Iran, Islamic Republic of
Effect of Hydrogen on the Tensile Behavior of Austenitic Stainless Steels 316L Produced by Laser-Powder Bed Fusion
Apr 2021
Publication
Hydrogen was doped in austenitic stainless steel (ASS) 316L tensile samples produced by the laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technique. For this aim an electrochemical method was conducted under a high current density of 100 mA/cm2 for three days to examine its sustainability under extreme hydrogen environments at ambient temperatures. The chemical composition of the starting powders contained a high amount of Ni approximately 12.9 wt.% as a strong austenite stabilizer. The tensile tests disclosed that hydrogen charging caused a minor reduction in the elongation to failure (approximately 3.5% on average) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS; approximately 2.1% on average) of the samples using a low strain rate of 1.2 × 10−4 s−1. It was also found that an increase in the strain rate from 1.2 × 10−4 s−1 o 4.8 ×10−4 s−1 led to a reduction of approximately 3.6% on average for the elongation to failure and 1.7% on average for UTS in the pre-charged samples. No trace of martensite was detected in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the fractured samples thanks to the high Ni content which caused a minor reduction in UTS × uniform elongation (UE) (GPa%) after the H charging. Considerable surface tearing was observed for the pre-charged sample after the tensile deformation. Additionally some cracks were observed to be independent of the melt pool boundaries indicating that such boundaries cannot necessarily act as a suitable area for the crack propagation.
Improving Hydrogen Production Using Co-cultivation of Bacteria with Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Microalga
Sep 2018
Publication
Hydrogen production by microalgae is a promising technology to achieve sustainable and clean energy. Among various photosynthetic microalgae able to produce hydrogen Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism widely used to study hydrogen production. Oxygen produced by photosynthesis activity of microalgae has an inhibitory effect on both expression and activity of hydrogenases which are responsible for hydrogen production. Chlamydomonas can reach anoxia and produce hydrogen at low light intensity. Here the effect of bacteria co-cultivation on hydrogen produced by Chlamydomonas at low light intensity was studied. Results indicated that however co-culturing Escherichia coli Pseudomonas stutzeri and Pseudomonas putida reduced the growth of Chlamydomonas it enhanced hydrogen production up to 24% 46% and 32% respectively due to higher respiration rate in the bioreactors at low light intensity. Chlamydomonas could grow properly in presence of an unknown bacterial consortium and hydrogen evolution improved up to 56% in these co-cultures.
A Thorough Economic Evaluation by Implementing Solar/Wind Energies for Hydrogen Production: A Case Study
Jan 2022
Publication
A technical–economic assessment was carried out in this study to determine the possibilities for wind and solar power generation in Afghanistan’s Helmand province. The results showed that most of the province has a solar irradiance of over 400 W/m2 and also showed that wind and solar power generated in the province can be up to twice as cheap as the official price of renewable power in Afghanistan. The most suitable site for solar and hydrogen production was found to be Laškar Gah where solar and hydrogen can be produced at a cost of 0.066 $/kWh and 2.1496 $/kg-H ¯ 2 respectively. In terms of wind power production and hydrogen production from wind the most suitable site was Sang¯ın where wind power and hydrogen could be produced at costs of 0.057 $/kWh and 1.4527 $/kg-H2 respectively. Despite the high potential of wind and solar energy in the Helmand province the most suitable place in this region to produce hydrogen from wind/solar energy was evaluated from technical economic and environmental perspectives with the Multi-Criteria DecisionMaking (MCDM) method. The Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method was used for weighting criteria and the Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method was used to prioritize locations. The results show that Sang¯ın is the most suitable place for the construction of a wind hydrogen power plant and Laškar Gah is the most suitable place for the ¯ construction of a solar hydrogen power plant.
