China, People’s Republic
Research of the Impact of Hydrogen Metallurgy Technology on the Reduction of the Chinese Steel Industry’s Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Feb 2024
Publication
The steel industry which relies heavily on primary energy is one of the industries with the highest CO2 emissions in China. It is urgent for the industry to identify ways to embark on the path to “green steel”. Hydrogen metallurgy technology uses hydrogen as a reducing agent and its use is an important way to reduce CO2 emissions from long-term steelmaking and ensure the green and sustainable development of the steel industry. Previous research has demonstrated the feasibility and emission reduction effects of hydrogen metallurgy technology; however further research is needed to dynamically analyze the overall impact of the large-scale development of hydrogen metallurgy technology on future CO2 emissions from the steel industry. This article selects the integrated MARKAL-EFOM system (TIMES) model as its analysis model constructs a China steel industry hydrogen metallurgy model (TIMES-CSHM) and analyzes the resulting impact of hydrogen metallurgy technology on CO2 emissions. The results indicate that in the business-as-usual scenario (BAU scenario) applying hydrogen metallurgy technology in the period from 2020 to 2050 is expected to reduce emissions by 203 million tons and make an average 39.85% contribution to reducing the steel industry’s CO2 emissions. In the carbon emission reduction scenario applying hydrogen metallurgy technology in the period from 2020 to 2050 is expected to reduce emissions by 353 million tons contributing an average of 41.32% to steel industry CO2 reduction. This study provides an assessment of how hydrogen metallurgy can reduce CO2 emissions in the steel industry and also provides a reference for the development of hydrogen metallurgy technology.
An Overview of Application-orientated Multifunctional Large-scale Stationary Battery and Hydrogen Hybrid Energy Storage System
Dec 2023
Publication
The imperative to address traditional energy crises and environmental concerns has accelerated the need for energy structure transformation. However the variable nature of renewable energy poses challenges in meeting complex practical energy requirements. To address this issue the construction of a multifunctional large-scale stationary energy storage system is considered an effective solution. This paper critically examines the battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage systems. Both technologies face limitations hindering them from fully meeting future energy storage needs such as large storage capacity in limited space frequent storage with rapid response and continuous storage without loss. Batteries with their rapid response (90%) excel in frequent short-duration energy storage. However limitations such as a selfdischarge rate (>1%) and capacity loss (~20%) restrict their use for long-duration energy storage. Hydrogen as a potential energy carrier is suitable for large-scale long-duration energy storage due to its high energy density steady state and low loss. Nevertheless it is less efficient for frequent energy storage due to its low storage efficiency (~50%). Ongoing research suggests that a battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage system could combine the strengths of both technologies to meet the growing demand for large-scale long-duration energy storage. To assess their applied potentials this paper provides a detailed analysis of the research status of both energy storage technologies using proposed key performance indices. Additionally application-oriented future directions and challenges of the battery and hydrogen hybrid energy storage system are outlined from multiple perspectives offering guidance for the development of advanced energy storage systems.
Research on Energy Management of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning Considering Velocity Control
Aug 2023
Publication
In the vehicle-to-everything scenario the fuel cell bus can accurately obtain the surrounding traffic information and quickly optimize the energy management problem while controlling its own safe and efficient driving. This paper proposes an energy management strategy (EMS) that considers speed control based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) in complex traffic scenarios. Using SUMO simulation software (Version 1.15.0) a two-lane urban expressway is designed as a traffic scenario and a hydrogen fuel cell bus speed control and energy management system is designed through the soft actor–critic (SAC) algorithm to effectively reduce the equivalent hydrogen consumption and fuel cell output power fluctuation while ensuring the safe efficient and smooth driving of the vehicle. Compared with the SUMO–IDM car-following model the average speed of vehicles is kept the same and the average acceleration and acceleration change value decrease by 10.22% and 11.57% respectively. Compared with deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) the average speed is increased by 1.18% and the average acceleration and acceleration change value are decreased by 4.82% and 5.31% respectively. In terms of energy management the hydrogen consumption of SAC–OPT-based energy management strategy reaches 95.52% of that of the DP algorithm and the fluctuation range is reduced by 32.65%. Compared with SAC strategy the fluctuation amplitude is reduced by 15.29% which effectively improves the durability of fuel cells.
Drifting toward Alliance Innovation: Patent Collaboration Relationships and Development in China’s Hydrogen Energy Industry from a Network Perspective
Mar 2024
Publication
The hydrogen energy industry as one of the most important directions for future energy transformation can promote the sustainable development of the global economy and of society. China has raised the development of hydrogen energy to a strategic position. Based on the patent data in the past two decades this study investigates the collaborative innovation relationships in China’s hydrogen energy field using complex network theory. Firstly patent data filed between 2003 and 2023 are analyzed and compared in terms of time geography and institutional and technological dimensions. Subsequently a patent collaborative innovation network is constructed to explore the fundamental characteristics and evolutionary patterns over five stages. Furthermore centrality measures and community detection algorithms are utilized to identify core entities and innovation alliances within the network which reveal that China’s hydrogen energy industry is drifting toward alliance innovation. The study results show the following: (1) the network has grown rapidly in size and scope over the last two decades and evolved from the initial stage to the multi-center stage before forming innovation alliances; (2) core innovative entities are important supports and bridges for China’s hydrogen energy industry and control most resources and maintain the robustness of the whole network; (3) innovation alliances reveal the closeness of the collaborative relationships between innovative entities and the potential landscape of China’s hydrogen energy industry; and (4) most of the innovation alliances cooperate only on a narrow range of technologies which may hinder the overall sustainable growth of the hydrogen energy industry. Thereafter some suggestions are put forward from the perspective of an industrial chain and innovation chain which may provide a theoretical reference for collaborative innovation and the future development and planning in the field of hydrogen energy in China.
Two-Layer Optimization Planning Model for Integrated Energy Systems in Hydrogen Refueling Original Station
May 2023
Publication
With the aggravation of global environmental pollution problems and the need for energy restructuring hydrogen energy as a highly clean resource has gradually become a hot spot for research in countries around the world. Facing the requirement of distributed hydrogen in refueling the original station for hydrogen transportation and other usage this paper proposes a comprehensive energy system planning model for hydrogen refueling stations to obtain the necessary devices construction the devices’ capacity decisions and the optimal operation behaviors of each device. Comparing to traditional single hydrogen producing technics in the traditional planning model the proposed model in this paper integrates both water-electrolysis-based and methanol-based manufacturing technics. A two-level optimization model is designed for this comprehensive system. The result of the numerical study shows that the proposed model can achieve a better optimal solution for distributed hydrogen production. Also it considers the single producing situation when price of one primary resource is sufficient higher than the other.
