Hydrogen storage in branch mini-channel metal hydride reactor: Optimization design, sensitivity analysis and quadratic regression

Metal hydride is an encouraging way for H-2 storage owing to the large H-2 storage capacity and suitable physical properties. As a crucial equipment for reversible chemical reaction of metal hydride, we propose a new branch mini-channel reactor to promote heat transfer and reaction effectively in H-2 storage reactor, which can reduce more than 55% hydrogenation/dehydrogenation time compared with straight tube reactor. Meanwhile, the optimal performance of both reactors could be achieved at branch number of 3 and center distance of branch bifurcation point of 8.5 mm. The optimal and sensitivity analysis of 6 operation conditions reveal that both reactors performances are most sensitive to H-2 pressure and fluid temperature for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation, respectively. Moreover, quadratic response surface analysis indicates an extremely marked impact (99% believable probability) on the regression model, whose regression coefficient (R-2) could achieve 0.9955. (C) 2021 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Research shows that using metal hydride for hydrogen storage has potential advantages, and the new branch mini-channel reactor can significantly reduce hydrogenation/dehydrogenation time, achieving more efficient reactions. Analysis of the optimal performance of operating conditions reveals that hydrogen pressure and fluid temperature have the most significant impacts on reactor performance.