Numerical study and optimization on porosity distribution of metal hydrides storage reactor

This study investigates the impact of porosity distribution on the hydrogen storage performance of metal hydride (MH) reactors through numerical simulations. Firstly, the effects of different porosities on heat and mass transfer characteristics during hydrogen adsorption and desorption processes were analyzed. The results indicate that with increasing porosity, the hydrogen storage and release rates improved, but the hydrogen storage density decreased. To enhance reactor performance while maintaining hydrogen storage density, the bed porosity distribution was optimized. The optimization results showed that the hydrogen storage and release times of the MH reactor were reduced by 57.15% and 29.70%, respectively, at the same hydrogen storage density. Moreover, the optimized structure exhibited excellent hydrogen storage and release performance under different operating conditions, demonstrating its potential advantages in practical applications.