Green Hydrogen Production and Liquefaction Using Offshore Wind Power, Liquid Air, and LNG Cold Energy
Sep 2023
Publication
Coastal regions have abundant off-shore wind energy resources and surrounding areas have large-scale liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving stations. From the engineering perspectives there are limitations in unstable off-shore wind energy and fluctuating LNG loads. This article offers a new energy scheme to combine these 2 energy units which uses surplus wind energy to produce hydrogen and use LNG cold energy to liquefy and store hydrogen. In addition in order to improve the efficiency of utilizing LNG cold energy and reduce electricity consumption for liquid hydrogen (LH2) production at coastal regions this article introduces the liquid air energy storage (LAES) technology as the intermediate stage which can stably store the cold energy from LNG gasification. A new scheme for LNG-LAES-LH2 hybrid LH2 production is built. The case study is based on a real LNG receiving station at Hainan province China and this article presents the design of hydrogen production/liquefaction process and carries out the optimizations at key nodes and proves the feasibility using specific energy consumption and exergy analysis. In a 100 MW system the liquid air storage round-trip efficiency is 71.0% and the specific energy consumption is 0.189 kWh/kg and the liquid hydrogen specific energy consumption is 7.87 kWh/kg and the exergy efficiency is 46.44%. Meanwhile the corresponding techno-economic model is built and for a LNGLAES-LH2 system with LH2 daily production 140.4 tons the shortest dynamic payback period is 9.56 years. Overall this novel hybrid energy scheme can produce green hydrogen using a more efficient and economical method and also can make full use of surplus off-shore wind energy and coastal LNG cold energy.
Roles of Bioenergy and Green Hydrogen in Large Scale Energy Storage for Carbon Neutrality
Aug 2023
Publication
A new technical route to incorporate excess electricity (via green hydrogen generation by electrolysis) into a biorefinery to produce modern bioenergy (advanced biofuels) is proposed as a promising alternative. This new route involves storing hydrogen for mobile and stationary applications and can be a three-bird-one-stone solution for the storage of excess electrical energy storage of green hydrogen and high-value utilization of biomass.
A Comparative Study on Energy Efficiency of the Maritime Supply Chains for Liquefied Hydrogen, Ammonia, Methanol and Natural Gas
Jun 2023
Publication
To cope with climate change emerging fuels- hydrogen ammonia and methanol- have been proposed as promising energy carriers that will replace part of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) in future maritime scenarios. Energy efficiency is an important indicator for evaluating the system but the maritime supply system for emerging fuels has yet to be revealed. In this study the energy efficiency of the maritime supply chain of hydrogen ammonia methanol and natural gas is investigated considering processes including production storage loading transport and unloading. A sensitivity analysis of parameters such as ambient temperature storage time pipeline length and sailing time is also carried out. The results show that hydrogen (2.366%) has the highest daily boil-off gas (BOG) rate and wastes more energy than LNG (0.413%) with ammonia and methanol both being lower than LNG. The recycling of BOG is of great importance to the hydrogen supply chain. When produced from renewable energy sources methanol (98.02%) is the most energy efficient followed by ammonia with hydrogen being the least (89.10%). This assessment shows from an energy efficiency perspective that ammonia and methanol have the potential to replace LNG as the energy carrier of the future and that hydrogen requires efficient BOG handling systems to increase competitiveness. This study provides some inspirations for the design of global maritime supply systems for emerging fuels.
Thermal Sprayed Protective Coatings for Bipolar Plates of Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Water Electrolysis Cells
Mar 2024
Publication
As one core component in hydrogen fuel cells and water electrolysis cells bipolar plates (BPs) perform multiple important functions such as separating the fuel and oxidant flow providing mechanical support conducting electricity and heat connecting the cell units into a stack etc. On the path toward commercialization the manufacturing costs of bipolar plates have to be substantially reduced by adopting low-cost and easy-to-process metallic materials (e.g. stainless steel aluminum or copper). However these materials are susceptible to electrochemical corrosion under harsh operating conditions resulting in long-term performance degradation. By means of advanced thermal spraying technologies protective coatings can be prepared on bipolar plates so as to inhibit oxidation and corrosion. This paper reviews several typical thermal spraying technologies including atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) and high-velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying for preparing coatings of bipolar plates particularly emphasizing the effect of spraying processes on coating effectiveness. The performance of coatings relies not only on the materials as selected or designed but also on the composition and microstructure practically obtained in the spraying process. The temperature and velocity of in-flight particles have a significant impact on coating quality; therefore precise control over these factors is demanded.
A Review on the Research Progress and Application of Compressed Hydrogen in the Marine Hydrogen Fuel Cell Power System
Jan 2024
Publication
The urgency to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from maritime vessels has intensified due to the increasingly stringent directives set forth by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). These directives specifically address energy efficiency enhancements and emissions reduction within the shipping industry. In this context hydrogen is the much sought after fuel for all the global economies and its applications for transportation and propulsion in particular is crucial for cutting down carbon emissions. Nevertheless the realization of hydrogen-powered vessels is confronted by substantial technical hurdles that necessitate thorough examination. This study undertakes a comprehensive analysis encompassing diverse facets including distinct variations of hydrogen fuel cells hydrogen internal combustion engines safety protocols associated with energy storage as well as the array of policies and commercialization endeavors undertaken globally for the advancement of hydrogen-propelled ships. By amalgamating insights from these multifaceted dimensions this paper adeptly encapsulates the myriad challenges intrinsic to the evolution of hydrogen-fueled maritime vessels while concurrently casting a forward-looking gaze on their prospective trajectory.
A Bibliometric Study on the Research Trends and Hotspots of Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer
Jan 2024
Publication
The application of hydrogen energy produced by proton exchange membrane electrolyzer (PEMEC) is conducive to the solution of the greenhouse effect and the energy crisis. In order to understand the development trends and research hotspot of PEMEC in recent years a total of 1874 research articles related to this field from 2003 to 2023 were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoS CC) database. The visualization software VOSviewer is used for bibliometric analysis and the research progress hotspots and trends in the PEMEC field are summarized. It was found that in the past two decades literature in the PEMEC field has shown a trend of stable increase at first and then rapidly increasing. And it is in a stage of rapid growth after 2021.Renewable Energy previously published research articles related to PEMEC with the highest frequency of citations. There are a total of 6128 researchers in this field but core authors only account for 4.5% of the total. Although China entered this field later than the United States and Canada it has the largest number of research articles. The research results provide a comprehensive overview of various aspects in the PEMEC field which is beneficial for researchers to grasp the development hotspots of PEMEC.
Optimal Scheduling of an Electric-Hydrogen-Integrated Energy System Considering Virtual Energy Storage
Jan 2024
Publication
In this paper a two-layer optimization approach is proposed to facilitate the multi-energy complementarity and coupling and optimize the system configuration in an electric-hydrogen-integrated energy system (EH-IES). Firstly an EH-IES with virtual energy storage is proposed to reduce the cost of physical energy storage equipment. Secondly a two-layer optimal allocation method is proposed under a multi-timescale strategy to examine the comprehensive evaluation index of environmental protection and economy. The upper layer utilizes the NSGA-II multi-objective optimization method for system capacity allocation while the lower layer performs economic dispatch at the lowest cost. Ultimately the output includes the results of the equipment capacity allocation of the EH-IES that satisfies the reliability constraint interval and the daily scheduling results of the equipment. The results demonstrate that the electric-hydrogen-integrated energy system with the coupling of multiple energy equipment not only enhances the utilization of renewable energy sources but also reduces the usage of fossil energy and improves the system’s reliability.
