WP 5
WP 5
Hydrogen storage systems for mobility applications
Hydrogen storage systems for mobility applications
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WP5's activities will focus on the design of an innovative metal hydride hydrogen storage system for application on board hybrid fuel cell vehicles and the construction of a prototype to be tested in a controlled environment.
The design will follow a modular approach, providing the proposed system with great application flexibility. The focus will be on optimizing the system in terms of layout and thermal management.
Specifically, a modular hybrid energy storage system will be developed, involving the thermal integration of metal hydride tanks with the battery pack of the fuel cell electric vehicle. This system allows, on the one hand, a significant increase in on-board energy density, and on the other, it promotes the optimal thermal management of both components—the hydride system and the battery—increasing the vehicle's final performance. This technical solution has also been the subject of an Italian patent.
The research will also involve the development of various integration schemes for this system within the architecture of the vehicle under consideration. To this end, solutions will be analyzed in which the overall hydrogen storage system is composed of multiple units, one of which is a hybrid unit, and the others consisting solely of metal hydrides integrating a dedicated thermal management system. This thermal management system will be designed to appropriately exploit the reaction heat developed during the hydrogen absorption/desorption phases, to promote both hydrogen release during vehicle operation and rapid tank refueling time.
The system design phase will be supported by 3D solid modeling and numerical simulation. This will allow to optimize the design, performance, and evaluate the scalability of the proposed system.
The final goal is to create a prototype with a hydrogen capacity of up to 5 kg.
WP 5 is divided into 3 tasks.
WP 5.1 REQUIREMENTS
WP 5.1 REQUIREMENTS
The design phase will begin with the definition of the energy storage system design requirements, taking into account the technical constraints for on-board installation of electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells. This analysis will be conducted by selecting a reference vehicle, considering different mission profiles, and consequently estimating the energy and capacity of the hydrogen storage system.
The technical characteristics of the energy storage system and the constraints to be met for correct on-board installation will therefore be determined.
The analysis will be conducted using dynamic models for the simulation of hybrid powertrains based on the integration of batteries and fuel cells. The dynamic simulations of the vehicle-powertrain system will be performed with reference to different driving cycles (standard and specific) and different powertrain architectures (relating to the sizing and characteristic curves of the electric motor, fuel cells, and battery pack).
For a selected reference vehicle, the optimal hybrid powertrain layout will be identified, minimizing energy consumption while ensuring the expected performance in terms of speed, acceleration, and range. The simulations will be performed by imposing a rule-based energy management strategy, based on the definition of static threshold values for the battery state of charge (SOC). Subsequently, the use of advanced energy management strategies will be evaluated, based on the implementation of numerical optimization algorithms, which optimize the intervention of the fuel cell to support the battery, based on the type of driving cycle and route.
The results of the previous analyses will allow to accurately determine both the energy and power requirements of the selected vehicle, as well as the characteristics of the thermal management system of each component of the power unit and the storage system (batteries and hydrides). During this phase, the characteristics and composition of the metal hydrides to be used will be defined.
The selection of the most suitable material will be made within the classes capable of operating at room temperature (between -20°C and 45°C) and low pressure (less than 30-40 bar), based on the results obtained in WP1 and WP2.
WP 5.2 STORAGE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
WP 5.2 STORAGE SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
This activity will consist of designing an energy storage system, consisting of a metal hydride tank and a battery pack, for application on board fuel cell vehicles. The system will be designed following a modular approach and with the aim of obtaining a layout that provides flexibility for installation on board different vehicles.
The target will be a system with a total storage capacity of up to 5 kg of hydrogen, which will guarantee the fuel cell vehicle a range comparable to that of a similar vehicle equipped with a traditional propulsion system (diesel or gasoline-powered internal combustion engine).
Based on the constraints and technical requirements identified in T5.1, the storage system will be sized and configured for a selected reference vehicle.
The integration scheme of the hybrid storage system within a selected powertrain architecture will then be appropriately designed. This scheme will be designed to meet all the technical requirements on board the vehicle and maximize the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation processes occurring within the metal hydrides. Along with system optimization in terms of integration and thermal management, an in-depth design analysis will also be carried out, considering both cylindrical and planar geometries for the tanks containing the metal hydrides, also depending on the type of battery pack, which may consist of cylindrical, pouch, or prismatic cells.
The hybrid system's geometry will be defined following a dual approach: modularity/scalability and integrated thermal management. To this end, the effects of the tank layout on the overall system performance will be carefully evaluated, in terms of absorption/desorption kinetics (wt% H2/min), heat transfer capacity, temperature distribution inside both the hydrides and the batteries, and operating pressure.
The 3D solid modeling of the system, created using commercial software (SOLIDWORKS®), will aid the design and will also allow for an accurate weight and size assessment of the proposed system.
Numerical simulation will be conducted to determine the optimal geometric configuration of the system and characterize its thermal and kinetic performance prior to the manufacturing phase. This will be conducted using commercial software (COMSOL Multiphysics®), adopting finite element modeling (FEM).
WP 5.3 PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT
WP 5.3 PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT
Once the optimal configuration and integration scheme for the energy storage system within the vehicle's powertrain have been defined, we will move on to the prototype development phase, consisting of one or more modules of the designed system.
The construction of the semi-finished tank, which will contain the hydride powders, will be entrusted to an external consultant, Cantieri del Mediterraneo, with whom the UNIPAR research group has collaborated, carrying out similar activities, in numerous other research projects, as mentioned above.
In this phase, specific tests will be conducted on the individual components of the hybrid system, both for reference conditions and realistic operating conditions. Preliminary tests on elementary components and prototypes will be carried out, in collaboration with ENEA.
In parallel with these activities, a cost-benefit analysis will also be conducted to determine the economic and environmental impact of the proposed solution compared to other more conventional solutions, considering all phases of its life cycle, from production to disposal.
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