Efficient Hydrogen Release
About
The team "Efficient Hydrogen Release" is part of the research department "Chemical Hydrogen Storage" of the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nuremberg for Renewable Energies. Therefore, we focus mainly on hydrogen storage in the form of liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC).
The research focus of our group is on novel reactor designs to release hydrogen from LOHC more efficiently. Since the dehydrogenation is a strongly endothermic reaction, we try to increase the heat input by means of directly coated surfaces. Depending on the surface geometry and structural arrangement of the catalyst, the utilization of the reaction space can also be improved.
Research Topics
We increase the efficiency of the hydrogen release by following means:
- Coating processes of plate-shaped geometries enable the catalytic activation of plate heat exchangers for the dehydrogenation. Improved heat transfer leads to a lower temperature difference between the heat medium and the reactor, so that the catalyst is better utilized.
- Bubble-forming catalysts can be inhibited during regular reactor shutdown and startup, so less hydrogen is released. Innovative reactor modifications and shutdown strategies allow for a constant hydrogen release rate over a long period of time.
- Coupling a partial oxidation reaction with the dehydrogenation of LOHC components enables autothermal process control. Here, too, heat transfer is significantly improved by means of directly coated reactor walls.
Members
Last Modified: 08.03.2023