HYDROLYSIS OF MgH FOR ULTRA HIGH

F R A U N H O F E R I N S T I T U T e F o R m anufa c turin g te c hno l o g y
an d a d v an c e d m ateria l s ifa m , b ran c h l a b d res d en
1
2
3
kWh/kg
EUR/kWh
kWh/L
3
60
40
2
20
1
Alkaline
battery High power
Diesel*
battery
0
Methanol*
MgH2*
*including all conversion losses
1 Hydrolysis demonstrator
2 Hydrolysis reaction of a MgH2 pellet
3 Electrical energy densities and costs of
high energy storage materials
hydrolysis OF MgH2 for ultra
high energy applications
Key Facts
Applications
Fraunhofer Institute for
Manufacturing Technology
The hydrolysis reaction of MgH2 with wa-
• Backup- and emergency power
and Advanced Materials IFAM
ter is a very promising way to generate
• Standalone radiocommunication
Branch Lab Dresden
hydrogen for ultra high energy fuel cell
• Portable electronic devices and chargers
applications. Through MgH2 hydrolysis,
• Stand-by power
Winterbergstrasse 28
hydrogen storage capacities of up to
• Camping and outdoor equipment
01277 Dresden | Germany
15.3 wt.-% are possible, if water is
• Energy for environmentally sensitive
available on-site. In combination with fuel
Contact
or remote areas
cells, material specific electrical energy
• Sensors and probes
densities of more than 2.3 kWh/kg and
• Beacons, alarm systems, light signals
2.9 kWh/liter can be achieved - incluDr. rer. nat. Marcus Tegel
ding all conversion losses. This makes the
Advantages of MgH2
Phone +49 351 2537 413
gravimetric energy density twelve times
Hydrolysis Reactions
Email: Marcus.Tegel
higher than in conventional single-use
alkaline batteries.
@ifam-dd.fraunhofer.de
MgH2 as hydrogen storage material for hydrolysis reactions has a variety of advantages
over other high energy materials:
Dr. rer. nat. Lars Röntzsch
Thus, compact, safe and inexpensive
Phone +49 351 2537 411
energy sources with a nearly unlimited
Email: Lars.Roentzsch
shelf life can be built. The invention of
• Ultra high energy densities
highly efficient and dynamic MgH2-based
• Unlimited shelf life, no self-discharge
@ifam-dd.fraunhofer.de
www.ifam.fraunhofer.de/h2
hydrolysis fuels by Fraunhofer IFAM Dres-
• Non-toxicity of all materials
den and their production are patent pen-
• Ease of material handling and high safety
ding, the invention was awarded with
• No direct methanol fuel cell necessary
the 2013 f-cell award (1st place, catego-
• Operation temperature 0 °C to 100 °C
ry “Science”).
• Noiseless and zero emission
4
5
Fuel Cell
Hydrolysis Reactor
e−
H2
Air (O2)
Metal Hydride
Pellets
H+
Exhaust (H2O)
Water
Recuperation of Water
2
1
Detailed Information
processing routes have been invented to
MgH 2
H
H
2 H2
2 H2O
H
H
O
Mg(OH)2
H
O
make the hydrolysis of MgH2 highly effici-
4 Lab-scale test setup for
ent, dynamic and controlled under various
5 Outline of a hydrolysis reactor
reaction conditions.
H
When MgH2 is hydrolyzed, half of the
hydrolysis fuels
in combination with a fuel cell
Fraunhofer R&D Services
generated hydrogen comes from the
• Optimization of hydrolysis fuels with
water, which is one reason for its ultra-high
energy capacity. However, both the total
regard to specific requirements, e.g.
amount of released hydrogen and the
- Optimal energy density
reaction kinetics strongly depend on a
- Suitable kinetics
- Environment-related aspects
number of factors:
• Development of materials processing
- Active surface area
technologies, up-scaling
- pH
• Construction and evaluation of
- Presence of buffers
hydrolysis cartridges and reactors
- Salinity of water
• System development and testing
- Water temperature
• System integration with fuel cells
Beyond that, the reaction has to be enabled
• Safety and reliability tests
by the addition of certain Lewis acids. At
• Market analyses
100
100
80
80
60
MgH2 + IFAM additive III
40
MgH2 + IFAM additive II
MgH2 + IFAM additive I
20
Reaction progress (%)
Reaction progress (%)
Fraunhofer IFAM, special materials and
60
De-ionized water
Tap water (Dresden)
Sea water (Baltic sea)
Powder
Pellets (150 MPa)
Pellets (750 MPa)
40
20
conventional MgH2
0
0
0
15
30
45
Hydrolysis time (min)
60
75
0
10 20 30 40 50 60
Hydrolysis time (min)
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Acid
Hydrolysis time (min)
Acid
Left: Time-dependent hydrogen generation for conventional and IFAM-modified MgH2 (additives developed and tested at Fraunhofer IFAM).
Middle: Hydrogen development of powder and compacted material (with an increased volumetric density). Right: Test of water quality influence.

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