Synergy of Carbon Capture, Waste Heat Recovery and Hydrogen Production for Industrial Decarbonisation
May 2024
Publication
Industry is the biggest sector of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions whose decarbonisation is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Carbon capture energy efficiency improvement and hydrogen are among the main strategies for industrial decarbonization. However novel approaches are needed to address the key requirements and differences between sectors to ensure they can work together to well integrate industrial decarbonisation with heat CO2 and hydrogen. The emerging Calcium Looping (CaL) is attracting interest in designing CO2-involved chemical processes for heat capture and storage. The reversibility relatively high-temperature (600 to 900 ◦C) and high energy capacity output as well as carbon capture function make CaL well-fit for CO2 capture and utilisation and waste heat recovery from industrial flue gases. Meanwhile methane dry reforming (MDR) is a promising technology to produce blue hydrogen via the consumption of two major greenhouse gases i.e. CO2 and CH4. It has great potential to combine the two technologies to achieve insitu CO2 utilization with multiple benefits. In this paper progresses on the reaction conditions and performance of CaL for CO2 capture and industrial waste heat recovery as well as MDR were screened. Secondly recent approaches to CaL-MDR synergy have been reviewed to identify the advantages. The major challenges in such a synergistic process include MDR catalyst deactivation CaL sorbents sintering and system integration. Thirdly the paper outlooks future work to explore a rational design of a multi-function system for the proposed synergistic process.
Synergy of Carbon Capture, Waste Heat Recovery and Hydrogen Production for Industrial Decarbonisation
May 2024
Publication
Industry is the biggest sector of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions whose decarbonisation is essential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Carbon capture energy efficiency improvement and hydrogen are among the main strategies for industrial decarbonization. However novel approaches are needed to address the key requirements and differences between sectors to ensure they can work together to well integrate industrial decarbonisation with heat CO2 and hydrogen. The emerging Calcium Looping (CaL) is attracting interest in designing CO2-involved chemical processes for heat capture and storage. The reversibility relatively high-temperature (600 to 900 ◦C) and high energy capacity output as well as carbon capture function make CaL well-fit for CO2 capture and utilisation and waste heat recovery from industrial flue gases. Meanwhile methane dry reforming (MDR) is a promising technology to produce blue hydrogen via the consumption of two major greenhouse gases i.e. CO2 and CH4. It has great potential to combine the two technologies to achieve insitu CO2 utilization with multiple benefits. In this paper progresses on the reaction conditions and performance of CaL for CO2 capture and industrial waste heat recovery as well as MDR were screened. Secondly recent approaches to CaL-MDR synergy have been reviewed to identify the advantages. The major challenges in such a synergistic process include MDR catalyst deactivation CaL sorbents sintering and system integration. Thirdly the paper outlooks future work to explore a rational design of a multi-function system for the proposed synergistic process.
Flexibility Value of Multimodal Hydrogen Energy Utilization in Electric–Hydrogen–Thermal Systems
Jun 2024
Publication
Hydrogen energy is now a crucial technological option for decarbonizing energy systems. Comprehensive utilization is a typical mode of hydrogen energy deployment leveraging its excellent conversion capabilities. Hydrogen is often used in combination with electrical and thermal energy. However current hydrogen utilization modes are relatively singular resulting in low energy utilization efficiency and high wind curtailment rates. To improve energy utilization efficiency and promote the development of hydrogen energy we discuss three utilization modes of hydrogen energy including hydrogen storage integration into a fuel cell and gas turbine hybrid power generation system and hydrogen methanation. We propose a hydrogen energy system with multimodal utilization and integrate it into an electrolytic hydrogen–thermal integrated energy system (EHTIES). A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization scheduling model for the EHT-IES is developed and solved using the Cplex solver to improve the operational feasibility of the EHTIES focusing on minimizing economic costs and reducing wind curtailment rates. Case studies in northwest China verify the effectiveness of the proposed model. By comparing various utilization modes energy storage methods and scenarios this study demonstrated that integrating a hydrogen energy system with multimodal utilization into the EHT-IES offers significant technical benefits. It enhances energy utilization efficiency and promotes the absorption of wind energy thereby increasing the flexibility of the EHT-IES.
Research Progress on Gas Supply System of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Jun 2024
Publication
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are attracting attention for their green energy-saving and high-efficiency advantages becoming one of the future development trends of renewable energy utilization. However there are still deficiencies in the gas supply system control strategy that plays a crucial role in PEMFCs which limits the rapid development and application of PEMFCs. This paper provides a comprehensive and in-depth review of the PEMFC air delivery system (ADS) and hydrogen delivery system (HDS) operations. For the ADS the advantages and disadvantages of the oxygen excess ratio (OER) oxygen pressure and their decoupling control strategies are systematically described by the following three aspects: single control hybrid control and intelligent algorithm control. Additionally the optimization strategies of the flow field or flow channel for oxygen supply speeds and distribution uniformity are compared and analyzed. For the HDS a systematic review of hydrogen recirculation control strategies purge strategies and hydrogen flow control strategies is conducted. These strategies contribute a lot to improving hydrogen utilization rates. Furthermore hydrogen supply pressure is summarized from the aspects of hybrid control and intelligent algorithm control. It is hoped to provide guidance or a reference for research on the HDS as well as the ADS control strategy and optimization strategy
Numerical Research on Leakage Characteristics of Pure Hydrogen/Hydrogen-Blended Natural Gas in Medium- and Low-Pressure Buried Pipelines
Jun 2024
Publication
To investigate the leakage characteristics of pure hydrogen and hydrogen-blended natural gas in medium- and low-pressure buried pipelines this study establishes a three-dimensional leakage model based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The leakage characteristics in terms of pressure velocity and concentration distribution are obtained and the effects of operational parameters ground hardening degree and leakage parameters on hydrogen diffusion characteristics are analyzed. The results show that the first dangerous time (FDT) for hydrogen leakage is substantially shorter than for natural gas emphasizing the need for timely leak detection and response. Increasing the hydrogen blending ratio accelerates the diffusion process and decreases the FDT posing greater risks for pipeline safety. The influence of soil hardening on gas diffusion is also examined revealing that harder soils can restrict gas dispersion thereby increasing localized concentrations. Additionally the relationship between gas leakage time and distance is determined aiding in the optimal placement of gas sensors and prediction of leakage timing. To ensure the safe operation of hydrogen-blended natural gas pipelines practical recommendations include optimizing pipeline operating conditions improving leak detection systems increasing pipeline burial depth and selecting materials with higher resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. These measures can mitigate risks associated with hydrogen leakage and enhance the overall safety of the pipeline infrastructure.
Integration of Underground Green Hydrogen Storage in Hybrid Energy Generation
May 2024
Publication
One of the major challenges in harnessing energy from renewable sources like wind and solar is their intermittent nature. Energy production from these sources can vary based on weather conditions and time of day making it essential to store surplus energy for later use when there is a shortfall. Energy storage systems play a crucial role in addressing this intermittency issue and ensuring a stable and reliable energy supply. Green hydrogen sourced from renewables emerges as a promising solution to meet the rising demand for sustainable energy addressing the depletion of fossil fuels and environmental crises. In the present study underground hydrogen storage in various geological formations (aquifers depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs salt caverns) is examined emphasizing the need for a detailed geological analysis and addressing potential hazards. The paper discusses challenges associated with underground hydrogen storage including the requirement for extensive studies to understand hydrogen interactions with microorganisms. It underscores the importance of the issue with a focus on reviewing the the various past and present hydrogen storage projects and sites as well as reviewing the modeling studies in this field. The paper also emphasizes the importance of incorporating hybrid energy systems into hydrogen storage to overcome limitations associated with standalone hydrogen storage systems. It further explores the past and future integrations of underground storage of green hydrogen within this dynamic energy landscape.
