Modeling of heat and mass transfer in LaNi5 matrix during hydrogen absorption-desorption cycle

Abstract

Packed bed reactors using metal hydride are attracting a lot of attention as potential hydrogen storage systems. Some operational and design variables are major constraints to obtain a proper inflow/outflow of hydrogen into a metal hydride reactor. These variables include packed bed thermal conductivity, porosity, pressure and temperature distributions in the reactor during the absorption/desorption cycle. They also cause a mechanical stress induced by temperature gradient. In this paper, two dimensional models are implemented in COMSOL multiphysics to simulate the hydrogen flow, pressure and temperature distributions in the packed bed reactor during absorption/desorption cycle. Also, stresses in porous metal hydride induced by temperature variation in the heating/cooling cycle were evaluated. A possible effect of stress induced, porosity changes on diffusion and heating of hydrogen in both radial and axial direction in packed bed is discussed. The model consists of a system of partial differential equations (PDE) describing structural mechanics of stress, heat and mass transfer of hydrogen in the porous matrix of the packed bed reactor.