The objective of the project is to develop a novel hydrogen storage system concept based on metal hydrides for application in fuel cell electric vehicles.
Specifically, ALPHA focuses on the search for an optimal storage design configuration that, along with a suitable integrated thermal management system, would provide a feasible, efficient, cost-effective and practical solution for hydrogen-powered vehicles.
To this aim, ALPHA fosters an innovative design methodology where modularity and scalability are enforced in order to allow the new hydrogen storage solution to be implemented and integrated in vehicles of different kind and final use, and to comply with different missions and operating conditions. In particular, one of the major achievements pursued by the project is the design of an integrated thermal management system for the metal hydride storage that is capable not only to guarantee the correct operation of the system during vehicle operation but also to allow for short refueling times. The proposed system is conceived to operate at low pressure, that is below 50 bar.
By this means, ALPHA expects to successfully achieve the following results:
- significant reduction of safety issues related to high pressures;
- drastic reduction of refueling costs, i.e. costs of refueling infrastructure, and costs related to hydrogen compression;
- achievement of high on-board energy density;
- improved on-board energy efficiency, through optimal integration with fuel cell and battery pack;
- design of comfortable storage tanks, with benefits in terms of vehicle space optimization.
To accomplish its goals, ALPHA will rely on a multidisciplinary approach, which will be exploited through a systematic analysis involving both numerical and experimental activities.