An Assessment Methodology for International Hydrogen Competitiveness: Seven Case Studies Compared
Jun 2024
Publication
Currently the global energy structure is undergoing a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources with the hydrogen economy playing a pivotal role. Hydrogen is not only an important energy carrier needed to achieve the global goal of energy conservation and emission reduction it represents a key object of the future international energy trade. As hydrogen trade expands nations are increasingly allocating resources to enhance the international competitiveness of their respective hydrogen industries. This paper introduces an index that can be used to evaluate international hydrogen competitiveness and elucidate the most competitive countries in the hydrogen trade. To calculate the competitiveness scores of seven major prospective hydrogen market participants we employed the entropy weight method. This method considers five essential factors: potential resources economic and financial base infrastructure government support and institutional environment and technological feasibility. The results indicate that the USA and Australia exhibit the highest composite indices. These findings can serve as a guide for countries in formulating suitable policies and strategies to bolster the development and international competitiveness of their respective hydrogen industries.
Particle Swarm Optimisation for a Hybrid Freight Train Powered by Hydrogen or Ammonia Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
May 2024
Publication
All diesel-only trains in the UK will be phased out by 2040. Hydrogen and ammonia emerge as alternative zerocarbon fuel for greener railway. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) provide an alternative prime mover option which efficiently convert zero-carbon fuels into electricity without emitting nitrogen oxides (NOx) unlike traditional engines. Superior to Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) in efficiency SOFCs fulfil MW-scale power needs and can use ammonia directly. This study investigates innovative strategies for integrating SOFCs into hybrid rail powertrains using hydrogen or ammonia. Utilizing an optimization framework incorporating Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) the study aims to minimize operational costs while considering capital and replacement expenditures powertrain performance and component sizing. The findings suggest that hybrid powertrains based on ammonia-fueled SOFCs may potentially reduce costs by 30% compared to their hydrogen counterparts albeit requiring additional space for engine compartments. Ammonia-fueled SOFCs trains also exhibit a 5% higher efficiency at End-of-Life (EoL) showing less performance degradation than those powered by hydrogen. The State of Charge (SoC) of the batteries in range of 30–70% for both cases is identified as most costeffective.
Game-Theory-Based Design and Analysis of a Peer-to-Peer Energy Exchange System between Multi-Solar-Hydrogen-Battery Storage Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Jun 2024
Publication
As subsidies for renewable energy are progressively reduced worldwide electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) powered by renewable energy must adopt market-driven approaches to stay competitive. The unpredictable nature of renewable energy production poses major challenges for strategic planning. To tackle the uncertainties stemming from forecast inaccuracies of renewable energy this study introduces a peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading strategy based on game theory for solar-hydrogen-battery storage electric vehicle charging stations (SHS-EVCSs). Firstly the incorporation of prediction errors in renewable energy forecasts within four SHS-EVCSs enhances the resilience and efficiency of energy management. Secondly employing game theory’s optimization principles this work presents a day-ahead P2P interactive energy trading model specifically designed for mitigating the variability issues associated with renewable energy sources. Thirdly the model is converted into a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem through dual theory allowing for resolution via CPLEX optimization techniques. Case study results demonstrate that the method not only increases SHS-EVCS revenue by up to 24.6% through P2P transactions but also helps manage operational and maintenance expenses contributing to the growth of the renewable energy sector.
Lightweight Type-IV Hydrogen Storage Vessel Boss Based on Optimal Sealing Structure
Jun 2024
Publication
The seal and weight of the Type IV hydrogen storage vessel are the key problems restricting the safety and driving range of fuel cell vehicles. The boss as a metal medium connecting the inner liner of the Type IV hydrogen storage vessel with the external pipeline affects the sealing performance of the Type IV hydrogen storage vessel and there is no academic research on the weight of the boss. Therefore according to the force characteristics of the boss this paper divides the upper and lower areas (valve column and plate). The valve column with seal optimization and light weight is manufactured with a 3D printing additive while the plate bearing and transferring the internal pressure load is manufactured by forging. Firstly a two-dimensional axisymmetric simulation model of the sealing ring was established and the effects of different compression rates on its seal performance were analyzed. Then the size and position of the sealing groove were sampled simulated and optimized based on the Latin Hypercube method and the reliability of the optimal seal structure was verified by experiments. Finally the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) topology method was used to optimize the weight of the boss with optimal sealing structure and the reconstructed model was checked and analyzed. The results show that the weight of the optimized boss is reduced by 9.6%.
Semi-Solid Forging Process of Aluminium Alloy Connecting Rods for the Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine
Jun 2024
Publication
As an important piece of equipment for hydrogen energy application the hydrogen internal combustion engine is helpful for the realization of zero carbon emissions where the aluminum connecting rod is one of the key core components. A semi-solid forging forming process for the 7075 aluminum alloy connecting rod is proposed in this work. The influence of process parameters such as the forging ratio sustaining temperature and duration time on the microstructures of the semi-solid blank is experimentally investigated. The macroscopic morphology metallographic structure and physical properties of the connecting-rod parts are analyzed. Reasonable process parameters for preparing the semi-solid blank are obtained from the experimental results. Under the reasonable parameters the average grain size is 41.48~42.57 µm and the average shape factor is 0.80~0.81. The yield strength and tensile strength improvement ratio of the connecting rod produced by the proposed process are 47.07% and 20.89% respectively.
Operation Strategy for an Integrated Energy System Considering the Slow Dynamic Response Characteristics of Power-to-Gas Conversion
Jun 2024
Publication
Power-to-gas technology provides an emerging pathway for promoting green and lowcarbon transformation of energy systems. Through the processes of electrolyzing water and the methanation reaction it converts surplus renewable energy into hydrogen and natural gas offering an effective approach for large-scale integration of renewable energy sources. However the optimization of existing integrated energy systems has yet to finely model the operational characteristics of power-to-gas technology severely limiting the energy conversion efficiency of systems. To address this issue this paper proposes an integrated energy system operation strategy considering the slow dynamic response characteristics of power-to-gas. Firstly based on the technical features of power-to-gas an operational model for electrolyzing water to produce hydrogen is constructed considering the transition relationships among cold start-up hot start-up and production states of a methanation reaction thereby building a power-to-gas operation model considering slow dynamic response characteristics. This model finely reflects the impact of power-to-gas operational states on methanation facilitating accurate representation of the operational states of methanation. Then considering the energy conversion constraints and power balance of various coupled devices within integrated energy systems an optimization model for the operation of the integrated energy system is constructed with the total daily operation cost of the system as the optimization objective. Finally simulation comparisons are conducted to demonstrate the necessity of considering the slow dynamic response characteristics of power-to-gas technology for integrated energy system operation. The case study results indicate that the proposed power-to-gas operation model can accurately simulate the methanation process facilitating the rational conversion of surplus renewable energy into natural gas energy and avoiding misjudgments in system operation costs and energy utilization efficiency.
