled with hydrogen by a system as claimed in any one of Claims 23 to 25 or Claim 27.
27. A system for the cyclic absorption and desorption of hydrogen. substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 and Figure 1 a of the accompanying drawing.
GB8132389A 1980-11-04 1981-10-27 A system for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and hydridable materials therefor Expired GB2086362B (en)

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GB8132389A GB2086362B (en) 1980-11-04 1981-10-27 A system for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and hydridable materials therefor

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GB8132389A GB2086362B (en) 1980-11-04 1981-10-27 A system for absorbing and desorbing hydrogen and hydridable materials therefor

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Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2529097A1 (en) * 1982-06-28 1983-12-30 Getters Spa SORPTION BALLS OF HYDROGEN ISOTOPES, AND METHOD FOR THEIR USE
DE102006042456A1 (en) * 2006-09-09 2008-03-27 Volkswagen Ag Metal hydride hydrogen reservoir, especially for fuel cell in automobile, comprises pressure-resistant storage container partially filled with metal hydride
USD949559S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949569S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949558S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949557S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD955743S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-06-28 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD955742S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-06-28 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD969489S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-11-15 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD970216S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-11-22 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD1000838S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2023-10-10 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
WO2023217964A1 (en) * 2022-05-11 2023-11-16 Gkn Powder Metallurgy Engineering Gmbh Hydrogen storage device

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2529097A1 (en) * 1982-06-28 1983-12-30 Getters Spa SORPTION BALLS OF HYDROGEN ISOTOPES, AND METHOD FOR THEIR USE
DE102006042456A1 (en) * 2006-09-09 2008-03-27 Volkswagen Ag Metal hydride hydrogen reservoir, especially for fuel cell in automobile, comprises pressure-resistant storage container partially filled with metal hydride
USD969489S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-11-15 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD970216S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-11-22 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949558S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949557S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD955743S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-06-28 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD955742S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-06-28 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949559S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD949569S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2022-04-26 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD990889S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2023-07-04 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD1000838S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2023-10-10 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD1016485S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2024-03-05 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD1015743S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2024-02-27 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD1016483S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2024-03-05 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
USD1016484S1 (en) 2020-12-23 2024-03-05 Yeti Coolers, Llc Suitcase
WO2023217964A1 (en) * 2022-05-11 2023-11-16 Gkn Powder Metallurgy Engineering Gmbh Hydrogen storage device

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