Optimal Scheduling of Multi-energy Type Virtual Energy Storage System in Reconfigurable Distribution Networks for Congestion Management
Jan 2023
Publication
The virtual energy storage system (VESS) is one of the emerging novel concepts among current energy storage systems (ESSs) due to the high effectiveness and reliability. In fact VESS could store surplus energy and inject the energy during the shortages at high power with larger capacities compared to the conventional ESSs in smart grids. This study investigates the optimal operation of a multi-carrier VESS including batteries thermal energy storage (TES) systems power to hydrogen (P2H) and hydrogen to power (H2P) technologies in hydrogen storage systems (HSS) and electric vehicles (EVs) in dynamic ESS. Further demand response program (DRP) for electrical and thermal loads has been considered as a tool of VESS due to the similar behavior of physical ESS. In the market three participants have considered such as electrical thermal and hydrogen markets. In addition the price uncertainties were calculated by means of scenarios as in stochastic programming while the optimization process and the operational constraints were considered to calculate the operational costs in different ESSs. However congestion in the power systems is often occurred due to the extreme load increments. Hence this study proposes a bi-level formulation system where independent system operators (ISO) manage the congestion in the upper level while VESS operators deal with the financial goals in the lower level. Moreover four case studies have considered to observe the effectiveness of each storage system and the simulation was modeled in the IEEE 33-bus system with CPLEX in GAMS.
On the Response of a Lean-premixed Hydrogen Combustor to Acoustic and Dissipative-dispersive Entropy Waves
May 2019
Publication
Combustion of hydrogen or hydrogen containing blends in gas turbines and industrial combustors can activate thermoacoustic combustion instabilities. Convective instabilities are an important and yet less investigated class of combustion instability that are caused by the so called “entropy waves”. As a major shortcoming the partial decay of these convective-diffusive waves in the post-flame region of combustors is still largely unexplored. This paper therefore presents an investigation of the annihilating effects due to hydrodynamics heat transfer and flow stretch upon the nozzle response. The classical compact analysis is first extended to include the decay of entropy waves and heat transfer from the nozzle. Amplitudes and phase shifts of the responding acoustical waves are then calculated for subcritical and supercritical nozzles subject to acoustic and entropic forcing. A relation for the stretch of entropy wave in the nozzle is subsequently developed. It is shown that heat transfer and hydrodynamic decay can impart considerable effects on the entropic response of the nozzle. It is further shown that the flow stretching effects are strongly frequency dependent. The results indicate that dissipation and dispersion of entropy waves can significantly influence their conversion to sound and therefore should be included in the entropy wave models.
A Novel Exergy-based Assessment on a Multi-production Plant of Power, Heat and Hydrogen: Integration of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell, Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell and Rankine Steam Cycle
Feb 2021
Publication
Multi-production plant is an idea highlighting cost- and energy-saving purposes. However just integrating different sub-systems is not desired and the output and performance based on evaluation criteria must be assessed. In this study an integrated energy conversion system composed of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) and Rankine steam cycle is proposed to develop a multi-production system of power heat and hydrogen to alleviate energy dissipation and to preserve the environment by utilizing and extracting the most possible products from the available energy source. With this regard natural gas and water are used to drive the SOEC and the Rankine steam cycle respectively. The required heat and power demand of the electrolyzer are designed to be provided by the fuel cell and the Rankine cycle. The feasibility of the designed integrated system is evaluated through comprehensive exergy-based analysis. The technical performance of the system is evaluated through exergy assessment and it is obtained that the SOFC and the SOEC can achieve to the high exergy efficiency of 84.8% and 63.7% respectively. The designed system provides 1.79 kg/h of hydrogen at 125 kPa. In addition the effective designed variables on the performance of the designed integrated system are monitored to optimize the system’s performance in terms of technical efficiency cost-effectivity and environmental considerations. This assessment shows that 59.4 kW of the available exergy is destructed in the combustion chamber. Besides the techno-economic analysis and exergoenvironmental assessment demonstrate the selected compressors should be re-designed to improve the cost-effectivity and decline the negative environmental impact of the designed integrated energy conversion system. In addition it is calculated that the SOEC has the highest total cost and also the highest negative impact on the environment compared to other designed units in the proposed integrated energy conversion system.