Flame Acceleration in Stoichiometric Methane/Hydrogen/Air Mixtures in an Obstructed Channel: Effect of Hydrogen Blend Ratio
Sep 2023
Publication
Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to study the flame acceleration (FA) in stoichiometric CH4/H2/air mixtures with various hydrogen blend ratios (i.e. Hbr = 0% 20% 50% 80% and 100%). In the experiments high-speed photography was used to record the FA process. In the calculations the two-dimensional fully-compressible reactive Navier-Stokes equations were solved using a high-order algorithm on a dynamically adapting mesh. The chemical reaction and diffusive transport of the mixtures were described by a calibrated chemical-diffusive model. The numerical predictions are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. The results show that the mechanism of FA is similar in all cases that is the flame is accelerated by the thermal expansion effects various fluid-dynamic instabilities flame-vortex interactions and the interactions of flame with pressure waves. The hydrogen blend ratio has a significant impact on the propagation speed and the morphological evolution of the flame during FA. A larger hydrogen blend ratio leads to a faster FA and the difference in FA mainly depends on the increase of flame surface area and the interactions between flame and pressure waves. In addition as the hydrogen blend ratio increases there are fewer pockets of the unburned funnels in the combustion products when the flame propagates to the end of the channel.
Flame Acceleration, Detonation Limit and Heat Loss for Hydrogen-Oxygen Mixture at Cryogenic Temperature of 77 K
Sep 2023
Publication
Experiments are performed in hydrogen-oxygen mixtures at the cryogenic temperature of 77 K with the equivalence ratio of 1.5 and 2.0. The optical fibers pressure sensors and the smoked foils are used to record the flame velocity overpressure evolution curve and detonation cells respectively. The 1st and 2nd shock waves are captured and they finally merge to form a stronger precursor shock wave prior to the onset of detonation. The cryogenic temperature will cause the larger expansion ratio which results in the occurrence of strong flame acceleration. The stuttering mode the galloping mode and the deflagration mode are observed when the initial pressure decreases from 0.50 atm to 0.20 atm with the equivalence ratio of 1.5 and the detonation limit is within 0.25-0.30 atm. The heat loss effect on the detonation limit is analysed. In addition the regularity of detonation cell is investigated and the larger post-shock specific heat ratio !"" and the lower normalized activation energy # at lower initial pressure will cause the more regular detonation cell. Also the detonation cell width is predicted by a model of = ($) ⋅ Δ# and the prediction results are mainly consistent with the experimental results.
Upcycling of Plastic Wastes for Hydrogen Production: Advances and Perspectives
Feb 2024
Publication
The abundant plastic wastes become an imperative global issue and how to handle these organic wastes gains growing scientific and industrial interest. Recently converting plastic wastes into hydrogen fuel has been investigated and the “waste-to-value” practice accelerates the circular economy. To accelerate the development of plastic-to-hydrogen conversion in this review recent advances in plastic-to-hydrogen conversion via thermochemical photocatalytic and electrocatalytic routes are analyzed. All of the thermo- photo- and electrochemical processes can transform different plastic wastes into hydrogen and the hydrogen production efficiency depends heavily on the selected techniques operating parameters and applied catalysts. The application of rational-designed catalysts can promote the selective production of hydrogen from plastic feedstocks. Further studies on process optimization cost-effective catalyst design and mechanism investigation are needed.
Low Carbon Optimal Operation of Integrated Energy Systems Considering Air Pollution Emissions
Apr 2023
Publication
To reduce carbon sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions from the integrated energy system (IES) a low carbon optimization strategy for the IES is proposed taking into account carbon SO2 and NOX emissions. Firstly hydrogen production storage and use equipment such as methane reactor electrolysis tank hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen energy storage are added to the traditional IES to build a multi-energy complementary system of electricity gas cooling thermal and hydrogen. Then this paper introduces a stepped carbon trading mechanism and the model of the emissions of SO2 and NOX. Finally to further reduce its pollutant emissions the model of combined heat and power units and hydrogen fuel cells with adjustable thermoelectric ratio is built. To compare and account for the impact of air pollutant emissions on the optimal low-carbon operation of IES this paper construsted three scenarios with the lowest cost of carbon trading the lowest penalty cost for SO2 and NOX emissions and total operation cost as objective functions respectively The results show that the strategy is effective in reducing air pollutant emissions from integrated energy systems and the outputs of CHP and HFC with adjustable thermoelectric ratios are more flexible and can effectively achieve carbon reduction and pollutant emission reduction.
Towards a Future Hydrogen Supply Chain: A Review of Technologies and Challenges
Feb 2024
Publication
The overuse of fossil fuels has caused a serious energy crisis and environmental pollution. Due to these challenges the search for alternative energy sources that can replace fossil fuels is necessary. Hydrogen is a widely acknowledged future energy carrier because of its nonpolluting properties and high energy density. To realize a hydrogen economy in the future it is essential to construct a comprehensive hydrogen supply chain that can make hydrogen a key energy carrier. This paper reviews the various technologies involved in the hydrogen supply chain encompassing hydrogen production storage transportation and utilization technologies. Then the challenges of constructing a hydrogen supply chain are discussed from techno-economic social and policy perspectives and prospects for the future development of a hydrogen supply chain are presented in light of these challenges.
Low-carbon Planning for Park-level Integrated Energy System Considering Optimal Construction Time Sequence and Hydrogen Energy Facility
Apr 2023
Publication
With the increasing concern about global energy crisis and environmental pollution the integrated renewable energy system has gradually become one of the most important ways to achieve energy transition. In the context of the rapid development of hydrogen energy industry the proportion of hydrogen energy in the energy system has gradually increased. The conversion between various energy sources has also become more complicated which poses challenges to the planning and construction of park-level integrated energy systems (PIES). To solve this problem we propose a bi-level planning model for an integrated energy system with hydrogen energy considering multi-stage investment and carbon trading mechanism. First the mathematical models of each energy source and energy storage in the park are established respectively and the independent operation of the equipment is analyzed. Second considering the operation state of multi-energy coordination a bi-level planning optimization model is established. The upper level is the capacity configuration model considering the variable installation time of energy facilities while the lower level is the operation optimization model considering several typical daily operations. Third considering the coupling relationship between upper and lower models the bi-level model is transformed into a solvable single-level mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model by using Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) condition and big-M method. Finally the proposed model and solution methods are verified by comprehensive case studies. Simulation results show that the proposed model can reduce the operational cost and carbon emission of PIES in the planning horizon and provide insights for the multi-stage investment of PIES.
Performance Assessment and Optimization of the Ultra-High Speed Air Compressor in Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
Feb 2024
Publication
Air compressors in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles play a crucial role in ensuring the stability of the cathode air system. However they currently face challenges related to low efficiency and poor stability. To address these issues the experimental setup for the pneumatic performance of air compressors is established. The effects of operational parameters on energy consumption efficiency and mass flow rate of the air compressor are revealed based on a Morris global sensitivity analysis. Considering a higher flow rate larger efficiency and lower energy consumption simultaneously the optimal operating combination of the air compressor is determined based on grey relational multi-objective optimization. The optimal combination of operational parameters consisted of a speed of 80000 rpm a pressure ratio of 1.8 and an inlet temperature of 18.3 °C. Compared to the average values the isentropic efficiency achieved a 48.23% increase and the mass flow rate rose by 78.88% under the optimal operational combination. These findings hold significant value in guiding the efficient and stable operation of air compressors. The comprehensive methodology employed in this study is applicable further to investigate air compressors for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Numerical Study on a Diesel/Dissociated Methanol Gas Compression Ignition Engine with Exhaust Gas Recirculation
Aug 2023
Publication
Bo Li,
Yihua Chen,
Fei Zhong and
Xu Hao
Hydrogen is the most promising alternative fuel in the field of engines. Exhaust heat assisted methanol dissociation is an attractive approach for generating hydrogen. In this work simulations are conducted on a compression ignition engine fueled with different proportions of diesel-dissociated methanol gas (DMG) blends at intermediate engine speed full load and 0% EGR ratio. The results reveal that the indicated thermal efficiency and indicated mean effective pressure are greatly enhanced combustion efficiency is increased and regular emissions of CO HC and soot are reduced while NOx emissions are reduced with increased DMG substitution. In addition a simulation is conducted at an intermediate engine speed full load 15% DMG substitution ratio and varying EGR ratios of 0–20%. The results indicate that the dual-fuel engine outperforms the original engine with respect to power fuel economy and regular emissions once an optimal EGR rate is adopted.
