Effect of fin material type and reactor inclination angle on hydrogen adsorption process in large-scale activated carbon-based heat storage system

• Published in: Journal of energy storage 2024-09, Vol.98, p.113091, Article 113091
• Main Authors: Chibani, Atef, Boucetta, Chahrazed, Haddad, Mohammed Amin Nassim, Merouani, Slimane, Adjel, Samir, Merabet, Safia, Laidoudi, Houssem, Bougriou, Cherif
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dubinin-Asatkhov (D-A); Heat and mass transfer; Hydrogen storage; Melting; Phase change material (PCM)
• ISSN: 2352-152X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.est.2024.113091

This numerical study investigates the optimization of heat transfer within a large scale activated carbon (AC: AX-21) reactor for hydrogen storage through the integration of paraffin RT22HC as the phase change material (PCM) with four types of metal fins: Aluminum (Al), Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), and Titanium (Ti). A 2D numerical model developed using ANSYS Fluent 14.0, sub-models for adsorption were incorporated, based on elements of Dubinin-Asatkhov (D-A) adsorption isotherms and kinetics, to analyze temperature variations, heat flux densities, and melting fractions during hydrogen adsorption and PCM melting. The significance of this work lies in examining the combined effects of different fin materials and reactor inclination angles (0°, 45°, 90°) on the cooling performance of the PCM paraffin RT22HC especially in large-scale system AC systems. The aim is to identify optimal design and operational parameters that enhance energy storage performance. Results highlight the significant impact of metal fins, particularly Copper fins, which exhibited the highest melting fraction of PCM and enhanced heat transfer performance. Copper fins led to a substantial increase in the melting fraction of PCM by approximately 30 % compared to AC reactor without fins leading to enhancement ratio of 71 %. The examination of tilting angle variations (0°, 45°, 90°) during hydrogen adsorption has a small effect on PCM fusion rates, with subtle effects observed in the distribution of gravitational forces and natural convection patterns within the system. The findings highlight the importance of material selection, design considerations, and operational scale in achieving optimal energy storage solutions. •The design of the reactor for hydrogen storage has improved the amount of hydrogen adsorbed.•The use of phase change materials is very important in energy economy.•Improving the efficiency and thermal performance of the thermal reactor for industrial use.