Ranking Locations for Hydrogen Production Using Hybrid Wind-Solar: A Case Study
Apr 2021
Publication
Observing the growing energy demand of modern societies many countries have recognized energy security as a looming problem and renewable energies as a solution to this issue. Renewable hydrogen production is an excellent method for the storage and transfer of energy generated by intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar so that they can be used at a place and time of our choosing. In this study the suitability of 15 cities in Fars province Iran for renewable hydrogen production was investigated and compared by the use of multiple multi-criteria decision-making methods including ARAS SAW CODAS and TOPSIS. The obtained rankings were aggregated by rank averaging Borda method and Copeland method. Finally the partially ordered set ranking technique was used to reach a general consensus about the ranking. The criteria that affect hydrogen production were found to be solar energy potential wind energy potential population air temperature natural disasters altitude relative humidity land cost skilled labor infrastructure topographic condition and distance from main roads. These criteria were weighted using the best–worst method (BWM) based on the data collected by a questionnaire. Solar energy potential was estimated using the Angstrom model. Wind energy potential was estimated by using the Weibull distribution function for each month independently. The results of the multi-criteria decision-making methods showed Izadkhast to be the most suitable location for renewable hydrogen production in the studied area.
Computational Intelligence Approach for Modeling Hydrogen Production: A Review
Mar 2018
Publication
Hydrogen is a clean energy source with a relatively low pollution footprint. However hydrogen does not exist in nature as a separate element but only in compound forms. Hydrogen is produced through a process that dissociates it from its compounds. Several methods are used for hydrogen production which first of all differ in the energy used in this process. Investigating the viability and exact applicability of a method in a specific context requires accurate knowledge of the parameters involved in the method and the interaction between these parameters. This can be done using top-down models relying on complex mathematically driven equations. However with the raise of computational intelligence (CI) and machine learning techniques researchers in hydrology have increasingly been using these methods for this complex task and report promising results. The contribution of this study is to investigate the state of the art CI methods employed in hydrogen production and to identify the CI method(s) that perform better in the prediction assessment and optimization tasks related to different types of Hydrogen production methods. The resulting analysis provides in-depth insight into the different hydrogen production methods modeling technique and the obtained results from various scenarios integrating them within the framework of a common discussion and evaluation paper. The identified methods were benchmarked by a qualitative analysis of the accuracy of CI in modeling hydrogen production providing extensive overview of its usage to empower renewable energy utilization.
A Review of Hydrogen as a Fuel in Internal Combustion Engines
Sep 2021
Publication
The demand for fossil fuels is increasing because of globalization and rising energy demands. As a result many nations are exploring alternative energy sources and hydrogen is an efficient and practical alternative fuel. In the transportation industry the development of hydrogen-powered cars aims to maximize fuel efficiency and significantly reduce exhaust gas emission and concentration. The impact of using hydrogen as a supplementary fuel for spark ignition (SI) and compression ignition (CI) engines on engine performance and gas emissions was investigated in this study. By adding hydrogen as a fuel in internal combustion engines the torque power and brake thermal efficiency of the engines decrease while their brake-specific fuel consumption increase. This study suggests that using hydrogen will reduce the emissions of CO UHC CO2 and soot; however NOx emission is expected to increase. Due to the reduction of environmental pollutants for most engines and the related environmental benefits hydrogen fuel is a clean and sustainable energy source and its use should be expanded.
