Abstract
In the current work, we present an investigation about modeling the lithium reactive hydride composite (Li-RHC) under
desorption conditions. Such modeling is fundamental to enable finite element simulations (FEM) to design optimized
hydrogen storage systems. In order to obtain the kinetic data for the study, the dynamic behavior of ball-milled Li-RHC
powder is characterized in a Sievert apparatus. Different combinations of pressure and temperature are assessed and
the reaction mechanisms of both MgH2 and LiBH4 are individually identified. The MgH2 decomposition follows a JMAEK
with n = 1 reaction mechanism, while the Prout-Tompkins (PT) model describes the reaction mechanism of LiBH4 very
well. However, the PT model involves a new parameter, t0, associated with the vertical translation of the fitted curve. In
order to make the equation applicable for FEM simulations, a novel method is here developed to represent t0 as a
function of the system's parameters, namely, temperature and pressure. This study provides new capabilities of using
the PT model to predict the behavior of the desorption of LiBH4 within a wide range of temperature and pressure
conditions.
