DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING DETERIORATION OF HYDROGEN STORAGE MATERIAL OF HYDROGEN STORAGE TANK, AND HYDROGEN STORAGE SUPPLY SYSTEM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect the deterioration of a hydrogen storage material stored in a hydrogen storage tank with high accuracy with a constitution simpler than conventional technology.

SOLUTION: This hydrogen storage tank 12 incorporates a hydrogen storage alloy MH and a heat exchanger 19. A microcomputer 31 judges the presence or absence of deterioration of hydrogen storage alloy MH on the basis of a PCT curve of the hydrogen storage alloy when a pressure in the hydrogen storage tank 12 in starting filling of hydrogen is in a state of a plateau area of hydrogen storage alloy or lower than the plateau area. The microcomputer 31 operates the quantity of heat for cooling used in cooling when hydrogen is filled in the hydrogen storage tank 12, on the basis of temperatures of a heat medium at an inlet and an outlet of the heat exchanger 19 and a flow rate of the heat medium. The microcomputer 31 judges the presence or absence of deterioration of hydrogen storage alloy MH on the basis of a reference quantity of heat for cooling necessary for filling hydrogen from a vacant state to a predetermined prescribed pressure and the quantity of heat for cooling.

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