Exergy and Exergoeconomic Analysis of Hydrogen and Power Cogeneration Using an HTR Plant
Mar 2021
Publication
This paper proposes using sodium-cooled fast reactor technologies for use in hydrogen vapor methane (SMR) modification. Using three independent energy rings in the Russian BN-600 fast reactor steam is generated in one of the steam-generating cycles with a pressure of 13.1 MPa and a temperature of 505 °C. The reactor's second energy cycles can increase the gas-steam mixture's temperature to the required amount for efficient correction. The 620 ton/hr 540 °C steam generated in this cycle is sufficient to supply a high-temperature synthesis current source (700 °C) which raises the steam-gas mixture's temperature in the reactor. The proposed technology provides a high rate of hydrogen production (approximately 144.5 ton/hr of standard H2) also up to 25% of the original natural gas in line with existing SMR technology for preparing and heating steam and gas mixtures will be saved. Also exergy analysis results show that the plant's efficiency reaches 78.5% using HTR heat for combined hydrogen and power generation.
Comprehensive Study on Hydrogen Production via Propane Steam Reforming Inside a Reactor
Feb 2021
Publication
In the proton exchange membrane fuel cells the required hydrogen must be produced in some way. The power generators in the path of these fuel cells generally include a steam reactor that through other fuels provides the needed energy to produce hydrogen. This study investigates a steam reactor powered by propane fuel consisting of a shell and tube heat exchanger. The shell contains a catalyst that receives the mixture of propane and steam and the tubes embedded inside the reformer contain hot gases that provide a suitable substrate for the reaction. Velocity and temperature fields inside the reformer species concentration control and reaction rate are studied. The conversion of reactants and yield of products are investigated according to the reaction rate. The results show that the hydrogen production yield can vary from 77.5 % to 92.2 %. The reaction rate can be controlled by the velocity and temperatures of the hot gases. However for the T=900 K full propane consumption is achieved at the reformer outlet.
An Investigation into the Volumetric Flow Rate Requirement of Hydrogen Transportation in Existing Natural Gas Pipelines and Its Safety Implications
Oct 2021
Publication
As an alternative to the construction of new infrastructure repurposing existing natural gas pipelines for hydrogen transportation has been identified as a low-cost strategy for substituting natural gas with hydrogen in the wake of the energy transition. In line with that a 342 km 3600 natural gas pipeline was used in this study to simulate some technical implications of delivering the same amount of energy with different blends of natural gas and hydrogen and with 100% hydrogen. Preliminary findings from the study confirmed that a three-fold increase in volumetric flow rate would be required of hydrogen to deliver an equivalent amount of energy as natural gas. The effects of flowing hydrogen at this rate in an existing natural gas pipeline on two flow parameters (the compressibility factor and the velocity gradient) which are crucial to the safety of the pipeline were investigated. The compressibility factor behaviour revealed the presence of a wide range of values as the proportions of hydrogen and natural gas in the blends changed signifying disparate flow behaviours and consequent varying flow challenges. The velocity profiles showed that hydrogen can be transported in natural gas pipelines via blending with natural gas by up to 40% of hydrogen in the blend without exceeding the erosional velocity limits of the pipeline. However when the proportion of hydrogen reached 60% the erosional velocity limit was reached at 290 km so that beyond this distance the pipeline would be subject to internal erosion. The use of compressor stations was shown to be effective in remedying this challenge. This study provides more insights into the volumetric and safety considerations of adopting existing natural gas pipelines for the transportation of hydrogen and blends of hydrogen and natural gas.
New Integrated Process for the Efficient Production of Methanol, Electrical Power, and Heating
Jan 2022
Publication
In this paper a novel process is developed to cogenerate 4741 kg/h of methanol 297.7 kW of electricity and 35.73 ton/h of hot water including a hydrogen purification system an absorption– compression refrigeration cycle (ACRC) a regenerative Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) and parabolic solar troughs. The heat produced in the methanol reactor is recovered in the ORC and ACRC. Parabolic solar troughs provide thermal power to the methanol distillation tower. Thermal efficiencies of the integrated structure and the liquid methanol production cycle are 78.14% and 60.91% respectively. The process’s total exergy efficiency and irreversibility are 89.45% and 16.89 MW. The solar thermal collectors take the largest share of exergy destruction (34%) followed by heat exchangers (30%) and mixers (19%). Based on the sensitivity analysis D17 (mixture of H2 and low-pressure fuel gas before separation) was the most influential stream affecting the performance of the process. With the temperature decline of stream D17 from −139 to −149 °C the methanol production rate and the total thermal efficiency rose to 4741.2 kg/h and 61.02% respectively. Moreover the growth in the hydrogen content from 55% to 80% molar of the feed gas the flow rate of liquid methanol and the total exergy efficiency declined to 4487 kg/h and 86.05%.
