The new technology on hydrogen storage in China

Prof. Shen Panwen et al of Nankai University in Tianjin has chemically synthesized a series of mg-base hydrogen storage alloys possessing excellent surface properties and higher hydrogen storage capability than those prepared by direct metal-melting methods, e.g. easily activated, higher specific surfaces and lower temperatures for hydrogen absorption and deorption. A new type of storage battery with high energy density and capable of being used repeatedly about one thousand times is reported under exploitation. A new type h2-air fuel cell is also arranged in their research project.

The Beijing General Research Institute of Non-ferrous Metallurgy has worked on the rare earth hydrogen storage materials and Ti-Fe alloy. It is noticeably mentioned that having solved the difficulties in the activation of Ti-Fe alloy, they have prepared high capacity hydrogen storage materials under the condition of speedy activation at room temperature. Hydrogen vessels containing Ti-Fe alloy of various sizes, e.g. 0.5,1.5,2.5,3.2,10Nm3 have been made for sale, mainly used in the semi-conductor material production with high purity of 99.9999%, in the atomic clock, in gas-chromatographic    carrier-gas supply and also in hydrogen-combustor trucks.

Shanghai Metallurgical Research Institute has investigated a Fe-Ti-Mn series of alloys for storing hydrogen and is able to supply the metallic hydride containers, from which high purity hydrogen, 99.9999% can be available. A continuous supply system of high quality hydrogen is now under investigation in the institute.

The Department of Material Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou has worked on the storing hydrogen materials mainly along the line of  mixed rare earth elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd) relatively rich in lanthanum. They are now trying to install a hydrogen compressor, characterized by having no moving parts. A metallic hydride system for the recovery of hydrogen in purge gas of synthetic ammonia plant is developed. Research work on Ti-FexCry has been conducted in Shanghai University of Technology with respect to the interface changes of phase-matrix during hydrogen absorption cycles.

Metal hydride has widely been used in making heat pump, such as low-level heat sources upgrading heat pump and air conditioning and refrigerator without use of freon, while these kinds of hydride technology investigation have been carried out in some of the universities and institutes in China. Ti-Fe storage tank for hydrogen is now used in wind and solar energy storing, assessed still in preliminary stage.