Research & Development

Innovative Hydrogen Storage

The analysis of present developments in petroleum and natural gas prices allow an estimation of future trends. Decreasing petroleum stocks, increasing petroleum consumption and increasing pollution are causing already nowadays problems and will do so even more in the near future. In such an environment it becomes indispensable to search for and investigate new and regenerative energies sources. Hydrogen is hereby considered to be one of the most promising future energy sources. However, the cost and energy efficient use of hydrogen requires foremost an effective storage solution.

Three different hydrogen storage methods are intensively investigated at present. The commonly used method is the storage in gaseous form under high pressure. An alternative method is the hydrogen storage in liquid form at cryogenic temperatures
(-253°C) and in chemical/physical form. Both of these methods have the drawback of a high specific weight and a significant technological, logistical, and financial expenditure.

AIT is developing a hydrogen storage system based on Microspheres. Combined with a novel hydrogen extraction process this system exploits the full potential of hydrogen without the disadvantages of former storage systems.

The most important advantages of hydrogen storage inside microspheres are:

• High energy density low cost storage system
• Simplified hydrogen storage
• Hydrogen storage capacities of about 10 wt.-% (similar to cryogenic and high pressure storage)
• Using storage material in the structural frame („free-form tank“)
• Long-time storage (>1 year)