Evaluation of a New Combined Energy System Performance to Produce Electricity and Hydrogen with Energy Storage Option
Mar 2021
Publication
According to new findings the use of alternative energy sources such as wind energy is needed to supply the energy demand of future generations. On the other hand combined renewable energy systems can be more efficient than their stand-alone systems. Therefore clean energy-based hybrid energy systems can be a suitable solution for fossil fuels. However for their widespread commercialization more detailed and powerful studies are needed. On the other hand in order to attain sustainable development for the use of renewable energy sources due to their nature energy storage is required. The motivation of this study is introduce and examine a new energy system performance for the production of electricity and hydrogen fuel as well as energy storage. So this paper presents the energy and exergy operation of a hybrid wind turbine water electrolyzer and Pumped-hydro-compressed air system. The electricity produced by the wind turbine is used to produce hydrogen fuel in electrolyzer and the excess energy is stored using the storage system. It was found that the electrolyzer needed 512.6 W of electricity to generate 5 mol/h of hydrogen fuel which was supplied by a 10 kW-wind turbine. In such a context the efficiency of the process was 74.93%. Furthermore on average the isothermal process requires 17.53% less storage capacity than the isentropic process. The effect of key parameters such as rate of hydrogen fuel production operating pressures wind speed and components efficiency on the process operation is also examined.
Modeling of a High Temperature Heat Exchanger to Supply Hydrogen Required by Fuel Cells Through Reforming Process
Sep 2021
Publication
Hydrogen as a clean fuel and a new energy source can be produced by various methods. One of these common and economical methods of hydrogen production is hydrocarbon vapor modification. This research studies hydrogen production using a propane steam reforming process inside a high temperature heat exchanger. The application of this high temperature heat exchanger in the path of the power supply line is a fuel cell stack unit to supply the required hydrogen of the device. The heat exchanger consists of a set of cylindrical tubes housed inside a packed-bed called a reformer. The energy required to perform the reaction is supplied through these tubes in which high temperature gas is injected and the heat exchanger is insulated to prevent energy loss. The results show that at maximum temperature and velocity of hot gases (900 K and 1.5 m s−1 ) complete consumption of propane can be observed before the outlet of the reformer. Also in the mentioned conditions the maximum hydrogen production (above 92%) is obtained. The best permeability under which the system can perform best is 1×10−9 m2.
Hydrogen Fuel and Electricity Generation from a New Hybrid Energy System Based on Wind and Solar Energies and Alkaline Fuel Cell
Apr 2021
Publication
Excessive consumption of fossil fuels has led to depletion of reserves and environmental crises. Therefore turning to clean energy sources is essential. However these energy sources are intermittent in nature and have problems meeting long-term energy demand. The option suggested by the researchers is to use hybrid energy systems. The aim of this paper is provide the conceptual configuration of a novel energy cycle based on clean energy resources. The novel energy cycle is composed of a wind turbine solar photovoltaic field (PV) an alkaline fuel cell (AFC) a Stirling engine and an electrolyzer. Solar PV and wind turbine convert solar light energy and wind kinetic energy into electricity respectively. Then the generated electricity is fed to water electrolyzer. The electrolyzer decomposes water into oxygen and hydrogen gases by receiving electrical power. So the fuel cell inlets are provided. Next the AFC converts the chemical energy contained in hydrogen into electricity during electrochemical reactions with by-product (heat). The purpose of the introduced cycle is to generate electricity and hydrogen fuel. The relationships defined for the components of the proposed cycle are novel and is examined for the first time. Results showed that the output of the introduced cycle is 10.5 kW of electricity and its electrical efficiency is 56.9%. In addition the electrolyzer uses 9.9 kW of electricity to produce 221.3 grams per hour of hydrogen fuel. The share of the Stirling engine in the output power of the cycle is 9.85% (1033.7 W) which is obtained from the dissipated heat of the fuel cell. In addition wind turbine is capable of generating an average of 4.1 kW of electricity. However 238.6 kW of cycle exergy is destroyed. Two different scenarios are presented for solar field design.
