Hydrogen Storage Technology for Zero-Emission Microgrid System and On-Board Applications

R&D Focus Areas:
Whole supply chain, Adsorbents, Emissions and atmospheric impacts

Lead Organisation:
University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney

Partners:
Griffith University, RMIT, National Taiwan University, Yuan Ze University, University of New Haven, South China University of Technology, National Central University, Impresario Investments, Digital Grid Future Institute, Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites (AMAC)

Status:
Active

Start date:
March 2020

Completion date:
Estimated March 2023

Key contacts:
Lead Investigator:  Professor Sammy Lap Ip Chan – sli.chan@unsw.edu.au
Investigator:  Dr. Ghazaleh Bahman Rokh – g.bahmanrokh@unsw.edu.au

Funding:
AUD$500,000 – Impresario Investments Limited
AUD$60,000 – Interdisciplinary Seed Funding Award 2021 (Digital Grid Future Institute)

Project total cost:
AUD$4,500,000 – Combined cash and in-kind contribution

Project summary description:
The project is focused on zero carbon-emission hydrogen technology, developing novel hydrogen storage systems for on-board, off-grid and remote area power supply (RAPS) applications. The focus of research is to apply solid-state materials and systems for hydrogen storage that can be a game-changer for the hydrogen economy.

Using hydrogen storage materials (HSMs) provides safer storage compared with compressed hydrogen gas as rapid release of hydrogen is impossible. Microstructure engineering, advanced catalytic theories and fabrication technology is applied to produce HSMs adoptable to hostile environments, variable charging conditions as characterised in on-board and RAPS applications.

The project aims to set up a reliable standalone, zero-emission RAPS prototype consisting of PV primary energy coupled to an electrolyser, low-pressure hydrogen storage subsystem and fuel cell, to meet the electricity consumption needs in remote areas. The RAPS systems will be installed to power three villages in Western Ghana. Furthermore, low cost (~$10/Kg), light weight, and fast adsorption/desorption (2–5 minutes) HSMs with storage gravimetric capacity of 1.1–4.0 wt.% at ambient conditions can be developed for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

Related publications and key links:
Li, I. Retita, J. Huang, S.L.I. Chan, Hydrogen Storage Capability of Porous Silicon Powder Fabricated from Al–Si Alloy, Materials Chemistry and Physics, Volume 276, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2021.125405

Weng, I. Retita, Y.S. Tseng, A.J. Berry, D.R. Scott, D. Leung, Y. Wang, S.L.I. Chan, γ-MgH₂ Induced by High Pressure for Low Temperature Dehydrogenation, Volume 46, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.11.044

Pongali, W.Y. Wong, A.S.V. Lo, S.L.I. Chan, K.L. Lim, Microstructure and Discharge Performance of Aluminum Al 6061 Alloy as Anode for Electrolyte Activated Battery, Volume 49, 2020. https://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020.4912-35

T.Y. Wei, K.L. Lim, Y.S. Tseng, S.L.I. Chan, A Review on The Characterization of Hydrogen in Hydrogen Storage Materials, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Volume 79, 2017.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.132

K.L Lim, Y Liu, Q.A. Zhang, K.S. Line, S.L.I. Chan, Cycle Stability of La-Mg-Ni Based Hydrogen Storage Alloys in A Gas–Solid Reaction, Volume 42, 2017.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.04.004

G.X. Li, Z.Q. Lan, Y.S. Tseng, W.Z. Zhou, J. Guo, S.L.I. Chan, Penetration and Diffusion of Hydrogen in Mg₂Ni: A First-Principles Investigation, Volume 42, 2017.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2016.09.218

Y.T. Lee, P.J. Tsai, V.K. Peterson, B. Yang, K.S. Lin, M. Zhu, K.L. Lim, Y.S. Tseng, S.L.I. Chan, A Microstructural and Neutron-Diffraction Study on The Interactions Between Microwave-Irradiated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Hydrogen, Journal of Materials Science, Volume 51, 2016.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9448-4

E.MacA. Gray, C.J. Webb, J. Andrews, B. Shabani, P.J. Tsai, S.L.I. Chan, Hydrogen Storage for Off-Grid Power Supply, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Volume 36, 2011.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.09.051

Higher degree studies supported:
Six PhD students at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, are supported by this project.

Four Masters by research students at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, UNSW Sydney, are supported by this project and one Master by research student at National Central University in Taiwan.

 

December 2021