Coconut coal helps to safely and efficiently store hydrogen
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly fuel. But to introduce it into use is hampered by a number of problems, in particular, the lack of an effective method of storage.
In a recent study of scientists it was found that the coconut contains a certain component that can help in solving this problem.
On our planet, virtually inexhaustible reserves of hydrogen, so it is in the water. Also, when hydrogen is burned, water is formed, and no harm is done to the environment at all. Due to its properties, hydrogen can make a worthy competition to motor fuel, which is derived from fossil hydrocarbons.
However, in order for hydrogen to be able to fully replace other fuels, it is necessary to solve some problems. As already mentioned, scientists did not manage to wound a fairly reliable and safe method of storing hydrogen, which has a low volumetric energy density, in other words, storage requires large capacities.
The very storage of hydrogen presents a separate problem. To reduce the density of the element, experts tried the method of liquefaction, but at -2500С the element begins to boil. To maintain the liquid state of hydrogen requires a powerful and volumetric thermal insulation.
Also compressed hydrogen is a danger, and the technology has proved to be unsuitable for widespread use on vehicles, as road accidents do not often occur.
After the method of liquefaction and compression of hydrogen showed its inefficiency, experts decided to test chemical storage technologies. Experts selected various materials that could absorb hydrogen, and then, if necessary, release it.
First of all, specialists focused on metal hydrides, however, later they had a number of shortcomings. To start the process of releasing hydrogen, the metal hydrides needed to be heated, and this leads to irrational energy consumption, and the number of reloads of metal hydrides is limited and with the increase in the overcharge the capacity is lost.
In the center of hydrogen energy from India, Vini Dixint and his colleagues made one interesting discovery. Studies have shown that coal from the pulp of coconut nut is able to solve almost all the problems of storing hydrogen. Coconut coal can absorb hydrogen at a high level, in addition, its performance is not affected by the amount of recharge.
Carbon binds well and freely releases hydrogen if necessary. In addition, carbon is a good material for the production of a porous material with a high surface area.
Carbonization is one of the technologies for obtaining coconut coal with the necessary qualities. The technology is based on heating the raw material to several hundred degrees Celsius in a nitrogen atmosphere, which will save carbon and its porous structure.
The project manager replaced the shell of coconut nut with pulp, which had several advantages, in particular, magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium and other elements that are evenly distributed throughout the volume. According to experts, this feature of the pulp of the nut will allow to bind a larger volume of hydrogen.
Despite the fact that specialists from India did not achieve practical results, but were able to develop a material that can represent a good basis for the hydrogen storage system, they continue their work and have already determined the further path of research. Now the Indians have discovered the dependence of the absorbing properties of carbon on catalysts, which, in their opinion, is an important mechanism.
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