A Study on Performance Characteristics of Ti-Zr Type Metal Hydrides and Hydrogen Storage Cylinders with the Hydrides

Recently fuel cell is considered to be a new technology that can substitute the ICE(Internal Combustion Engine) as well as overcome environmental issues. In military applications, fuel cell has an unique advantages, which are quietness, namely, stealth. The environmental requirement such as shock and vibration in military application, however, is very severe comparing to civilian demand. Especially, the safety concerning hydrogen storage is the most important problem. Among the candidate methods to store hydrogen, the metal hydride storage is promising method owing to the storage mechanism of chemical absorption of hydrogen to metal hydrides. In this study, the new composition of Ti-Zr type metal hydride(A composition) was suggested and investigated to increase the hydrogen storage capacity. For comparison, the hydrogen charge-discharge properties were investigated with the commercialized Ti-Zr type metal hydride(B composition) using PCT(Pressure-Composition-Temperature) measurement. Also two hydrogen storage cylinders were loaded with each metal hydride and their hydrogen charging and discharging characteristics were investigated. As a result, it was found that the new Ti-Zr type metal hydride has a slightly higher hydrogen storage capacity compared to commercial Ti-Zr type metal hydride.