IMPROVED ACTIVATED CARBON FOR HYDROGEN STORAGE

AMOCO PROCESS ACTIVATED CARBONS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO HAVE HIGH STORAGE CAPACITY FOR ALTERNATE FUEL VEHICLE ENERGY SOURCES SUCH AS HYDROGEN AND METHANE. NEARLY ALL OF THE GAS THESE CARBONS CAN STORE IS ADSORBED IN MICROPOROUS REGIONS WHERE PORE DIAMETERS ARE LESS THAN 40 A. HOWEVER, THE MICROPORES ONLY ACCOUNT FOR SOMEWHAT MORE THAN HALF OF THE TOTAL PORE VOLUME IN THESE MATERIALS. THE BLANCE OF THE PORE VOLUME COMPRISES OF LARGE PORES WHICH DO NOT STORE LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT GASES EFFICIENTLY. ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESS REACTION CHEMISTRY AND MATERIAL BALANCE INDICATE THAT NOVEL MODIFICATIONS TO THE EXISTING SYNTHESEIS TECHNIQUE MAY RESULT IN AN ACTIVATED CARBON PRODUCT WITH A MUCH HIGHER PROPORTION OF ITS TOTAL PORE VOLUME IN THE MICROPORUS RANGE. SUCH A MATERIAL SHOULD HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER GAS STORAGE CAPACITIES THAN CURRENTLY AVAILABLE MATERIALS AND COULD PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COST AND FEASIBILITY OF HYDROGEN OR METHANE FUEL VEHICLES. PHASE I WILL CONSTRUCT A SUITABLE BATCH REACTION SYSTEM FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF AMOCO CARBON AND EXECUTE A PLAN DESIGNED TO TEST THE EFFECTS OF REDUCTIONS IN WATER FEED TO THE REACTION SYSTEM AND THE EFFECTS OF FEED MESOPHASE CONCENTRATION ON MICROPORE YIELD. ADDITIONAL DEHYDRATION OF THE CAUSTIC IN THE REACTOR WILL BE ATTEMPTED PRIOR TO FEEDING THE CARBON SUBSTRATE. TESTING WILL DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS FEASIBLE TO DESIGN EQUIPMENT TO THE FAIRLY NARROW REQUIREMENTS OF THE REACTION THAT WILL HAVE ENOUGH EVAPORATION CAPABILITY TO ACHIEVE SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL CONCENTRATION OF 87% POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE UPSTREAM OF THE CARBON FEED POINT.