Technology
What is it?
Hydrogen is absorbed at low pressure into the metal hydride material, and subsequently released as a high-pressure gas via the application of heat.
Why is it important?
Metal hydride compressors present the possibility to use waste heat in place of electricity to drive compression.
Characteristics
- Gravimetric hydrogen density: N/A
- Storage conditions: High pressure (approaching 700 bar depending on application), ambient pressure storage, high temperatures required for hydrogen release
Benefits
- Simple design and operation
- Minimal ongoing maintenance required
- Potential to use waste heat in place of electricity to drive compression
Limitations
- Requires elevated temperatures to release hydrogen from metal hydride material
- Low efficiency
- High capital cost
RD&D priorities
- Optimise hydride-forming alloys
- Enable long-term reliable operation
- Improve kinetics of hydrogen absorption/release at high efficiency
- Improve stability to hydrogen impurities (e.g. water, CO2)
- Improve system design and thermal management
Known active organisations
- CSIRO
- Curtin University
- Deakin University
- Griffith University
- The University of New South Wales