How Would Structural Change in Electricity and Hydrogen End Use Impact Low-Carbon Transition of an Energy System? A Case Study of China
Feb 2024
Publication
Driven by global targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions energy systems are expected to undergo fundamental changes. In light of carbon neutrality policies China is expected to significantly increase the proportion of hydrogen and electricity in its energy system in the future. Nevertheless the future trajectory remains shrouded in uncertainty. To explore the potential ramifications of varying growth scenarios pertaining to hydrogen and electricity on the energy landscape this study employs a meticulously designed bottom-up model. Through comprehensive scenario calculations the research aims to unravel the implications of such expansions and provide a nuanced analysis of their effects on the energy system. Results show that with an increase in electrification rates cumulative carbon dioxide emissions over a certain planning horizon could be reduced at the price of increased unit reduction costs. By increasing the share of end-use electricity and hydrogen from 71% to 80% in 2060 the unit carbon reduction cost will rise by 17%. Increasing shares of hydrogen could shorten the carbon emission peak time by approximately five years but it also brings an increase in peak shaving demand.
Identification of Hydrogen-Energy-Related Emerging Technologies Based on Text Mining
Dec 2023
Publication
As a versatile energy carrier hydrogen possesses tremendous potential to reduce greenhouse emissions and promote energy transition. Global interest in producing hydrogen from renewable energy sources and transporting storing and utilizing hydrogen is rising rapidly. However the high costs of producing clean hydrogen and the uncertain application scenarios for hydrogen energy result in its relatively limited utilization worldwide. It is necessary to find new promising technological paths to drive the development of hydrogen energy. As part of technological innovation emerging technologies have vital features such as prominent impact novelty relatively fast growth etc. Identifying emerging hydrogen-energy-related technologies is important for discovering innovation opportunities during the energy transition. Existing research lacks analysis of the characteristics of emerging technologies. Thus this paper proposes a method combining the latent Dirichlet allocation topic model and hydrogen-energy expert group decision-making. This is used to identify emerging hydrogen-related technology regarding two features of emerging technologies novelty and prominent impact. After data processing topic modeling and analysis the patent dataset was divided into twenty topics. Six emerging topics possess novelty and prominent impact among twenty topics. The results show that the current hotspots aim to promote the application of hydrogen energy by improving the performance of production catalysts overcoming the wide power fluctuations and large-scale instability of renewable energy power generation and developing advanced hydrogen safety technologies. This method efficiently identifies emerging technologies from patents and studies their development trends. It fills a gap in the research on emerging technologies in hydrogen-related energy. Research achievements could support the selection of technology pathways during the low-carbon energy transition.
Research Progress on Corrosion and Hydrogen Embrittlement in Hydrogen-Natural Gas Pipeline Transportation
Jun 2023
Publication
Hydrogen clean efficient and zero-carbon is seen as a most promising energy source. The use of existing gas pipelines for hydrogenenatural gas transportation is considered to be an effective way to achieve long-distance large-scale efficient and economical hydrogen transportation. However the pipelines for hydrogenenatural gas transportation contain lots of impurities (e.g. CH4 high-pressure H2 H2S and CO2) and free water which will inevitably lead to corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement. This paper presents a systematic review of research and an outlook for corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement in hydrogenenatural gas pipeline transportation. The results show that gasphase hydrogen charging is suitable for hydrogenenatural gas transportation but this technique lacks technical standards. By contrast the liquid-phase hydrogen charging technique is more mature but has large deviation from the engineering reality. In the hydrogenenatural gas transportation pipelines corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement are synergetic and competitive but the failure mechanism and change law when corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement coexist remain unclear which need to be further clarified by experiments. The failure mechanism is believed to be mainly sensitive to three key factors i.e. the H2S/CO2 partial pressure ratio the hydrogen blending ratio and material strength. The increase of the three factors will make the pipeline materials more corrosive and more sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement. The research findings can be used as a reference for research and development of long-distance hydrogenenatural gas transportation technology and will drive the high-quality development of the hydrogenenatural gas blending industry.
A Perspective on the Overarching Role of Hydrogen, Ammonia, and Methanol Carbon-Neutral Fuels towards Net Zero Emission in the Next Three Decades
Dec 2022
Publication
Arguably one of the most important issues the world is facing currently is climate change. At the current rate of fossil fuel consumption the world is heading towards extreme levels of global temperature rise if immediate actions are not taken. Transforming the current energy system from one largely based on fossil fuels to a carbon-neutral one requires unprecedented speed. Based on the current state of development direct electrification of the future energy system alone is technically challenging and not enough especially in hard-to-abate sectors like heavy industry road trucking international shipping and aviation. This leaves a considerable demand for alternative carbon-neutral fuels such as green ammonia and hydrogen and renewable methanol. From this perspective we discuss the overarching roles of each fuel in reaching net zero emission within the next three decades. The challenges and future directions associated with the fuels conclude the current perspective paper.
Low-carbon Economic Operation of IES Based on Life Cycle Method and Hydrogen Energy Utilization
Aug 2023
Publication
The Integrated Energy System (IES) that coordinates multiple energy sources can effectively improve energy utilization and is of great significance to achieving energy conservation and emission reduction goals. In this context a low-carbon and economic dispatch model for IES is proposed. Firstly a hydrogen energy-based IES (H2-IES) is constructed to refine the utilization process of hydrogen energy. Secondly the carbon emissions of different energy chains throughout their life cycle are analyzed using the life cycle assessment method (LCA) and the carbon emissions of the entire energy supply and demand chain are considered. Finally a staged carbon trading mechanism is adopted to promote energy conservation and emission reduction. Based on this an IES low-carbon and economic dispatch model is constructed with the optimization goal of minimizing the sum of carbon trading costs energy procurement costs and hydrogen sales revenue while considering network constraints and constraints on key equipment. By analyzing the model under different scenarios the introduction of life cycle assessment staged carbon trading and hydrogen energy utilization is shown to promote low-carbon and economic development of the comprehensive energy system.
