On-site electrolysis sodium metal production by offshore wind or solar energy for hydrogen storage and hydrogen fuel cycle

摘要

If hydrogen can be solidified at room temperature or under atmospheric pressure, its long-distance transportation and long-term storage become possible. It is, then, considered to convert hydrogen into sodium metal. This sodium metal will be produced by electrolyzing seawater salt or rock salt and stored in kerosene to transport to a consumption place; when water is added to the sodium metal, a large amount of hydrogen is generated instantaneously anywhere. Furthermore, a good thing is that the melting point of sodium hydride produced by reacting with hydrogen gas during the process of manufacturing sodium metal is 800°C, 8 times higher than 98°C of sodium metal''s melting point, so its handling risk becomes extremely lower. When adding water, the sodium hydride hydrolyzes vigorously to generate hydrogen in the same manner as sodium metal; the amount of the hydrogen generated is twice as large as the hydrogen produced by the reaction of sodium metal and water. Sodium hydride is a material that posses both functions of hydrogen absorption and hydrogen generation. Sodium metal, thus, is an economical, renewable, and sustainable fuel, which discharges neither CO2 nor radioactivity.