News

Hydrogen Storage: Researchers on the Brink of Technology Breakthrough

March 23, 2005
UNB News Release: D267
Sandra Howland, Acting Director, Communications and Marketing (506) 458-7968

Finding an alternative to fossil fuels has been the focus of intense research since the 1970s.

Now, a breakthrough technology being developed by the University of New Brunswick and a small company called HSM Systems, Inc. may put an alternative within reach.

“Our goal is to produce a safe, compact storage system for hydrogen that is both lightweight and affordable,” explains Sean McGrady, a chemist at UNB in Fredericton.

While the storage system is being developed for existing hydrogen markets, such as the chemical industry and universities, it may have applications that would affect consumers worldwide. One of these is hydrogen-powered transportation.

“One of the bottlenecks for bringing hydrogen into everyday use is the problem with storage,” says Chris Willson, senior vice-president of HSM Systems, Inc. “This storage problem prevents hydrogen from competing with gasoline as a fuel, even though it burns pollution free.”

Dr. McGrady explains that the average car can travel nearly 600 km on a tank of gas. “If you replace a standard gas tank with a container that holds the same volume of hydrogen gas you would only get about 20 km per tank.

“The challenge is to find a better and more efficient way to store hydrogen so that you can release it on demand. The way to do this is to condense it into a compound - a solid - so you can use it when you want, in the amount you want.”

Hydrogen gas is typically stored under pressure in large metal cylinders, approximately four feet high. These cylinders are heavy and expensive to transport. Since they are under pressure, they also pose a safety hazard.

Using Dr. McGrady's storage system, the same amount of hydrogen can be stored in a container the size of a travel mug. “This storage container will be so lightweight that you'll be able to ship it in the mail,” he said.

In the simplest terms, they're storing hydrogen in a lightweight metal powder.

“We're looking to improve existing materials that store hydrogen,” explained Dr. McGrady. “One trick is to make light metal hydrides that hold more hydrogen atoms.

“Not only are we making them hold more hydrogen, but we're making them reusable. For example, we're looking at infusing hydrogen back into metal powder once its original hydrogen has been released. If the system is not reusable, the cost of this storage method would be prohibitive.”

Dr. McGrady anticipates that the first hydrogen storage prototype will be ready for testing in the next 12 to 18 months.

How important is this technology? Once commercialized, it will have a direct impact on the major users of hydrogen in the industrial sector and at research facilities by making hydrogen safer and cheaper to store and transport.

Mr. Willson believes that it may have an even greater impact by bringing hydrogen fuel cells closer to reality. As Dr. McGrady explained, a replacement for gasoline is badly needed.

“The general realization is that oil is running out,” he said. “Depending on who you talk to, the world's oil reserves will be depleted in 30 years or perhaps as few as 10. ”

Dr. McGrady joined the department of chemistry at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton in 2003. Prior to that he held appointments at the University of London and at Oxford University, where he completed his doctoral studies. Earlier this month he received more than $176,000 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation in support of his research.

HSM Systems, Inc., a New Brunswick-based firm, was founded in 2004 for the research, development and commercialization of novel hydrogen storage media. The research will be completed in conjunction with Dr. McGrady and others at the University of New Brunswick.