Hydrogen production by aluminum corrosion: Experimental investigation and mathematical modeling
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24084/repqj09.425Abstract
The search for new energy sources has been a great focus lately because of concerns about climate change caused mainly by fossil fuels gas emissions. The hydrogen is a promising energy source due its clean and high energy combustion. However, the major drawbacks to use hydrogen are the difficulty of formation, transportation and storage. The objective of this work is the study of hydrogen formation by aluminium reaction with water by using strong alkalis as catalysts (NaOH and KOH), and the development of a mathematical model that accounts the evolution of hydrogen at each time. Different alkali concentrations were used (1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 mol. L-1 ). The reactions were carried out with aluminum in different samples: foils, plates with 0.5 mm and 1 mm width each. The range of temperatures studied was: 295, 305, 315 and 325 K for foils and 0.5 mm plates; 315, 325, 335 and 345 K for 1 mm plates. The results showed a strong dependence of the reaction rate on the temperature, alkali concentration and shape of the samples. The model predictions of hydrogen formation agreed with the experimental data of volume versus time, as well as the peaks observed in the reaction rates.