Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Chen Li

Abstract

Hydrogen is a promising clean energy carrier; however, safe, controllable, and on- demand hydrogen generation remains a significant engineering challenge. Aluminum– water reactions offer high theoretical hydrogen yield, but practical implementation is limited by oxide passivation and difficulty in maintaining stable thermal and pressure conditions.

This study investigates hydrogen generation from aluminum foam–steam reactions under controlled temperature and pressure using engineered reactor configurations. Three reactor designs, horizontal, vertical, and cylindrical—were experimentally optimized, developed and evaluated to enhance hydrogen production rate and pressure stability without chemical additives. The experiments focused on heat transfer behavior, steam management, pressure buildup, and reaction stability.

Results demonstrate that reactor geometry and pressure containment strongly influence hydrogen generation performance. The cylindrical configuration provided improved pressure retention and achieved hydrogen flow rates exceeding 700 SCCM (Standard Cubic Centimeters per Minute) under elevated temperature and pressure conditions, confirming the effectiveness of pressure-assisted steam reactions. However, aluminum utilization remained limited due to oxide passivation and challenges in steady pressure regulation.

To address these limitations, a separated fuel chamber and boiler system with controlled steam injection is proposed to improve steam penetration, reaction control, and oxide layer disruption.

Overall, this research highlights the critical role of reactor-level design and pressure-assisted operation in advancing aluminum foam–steam hydrogen generation and provides a foundation for the development of compact, pressure-controlled hydrogen production systems.

Rights

© 2026, Guru Prasad Dhungel

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