Sensitivity Analysis of a metal hydride tank in a hydrogen storage plant

This thesis work aims to compose a dynamic model of a hydrogen storage, developed in Simulink tool in Matlab environment. The system consists of the simulation of 3 main components: a PEM electrolyser, a metal hydride tank and a PEM fuel cell. The model also includes an heat exchanger to connect the tank cooling system with the fuel cell for better thermal integration of the system, facilitating the desorption of hydrogen from the metal matrix during the use of the fuel cell. The first chapters consist of a statement of the various processes considered in the system and the equations governing them. The model was subsequently tailored to the machinery in the laboratories of the ETSEIB department at UPC University, and the methodology section will include the adaptation phase and the processing of the available data. The use of a metal hydride tank appears to be the most promising technology for storage in future stationary systems in remote areas where the exploitation of local RES in an effective and cost-efficient alternative way to decarbonise is worthwhile, where energy volumetric density is preferred, together with a lower operating pressure, and thus greater safety and lower cost than other technologies. In the next part, the sensitivity analysis work on the plant is described. In particular, the simulations last 24 h with full charge/discharge cycles. The system will have as input variable power profiles during the day, to which two different heat exchanger activation strategies will then be applied. On these scenarios, the storage and heat exchanger sizes are varied in order to conduct a sensitivity analysis according to the overall efficiency of the system.