Absorption Process in MgCl₂–NH₃ Thermochemical Batteries With Constant Mass Flow Rate

In this paper, the performance of a thermochemical battery based on magnesium chloride and ammonia pair with a constant mass flow rate of ammonia gas is studied through a series of experiments using single and multicell configurations. It is shown that a lower mass flow rate lowers the temperature of the reactive complex and increases the duration of the absorption process. However, it was observed that the reaction eventually becomes mass transfer limited which slows the absorption rate to values below those specified by the mass flow controller (MFC). It was shown in the single-cell reactor that a reaction zone starts at the inlet and moves toward the end of the reactor. The mass transfer limited reaction zone movement reduces the absorption rate and temperature in the reaction zone. The overall performance of a multicell thermal battery is also studied to analyze behavior of such reactors as well. It was shown that the controlling the flow rate of ammonia can cause the cells to deviate in absorption rate.