Innovative Systems for Hydrogen Storage

One of the main challenges in the perspective of a hydrogen economy is the development of a storage system both safe and with high weight capacity. Among the most promising systems are the storage in metals and chemical hydrides and the high pressure storage in tanks made of composite materials. Both these technologies allow volumetric densities equal or higher than that of liquid hydrogen. The present work deals with the results obtained in a Italian national project, whose objectives have been the development of innovative technologies in specific applications: large scale energy storage, stationary applications in distributed generation, and automotive (with a particular attention to the fluvial and the sea transportation in protected areas). The theoretical, modellistic and experimental activities have been oriented to the development of innovative high capacity metal hydrides, the study of a regeneration method for chemical hydrides, the integration of intermediate pressure electrolyzers with advanced compressors and, finally, the development of thermomechanical models for executive design of storage systems. A number of prototypes has been realised and installed in a test facility in the Fusina (Venezia) power plant. The activity has been completed with an executive feasibility evaluation, in the perspective of industrial applications.