Demonstration of a high throughput on-board hydrogen generation reactor system using aluminum coil as fuel for a vehicle

A novel on-board hydrogen generation concept using Al coil with NaOH was investigated. The reaction rate was successfully controlled by introducing a pumping system for the NaOH solution. The time for the flow to develop fully was mainly dependent on the solution temperature, and the fastest start time recorded was 60 sec at a solution temperature of 70 degrees C. The maximum H-2 generation rate was 200 L min(-1) with a prototype design of the on-board hydrogen generation system 1/8 times the size of a full-size reactor. The H-2 generation process coupled with the solution pumping system was simulated with three-dimensional fluid dynamic software, and the calculated H-2 flow and temperature rise of the system were validated with experimental data.