Numerical modeling and performance comparison of high-temperature metal hydride reactor equipped with bakery system for solar thermal energy storage

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 45; no. 56; pp. 31612 - 31631
• Main Authors: Ayub, Iqra, Nasir, Muhammad Salman, Liu, Yang, Munir, Anjum, Wu, Zhen, Yang, Fusheng, Zhang, Zaoxiao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 13.11.2020
• Subjects: (MgH2 + V2O5) reactor; An increase of gravimetric exergy output rate; Optimal design strategy; Reduction of reaction time and non-uniform reaction; Solar thermal energy Storage; Optimal design strategy; Solar thermal energy Storage; Reduction of reaction time and non-uniform reaction; (MgH2 + V2O5) reactor; An increase of gravimetric exergy output rate
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.08.206

The current study provides an optimal design strategy for the metal hydride reactor for the thermal energy storage system for solar bakery applications. The sensitivity analysis of the annular truncated hollow conical fins type reactor was conducted by using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3a software. The gravimetric exergy output rate and exergy output of different designs were compared. It was found that the optimal geometric parameters and operating conditions for the annular truncated hollow conical fins type reactor are fin angle (θ)=20°, fin radius (Rf) = 0.07 m, number of fins (Nf)= 32 and fin spacing (Sf) = 0.02 m, fin thickness (thf) = 0.008 m, hydrogen supply pressure (Pin, H2) = 5 MPa and inlet heat transfer fluid velocity (VHTF,in) = 20 m/s. Finally, it was concluded that the Deign IV is the most favorable design, which has a uniform reaction, faster reaction time (15,000 s), and higher values of gravimetric exergy output rate and exergy output (1.23 W/kg, 0.028 kW). [Display omitted] •Optimal design strategy of metal hydride thermal storage reactor for solar bakery.•Parametric analysis of annular truncated hollow conical fins type reactor.•Performance comparison of different innovative reactor designs.•Analyses pointed out the optimal design process and the non-homogeneous reaction.