Hydrogen Institute: Overview of hydrogen research at the Institute

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Hydrogen Institute Overview of hydrogen research
at the Institute

Dr. Tapan K. Bose
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The Hydrogen Research Institute
Safety
Uses
Web site http//www.irh.uqtr.ca
Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
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Research Activities

• Hydrogen Storage
• Carbon adsorption
• Metal Hydrides
• Magnetic refregiration
• Hydrogen Safety
• Simulations
• Non destructive tests
• Uses
• Renewable energy
• Engine test bench

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H2 Storage activities at the Hydrogen Research
Institute
Activated carbon adsorption

• Up to 8 wt H2 at 77 K and 3.5 MPa on activated
  carbon (HRI)

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Advanced Carbon Nano-Structures
RD Status

• Preparation and acquisition of nanocarbon samples
  synthesized by different methods
• Development of opening and activation methods for
  optimum hydrogen adsorption
• Structural characterization of the nanocarbons
• Determination of the hydrogen storage capacities
  of the nanocarbons under ambient and non-ambient
  pressure and temperature conditions
• Determine the nature and kinetics of the involved
  adsorption processes
• Investigate the reversibility (cycling) of the
  nanocarbons and the effects of impurities
• H2 uptake at room temperature and 1 bar is below
  1 wt
• H2 uptake at cryogenic temperature is higher but
  still below that of activated carbon
• Doped nanocarbons show improved H2 uptake,
  however they desorb at higher temperature
• Efforts underway to synthesize new hybrid
  nanomaterial

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Metal Hydride Storage

• They have inherent safety and volume density
  advantages over compressed H2 storage.
• Current metal hydride systems 1.5-6.5 wt. H2
• Operate at 25 oC- 300 oC .
• Primary challenge is thermal management.
• DOE goal
• 5.5 wt. H2 at lt 100 oC.
• Activities at HRI
• Aging and thermal studies of metal hydride
  pellets (300-700K, 0.001-50 bars).
• Powder compaction.
• Optimization of reservoir design using finite
  volume simulations.
• Hydrogen storage material development and
  crystal structure characterizations

IRH, Hydride container
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Magnetic refrigeration

• Conventional H2 liquefiers are only viable for
  large scale production.
• Objective
• To develop more efficient and cost-effective
  small-scale H2 liquefiers as an alternative to
  vapor-compression cycles using magnetic
  refrigeration (adiabatic magnetization).
• Benefits of MR
• High efficiency (50 more).
• Compactness.
• Reliability.
• Activities (present and future)
• Development of optimized magnetic refrigerants
  (large magnetocaloric effect).
• Performance simulations of magnetic refrigerants.
• Design of a magnetic liquefier.

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Hydrogen Safety some applications
Vapor cloud dispersion from a large spill of
liquid hydrogen
Simulation domaine
Hydrogen leak from a hydrogen storage underneath
a car
Hydrogen flare simulation
Hydrogen vapor Cloud explosion in the presence of
an obstacle
HRI contribution
Hydrogen Leak from the fueling port of a bus
during refuelling
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NON-DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION AND MATERIALS
COMPATIBILITY FOR ON-BOARD STORAGE OF HYDROGEN

• The aim of this work is the development of
  ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE)
  methods to test the structural integrity of
  hydrogen storage cylinders for transportation
  applications.
• This includes the use of advanced signal analysis
  techniques such as
• SAFT (Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique)
• QFD (Quasi-Frequency Diversity )
• Wavelet transform
• Spectrogram
• The inspection potential of Lamb and Rayleigh
  waves (guided waves) for the rapid inspection of
  reservoirs is also investigated.

Ultrasonic squirter system performing a 3D
inspection
Lamb wave inspection of small defects analysed
with SAFT
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Hydrogen Utilization R D activities Wind -
Hydrogen Project
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R D on Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine

• Infrastructure
• 20 m2 Test chamber, engine preparation room and
  equipments, 150hp dynamometer, NOx analyzer, HC
  analyzer, Hydrogen supply system.
• Main goals
• Develop technologies for HICEs used in
  transportation and stationaray electrical power
  generation.
• Develop technologies and expertise in engine
  conversions.
• Develop control system for multi-fuel.

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Conclusions

• An elegant solution to the storage problem of H2
  is one of the most important issue.
• Penetration of hydrogen technologies in the
  market requires
• Finding niche applications
• Creating demonstration projects (to lower the
  perception of risk)
• Safety studies and establishing new norms and
  regulations.
• Hydrogen technologies are emerging, need to get
  involved Now.

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Magnetic refrigeration Comparison of Mechanical
and Magnetic Liquefaction systems

• Mechanical liquefaction systems
• Refrigeration is produced by compression and
  expansion cycles of a working gas.
• Compressors and expansion engines have low
  efficiencies and are barriers to substantial
  improvements of conventional liquefier
  efficiency.
• Magnetic liquefaction systems
• Solid magnetic substances are used instead of a
  working gas, and a magnetic field H is used
  instead of the compressor and the expander in
  order to produce refrigeration.
• Basic MR cycle is similar to the mechanical cycle.