Development of methods for the characterization of 12 M KOH zincate fuel for green energy backup systems

绿色能源发电系统需要在阴天（太阳能电池板的情况下）或无风（风车的情况下）的备用系统。ZincNyx能源解决方案制造这样的备份系统。为了提高系统的效率，他们需要分析所使用的燃料，以便更好地了解发生的过程，包括污染物随着时间的推移而积累，从而确定可以在哪些方面进行改进。由于燃料的主要成分会攻击玻璃，因此无法使用传统仪器进行分析。现有的方法繁琐或涉及稀释，这降低了检测限，即可以检测到的最小量，并可能在过程中引入污染。在这个项目中，将对现有的分析仪器进行简单的修改，以便对燃料及其所含颗粒进行直接的多元素分析。这将允许对其进行验证

Green energy generation systems require backup systems on cloudy days (in the case of solar panels) or when there is no wind (in the case of windmills). ZincNyx Energy Solutions manufactures such backup systems. In order to improve the efficiency of their systems, they require analysis of the fuel used in order to better understand the processes occurring, including which contaminants accumulate over time, so as to determine where improvements could be made. As a major component of the fuel attacks glass, it cannot be analyzed using conventional instrumentation. Existing methods are cumbersome or involve dilution, which degrades the detection limit, i.e. the minimum amount that can be detected, and can introduce contamination in the process. During this project, simple modifications to existing analytical instrumentation will be made to enable the direct multi-element analysis of the fuel and of the particles that it contains. This will allow verification of its composition and will provide information on contaminants as well as on suspended particulate matter that play a critical role. The information gained through regular monitoring of their processes, which will be enabled by the new methods to be developed during this project, will allow ZincNyx Energy Solutions to continuously improve their product. This should not only allow them to remain competitive but should allow them to expand, including the creation of new jobs. As well, their product will help entice a Canada-wide move to green energy sources. The methods to be developed should also be useful for the development of alkaline fuel cells, as they will allow measurement of the stability of components in such medium.