Review on Ammonia as a Potential Fuel: From Synthesis to Economics
Feb 2021
Publication
Ammonia a molecule that is gaining more interest as a fueling vector has been considered as a candidate to power transport produce energy and support heating applications for decades. However the particular characteristics of the molecule always made it a chemical with low if any benefit once compared to conventional fossil fuels. Still the current need to decarbonize our economy makes the search of new methods crucial to use chemicals such as ammonia that can be produced and employed without incurring in the emission of carbon oxides. Therefore current efforts in this field are leading scientists industries and governments to seriously invest efforts in the development of holistic solutions capable of making ammonia a viable fuel for the transition toward a clean future. On that basis this review has approached the subject gathering inputs from scientists actively working on the topic. The review starts from the importance of ammonia as an energy vector moving through all of the steps in the production distribution utilization safety legal considerations and economic aspects of the use of such a molecule to support the future energy mix. Fundamentals of combustion and practical cases for the recovery of energy of ammonia are also addressed thus providing a complete view of what potentially could become a vector of crucial importance to the mitigation of carbon emissions. Different from other works this review seeks to provide a holistic perspective of ammonia as a chemical that presents benefits and constraints for storing energy from sustainable sources. State-of-the-art knowledge provided by academics actively engaged with the topic at various fronts also enables a clear vision of the progress in each of the branches of ammonia as an energy carrier. Further the fundamental boundaries of the use of the molecule are expanded to real technical issues for all potential technologies capable of using it for energy purposes legal barriers that will be faced to achieve its deployment safety and environmental considerations that impose a critical aspect for acceptance and wellbeing and economic implications for the use of ammonia across all aspects approached for the production and implementation of this chemical as a fueling source. Herein this work sets the principles research practicalities and future views of a transition toward a future where ammonia will be a major energy player.
Solid Air Hydrogen Liquefaction, the Missing Link of the Hydrogen Economy
Mar 2023
Publication
The most challenging aspect of developing a green hydrogen economy is long-distance oceanic transportation. Hydrogen liquefaction is a transportation alternative. However the cost and energy consumption for liquefaction is currently prohibitively high creating a major barrier to hydrogen supply chains. This paper proposes using solid nitrogen or oxygen as a medium for recycling cold energy across the hydrogen liquefaction supply chain. When a liquid hydrogen (LH2) carrier reaches its destination the regasification process of the hydrogen produces solid nitrogen or oxygen. The solid nitrogen or oxygen is then transported in the LH2 carrier back to the hydrogen liquefaction facility and used to reduce the energy consumption cooling gaseous hydrogen. As a result the energy required to liquefy hydrogen can be reduced by 25.4% using N2 and 27.3% using O2. Solid air hydrogen liquefaction (SAHL) can be the missing link for implementing a global hydrogen economy.
Research Progress and Application Prospects of Solid-State Hydrogen Storage Technology
Apr 2024
Publication
Solid-state hydrogen storage technology has emerged as a disruptive solution to the “last mile” challenge in large-scale hydrogen energy applications garnering significant global research attention. This paper systematically reviews the Chinese research progress in solid-state hydrogen storage material systems thermodynamic mechanisms and system integration. It also quantitatively assesses the market potential of solid-state hydrogen storage across four major application scenarios: on-board hydrogen storage hydrogen refueling stations backup power supplies and power grid peak shaving. Furthermore it analyzes the bottlenecks and challenges in industrialization related to key materials testing standards and innovation platforms. While acknowledging that the cost and performance of solid-state hydrogen storage are not yet fully competitive the paper highlights its unique advantages of high safety energy density and potentially lower costs showing promise in new energy vehicles and distributed energy fields. Breakthroughs in new hydrogen storage materials like magnesium-based and vanadium-based materials coupled with improved standards specifications and innovation mechanisms are expected to propel solid-state hydrogen storage into a mainstream technology within 10–15 years with a market scale exceeding USD 14.3 billion. To accelerate the leapfrog development of China’s solid-state hydrogen storage industry increased investment in basic research focused efforts on key core technologies and streamlining the industry chain from materials to systems are recommended. This includes addressing challenges in passenger vehicles commercial vehicles and hydrogen refueling stations and building a collaborative innovation ecosystem involving government industry academia research finance and intermediary entities to support the achievement of carbon peak and neutrality goals and foster a clean low-carbon safe and efficient modern energy system.
Optimal Operation Strategy of PV-Charging-Hydrogenation Composite Energy Station Considering Demand Response
Apr 2023
Publication
Traditional charging stations have a single function which usually does not consider the construction of energy storage facilities and it is difficult to promote the consumption of new energy. With the gradual increase in the number of new energy vehicles (NEVs) to give full play to the complementary advantages of source-load resources and provide safe efficient and economical energy supply services this paper proposes the optimal operation strategy of a PV-charging-hydrogenation composite energy station (CES) that considers demand response (DR). Firstly the operation mode of the CES is analyzed and the CES model including a photovoltaic power generation system fuel cell hydrogen production hydrogen storage hydrogenation and charging is established. The purpose is to provide energy supply services for electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) at the same time. Secondly according to the travel law of EVs and HFCVs the distribution of charging demand and hydrogenation demand at different periods of the day is simulated by the Monte Carlo method. On this basis the following two demand response models are established: charging load demand response based on the price elasticity matrix and interruptible load demand response based on incentives. Finally a multi-objective optimal operation model considering DR is proposed to minimize the comprehensive operating cost and load fluctuation of CES and the maximum–minimum method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) are used to transform this into a linearly weighted single-objective function which is solved via an improved moth–flame optimization algorithm (IMFO). Through the simulation examples operation results in four different scenarios are obtained. Compared with a situation not considering DR the operation strategy proposed in this paper can reduce the comprehensive operation cost of CES by CNY 1051.5 and reduce the load fluctuation by 17.8% which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed model. In addition the impact of solar radiation and energy recharge demand changes on operations was also studied and the resulting data show that CES operations were more sensitive to energy recharge demand changes.
Progress in Energy Storage Technologies and Methods for Renewable Energy Systems Application
May 2023
Publication
This paper provides a comprehensive review of the research progress current state-ofthe-art and future research directions of energy storage systems. With the widespread adoption of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power the discourse around energy storage is primarily focused on three main aspects: battery storage technology electricity-to-gas technology for increasing renewable energy consumption and optimal configuration technology. The paper employs a visualization tool (CiteSpace) to analyze the existing works of literature and conducts an in-depth examination of the energy storage research hotspots in areas such as electrochemical energy storage hydrogen storage and optimal system configuration. It presents a detailed overview of common energy storage models and configuration methods. Based on the reviewed articles the future development of energy storage will be more oriented toward the study of power characteristics and frequency characteristics with more focus on the stability effects brought by transient shocks. This review article compiles and assesses various energy storage technologies for reference and future research.
Equivalent Minimum Hydrogen Consumption of Fuzzy Control-Based Fuel Cells: Exploration of Energy Management Strategies for Ships
Feb 2024
Publication
Aiming to solve the problems of insufficient dynamic responses the large loss of energy storage life of a single power cell and the large fluctuation in DC (direct current) bus voltage in fuel cell vessels this study takes a certain type of fuel cell ferry as the research object and proposes an improved equivalent minimum hydrogen consumption energy management strategy based on fuzzy logic control. First a hybrid power system including a fuel cell a lithium–iron–phosphate battery and a supercapacitor is proposed with the simulation of the power system of the modified mother ship. Second a power system simulation model and a double-closed-loop PI (proportion integration) control model are established in MATLAB/Simulink to design the equivalent hydrogen consumption model and fuzzy logic control strategy. The simulation results show that under the premise of meeting the load requirements the control strategy designed in this paper improves the Li-ion battery’s power the Li-ion battery’s SOC (state of charge) the bus voltage stability and the equivalent hydrogen consumption significantly compared with those before optimization which improves the stability and economy of the power system and has certain practical engineering value.
