hydrogen fuel pellets power UAV (drone)
This is an emerging improvement to hydrogen storage in solid-state ( X-hydride ) that releases up to 1 liter of hydrogen gas per gram material. It is stable, can be stored long term, and has low vapor pressure, thus allowing the material to be shaped into any convenient shape. The only requirement for use is heating to 100 °C.
The company is working with chemical industry (partners) to advance the recycling aspect of the fuel pellets (plastic composites) that can actually be pumped by something like a vacuum cleaner. They currently cannot recycle simply by exposing to high pressure hydrogen, but I presuppose this (if ever developed) would be a key to rapid recycling of the pellets. I expect the current technology is a lengthy involved process of recycling the left-overs back from an oxidized form (or just the free metals?) to the metal hydride. The whole thing is proprietary, so only the insiders will have full access to schemes for recycling.
My question/challenge: If this already has 3 times the energy density of Li+ ion battery technology how would it not immediately burst forth in the hybrid vehicle market? Especially since refill is completely simple and safe, and totally unlike other hydrogen refueling schemes. Of course, low carbon footprint energy can be utilized to prepare the fuel pellets, or not. Electrons have no bias as to origin.
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