Hydrogen is one of the modern energy carriers, but its storage and practical use of the newest hydrogen technologies in real operation conditions still is a task of future investigations. This work describes the experimental hydrogen hybrid energy system (HHS). HHS is part of a laboratory off-grid system that stores electricity gained from photovoltaic panels (PVs). This system includes hydrogen production and storage units and NEXA Ballard low-temperature proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Fuel cell (FC) loses a significant part of heat during converting chemical energy into electricity. The main purpose of the study was to explore the heat distribution phenomena across the FC NEXA Ballard stack during load with the next heat transfer optimization. The operation of the FC with insufficient cooling can lead to its overheating or even cell destruction. The cause of this undesirable state is studied with the help of infrared thermography and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling with heat transfer simulation across the stack. The distribution of heat in the stack under various loads was studied, and local points of overheating were determined. Based on the obtained data of the cooling air streamlines and velocity profiles, few ways of the heat distribution optimization along the stack were proposed. This optimization was achieved by changing the original shape of the FC cooling duct. The stable condition of the FC stack at constant load was determined.

La–Ni based alloys have been established as suitable materials for reversible hydrogen storage. Low-temperature metal hydrides (LT MH) facilitate hydrogen storage at ambient temperatures and...

Hydrogen is a modern energy carrier, but storage and transportation to the end consumer still stay a weak point. In this work, an experimental energetic system with implemented hydrogen technologies was developed. This system includes a hydrogen storage system based on (LaCe)Ni₅ metal hydride (MH) and fuel cells (FC) that lose significant part of heat when converting chemical energy into electricity. The purpose of this analysis is to find the problematic points of the FC with higher heating of the stack and its potential causes during metal hydride discharging via FC. This weak spots with overheating bring the risk of electrolyte drying (the PEM polymer membrane), with next membrane degradation or even destruction. Thermography of the MH storage system during reversible sorption allows controlling temperature more accurate during charging–discharging processes, which leads to the more efficient use of a hydrogen storage system. The effects of cooling and heating curves of the FC heat exchange module have been demonstrated, and the stable condition of the FC stack at constant load was determined.

The method of infrared thermography was used in this paper to identify over-heated areas inside module of hydrogen fuel cells. This module fitted with polymer proton exchange membranes, is a part of a laboratory off-grid system that serves to storage of electricity gained from photovoitaic panels. Hydrogen is not an energy source but a storage medium and an energy carrier. Hydrogen module operation with insufficient cooling can lead to its overheating and destruction. The cause of this undesirable state is detected here by the help of computer simulation using suitable numerical model. An appropriate solution to this problem is proposed to allowed a more efficient and safe operation of this module of hydrogen fuel cells.

Renewable energy sources are becoming more and more widespread and practical used, but it is difficult to plan and stabilize the process of obtaining and storing this kind of energy. The hydrogen like an energy carrier is a possible decision for stable energy storage. Thanks to the hydrogen solid state storage systems based on metal hydrides is possible to store the energy, comes from renewable sources under safety and easy conditions. Historical methods of hydrogen storage like compression and liquefaction, which are established and developed now, still bring big safety problems and associated high costs of compression and cooling.