Hydrogen generation in an annular micro-reactor: An experimental investigation and reaction modelling by shrinking core model (SCM)

Abstract

Hydrogen can be one of the key elements as source of future energy requirement. Water splitting reaction is an important route for generation of hydrogen as maximum fraction of hydrogen constitute in water. The present work describes the experimental investigation for generation of hydrogen through water splitting reaction in flow conditions with the aid of metal aluminum and sodium hydroxide as an activator. The hydrogen generation through water splitting reaction at various concentrations of NaOH, viz. 0.5 N and 1 N and the flow rates ranging from 0.2 to 10 ml/min was studied. The yield of hydrogen generated is reported for each NaOH concentration and flow rate. The yield of hydrogen generated at all the considered concentrations and flow rates was found to be greater than 98 %. The shrinking core model has been modified and developed for predicting the conversion of aluminum in the reaction system as per the prevailing conditions and rate controlling mechanism. The RMSE value of predicted conversion of Al was found to be 0.0351 which signify that the model agrees well with the experimental data.