Design of Long-Life Wireless Near-Field Hydrogen Gas Sensor
Feb 2024
Publication
A compact wireless near-field hydrogen gas sensor is proposed which detects leaking hydrogen near its source to achieve fast responses and high reliability. A semiconductor-type sensing element is implemented in the sensor which can provide a significant response in 100 ms when stimulated by pure hydrogen. The overall response time is shortened by orders of magnitude compared to conventional sensors according to simulation results which will be within 200 ms compared with over 25 s for spatial concentration sensors under the worst conditions. Over 1 year maintenance intervals are enabled by wireless design based on the Bluetooth low energy protocol. The average energy consumption during a single alarm process is 153 µJ/s. The whole sensor is integrated on a 20 × 26 mm circuit board for compact use.
China and Italy’s Energy Development Trajectories: Current Landscapes and Future Cooperation Potential
Feb 2024
Publication
In order to achieve the ambitious goal of “carbon neutrality” countries around the world are striving to develop clean energy. Against this background this paper takes China and Italy as representatives of developing and developed countries to summarize the energy structure composition and development overview of the two countries. The paper analyzes the serious challenges facing the future energy development of both countries and investigates the possibilities of energy cooperation between the two countries taking into account their respective advantages in energy development. By comparing the policies issued by the two governments to encourage clean energy development this paper analyzes the severe challenges faced by the two countries’ energy development in the future and combines their respective energy development advantages to look forward to the possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries in the future. This lays the foundation for China and Italy to build an “Energy Road” after the “Silk Road”.
A Comprehensive Review on the Power Supply System of Hydrogen Production Electrolyzers for Future Integrated Energy Systems
Feb 2024
Publication
Hydrogen energy is regarded as an ideal solution for addressing climate change issues and an indispensable part of future integrated energy systems. The most environmentally friendly hydrogen production method remains water electrolysis where the electrolyzer constructs the physical interface between electrical energy and hydrogen energy. However few articles have reviewed the electrolyzer from the perspective of power supply topology and control. This review is the first to discuss the positioning of the electrolyzer power supply in the future integrated energy system. The electrolyzer is reviewed from the perspective of the electrolysis method the market and the electrical interface modelling reflecting the requirement of the electrolyzer for power supply. Various electrolyzer power supply topologies are studied and reviewed. Although the most widely used topology in the current hydrogen production industry is still single-stage AC/DC the interleaved parallel LLC topology constructed by wideband gap power semiconductors and controlled by the zero-voltage switching algorithm has broad application prospects because of its advantages of high power density high efficiency fault tolerance and low current ripple. Taking into account the development trend of the EL power supply a hierarchical control framework is proposed as it can manage the operation performance of the power supply itself the electrolyzer the hydrogen energy domain and the entire integrated energy system.
Numerical Simulation of Hydrogen–Coal Blending Combustion in a 660 MW Tangential Boiler
Feb 2024
Publication
With the adjustment of energy structure the utilization of hydrogen energy has been widely attended. China’s carbon neutrality targets make it urgent to change traditional coal-fired power generation. The paper investigates the combustion of pulverized coal blended with hydrogen to reduce carbon emissions. In terms of calorific value the pulverized coal combustion with hydrogen at 1% 5% and 10% blending ratios is investigated. The results show that there is a significant reduction in CO2 concentration after hydrogen blending. The CO2 concentration (mole fraction) decreased from 15.6% to 13.6% for the 10% hydrogen blending condition compared to the non-hydrogen blending condition. The rapid combustion of hydrogen produces large amounts of heat in a short period which helps the ignition of pulverized coal. However as the proportion of hydrogen blending increases the production of large amounts of H2O gives an overall lower temperature. On the other hand the temperature distribution is more uniform. The concentrations of O2 and CO in the upper part of the furnace increased. The current air distribution pattern cannot satisfy the adequate combustion of the fuel after hydrogen blending.
Study Progress on the Pipeline Transportation Safety of Hydrogen-blended Natural Gas
Oct 2023
Publication
The core of carbon neutrality is the energy structure adjustment and economic structure transformation. Hydrogen energy as a kind of clean energy with great potential has provided important support for the implementation of the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals of China. How to achieve the large-range safe and reliable transportation of hydrogen energy with good economic benefits remains the key to limiting the development of hydrogen energy. Using the existing natural gas pipeline network can save many infrastructure construction costs to transport hydrogen-blended natural gas. However due to great differences in the physical and chemical properties of hydrogen and natural gas the transportation of hydrogen-blended natural gas will bring safety risks to the pipeline network operation to a certain extent. In this paper the influences of pipeline transportation of hydrogen-blended natural gas on existing pipelines and parts along the pipelines are analyzed from two aspects of pipe compatibility and hydrogen blending ratio and the safety of pipeline transportation of hydrogen-blended natural gas is summarized from two aspects of leakage and accumulation as well as combustion and explosion. In addition the integrity management of hydrogen-blended natural gas pipelines and the existing relevant standards and specifications are reviewed. This paper points out the shortcomings of current hydrogen-blended natural gas pipeline transportation and gives some relevant suggestions. Hopefully this work can provide a useful reference for developing a hydrogen-blended natural gas pipeline transportation system.
Research on the Technical Scheme of Multi-stack Common Rail Fuel Cell Engine Based on the Demand of Commercial Vehicle
Feb 2024
Publication
At present most fuel cell engines are single-stack systems and high-power single-stack systems have bottlenecks in meeting the power requirements of heavy-duty trucks mainly because the increase in the single active area and the excessive number of cells will lead to poor distribution uniformity of water gas and heat in the stack which will cause local attenuation and reduce the performance of the stack. This paper introduces the design concept of internal combustion engine takes three-stack fuel cell engine as an example designs multi-stack fuel cell system scheme and serialized high-voltage scheme. Through Intelligent control technology of independent hydrogen injection based on multi-stack coupling the hydrogen injection inflow of each stack is controlled online according to the real-time anode pressure to achieve accurate fuel injection of a single stack and ensure the consistency between multiple stacks. proves the performance advantage of multi-stack fuel cell engine through theoretical designintelligent control and test verification and focuses on analyzing the key technical problems that may exist in multi-stack consistency. The research results provide a reference for the design of multi-stack fuel cell engines and have important reference value for the powertrain design of long-distance heavy-duty and high-power fuel cell trucks.
Research on Fast Frequency Response Control Strategy of Hydrogen Production Systems
Mar 2024
Publication
With the large-scale integration of intermittent renewable energy generation presented by wind and photovoltaic power the security and stability of power system operations have been challenged. Therefore this article proposes a control strategy of a hydrogen production system based on renewable energy power generation to enable the fast frequency response of a grid. Firstly based on the idea of virtual synchronous control a fast frequency response control transformation strategy for the grid-connected interface of hydrogen production systems for renewable energy power generation is proposed to provide active power support when the grid frequency is disturbed. Secondly based on the influence of VSG’s inertia and damping coefficient on the dynamic characteristics of the system a VSG adaptive control model based on particle swarm optimization is designed. Finally based on the Matlab/Simulink platform a grid-connected simulation model of hydrogen production systems for renewable energy power generation is established. The results show that the interface-transformed electrolytic hydrogen production device can actively respond to the frequency disturbances of the power system and participate in primary frequency control providing active support for the frequency stability of the power system under high-percentage renewable energy generation integration. Moreover the system with parameter optimization has better fast frequency response control characteristics.
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