Parallel Unit Hydrogen Storage With Gravity-Driven Thermal Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hydrogen storage systems face challenges in maintaining uniform temperature control and efficiency as storage container sizes increase, leading to deviations in temperature and reduced performance in solid hydrogen storage schemes.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogen storage system with multiple unit storage containers connected in parallel, utilizing a thermal fluid line that passes through them to uniformly control temperature and minimize thermal fluid load, leveraging gravitational flow to reduce pumping needs and enhance heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the size of the storage container is increased to increase the amount of stored hydrogen, then the storage capacity is improved, but the temperature uniformity deteriorates and storage performance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The storage container is divided into multiple unit storage containers connected in parallel. Each unit container maintains uniform temperature distribution, allowing the system to achieve both high storage capacity and good temperature uniformity by combining multiple uniform temperature zones.
2Quantity of substance
If the size of the storage container is increased to increase the amount of stored hydrogen, then the storage capacity is improved, but the storage performance and efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The storage container is divided into multiple unit storage containers connected in parallel. Each unit container maintains uniform temperature distribution, allowing the system to achieve both high storage capacity and good temperature uniformity by combining multiple uniform temperature zones.
3Temperature
If a pump is used to supply thermal fluid for heating and cooling unit storage containers, then the temperature control is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal fluid line is arranged to utilize gravitational force for thermal fluid flow, eliminating the need for pumps in certain sections. The system achieves temperature control through natural convection and gravity-driven flow, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining effective heat transfer.
4Productivity
If the thermal fluid line is arranged to pass through multiple unit storage containers, then the heat exchange efficiency is improved, but the thermal fluid load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal fluid line is segmented into multiple sections that pass through different unit storage containers. This segmentation allows the thermal fluid to be distributed efficiently across multiple containers, improving overall heat exchange efficiency while managing thermal fluid load through parallel flow paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances storage performance and efficiency by uniformly controlling temperature across multiple containers, minimizing thermal fluid load and heat loss, and optimizing energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
cause the thermal fluid supplied along a thermal fluid line to drop and flow due to a gravitational force
Implementation Method 2
enhance heat exchange efficiency by the thermal fluid and minimize deviations of temperatures for heating and cooling the unit storage containers
Data Source
AI summary
A hydrogen storage system is disclosed and includes a storage unit including a plurality of unit storage containers, in which metal hydride materials are respectively provided in an interior thereof and which are connected to each other in parallel, and a thermal fluid line defining a thermal fluid passage, which passes via the plurality of unit storage containers continuously and through which a thermal fluid flows for heating or cooling the unit storage containers, thereby enhancing a storage performance and an efficiency of the hydrogen.