Dynamics and depth of the conversion of water vapor into hydrogen during combustion of aluminum nanopowder in steam

The paper presents the results of numerical simulation of the hydrogen production process during the combustion of aluminum nanopowder in water vapor. The calculations assumed that the configuration of the oxide coating on aluminum nanoparticles at the melting point of the oxide and above is thermodynamically equilibrium (oxide “cap”). Numerical experiments have revealed the influence of aluminum particle sizes, stoichiometry of reagents, as well as the mass fraction of the oxide coating on the depth of water vapor conversion to hydrogen. It was found that, despite pronounced exothermicity and concomitant high temperatures (T ≈ 3000 K and above), the process under consideration provides a significant depth of conversion of water vapor into hydrogen. At the same time, the initial oxide coating has a rather weak effect on the hydrogen output, and the rate of the combustion process, although it decreases with an increase in the mass fraction of the oxide in the system at the initial time, is also not too pronounced.