2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Dibenzyl Toluene (DBT) has emerged as a highly promising Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) for efficient hydrogen storage and transfer. The critical role of a catalyst in the DBT dehydrogenation process necessitates the investigation of bubble formation on the catalyst's surface. This research project, conducted by a sophomore undergraduate student under the supervision of an advisor, aims to simulate bubble formation on the Pt2Al3 catalyst with the primary goal of understanding this process. The project involves designing an experimental setup to visualize bubble formation on the catalyst's surface effectively. Additionally, a custom MATLAB code, utilizing image processing techniques, was developed to measure the total volume of bubbles generated during experiments. Due to the absence of established safety protocols regarding hydrogen use at the author’s institution, bubble formation simulations on Pt2Al2 surfaces were performed using water as a safe alternative to DBT. The research successfully visualized bubble formation on the surface of the catalyst, and the custom MATLAB code accurately measured bubble volumes. The promising results obtained with water as a substitute provide the foundation for future research using DBT. Once safety protocols are established at the author's institution, a similar or improved experimental setup and custom MATLAB code will be used to visualize and analyze bubble formation on the catalyst when using DBT. This research project not only contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of sustainable energy but also provides valuable research experience to an undergraduate student in the field of sustainable energy.