A Review on the Kinetics of Iron Ore Reduction by Hydrogen
Dec 2021
Publication
A clean energy revolution is occurring across the world. As iron and steelmaking have a tremendous impact on the amount of CO2 emissions there is an increasing attraction towards improving the green footprint of iron and steel production. Among reducing agents hydrogen has shown a great potential to be replaced with fossil fuels and to decarbonize the steelmaking processes. Although hydrogen is in great supply on earth extracting pure H2 from its compound is costly. Therefore it is crucial to calculate the partial pressure of H2 with the aid of reduction reaction kinetics to limit the costs. This review summarizes the studies of critical parameters to determine the kinetics of reduction. The variables considered were temperature iron ore type (magnetite hematite goethite) H2/CO ratio porosity flow rate the concentration of diluent (He Ar N2 ) gas utility annealing before reduction and pressure. In fact increasing temperature H2/CO ratio hydrogen flow rate and hematite percentage in feed leads to a higher reduction rate. In addition the controlling kinetics models and the impact of the mentioned parameters on them investigated and compared concluding chemical reaction at the interfaces and diffusion of hydrogen through the iron oxide particle are the most common kinetics controlling models.
Design and Multi-scenario Optimization of a Hybrid Power System Based on a Working Gas Turbine: Energy, Exergy, Exergoeconomic and Environmental Evaluation
Sep 2022
Publication
The rising demand for electricity along with the need to minimize carbon footprints has motivated academics to investigate the flexible and efficient integration of energy conversion technologies. A novel hybrid power generation system based on environmentally friendly and cost-effective technologies to recover the waste heat of a working gas turbine is designed and assessed in different scenarios of multi-objective optimization from energy exergy exergoeconomic and environmental (4E) perspectives. In the proposed system a steam methane reformer and a water gas shift reactor are utilized for hydrogen production while a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) and steam/organic Rankine cycles are run for generating additional power. Aspen Plus in conjunction with Fortran Microsoft Excel and MATLAB is used to model and simulate the designed plant. The response surface methodology (RSM) is utilized to determine accurate surrogate models to describe the evaluation criteria and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II technique is employed to seek the optimal conditions. Moreover TOPSIS and LINMAP decision-making approaches are used to find the best final solution among Pareto frontiers. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and sensitivity analysis are also applied to evaluate the importance of the design variables. In this regard three single-objective optimizations and four multi-objective optimization scenarios based on the maximization of the ecological coefficient of performance (ECOP) and the minimization of CO2 emissions and total system product cost (C˙ p) are carried out. It is demonstrated that the system’s evaluation criteria have the highest and lowest sensitivity to the variation of reformer temperature and ORC pressure respectively. From the triple-objective optimization procedure the decision variables including reformer temperature ORC pressure Rankine cycle I pressure and Rankine cycle II pressure are 544 ◦C 4.35 bar 158.12 bar and 52.82 bar respectively. At these conditions the total hybrid system’s energy efficiency exergy efficiency exergy destruction net generated power and total investment cost rate are 45.96% 46.83% 215.72 MW 203.67 MW and 9791 $/h respectively. The findings of this paper conclude that it is necessary to address all objective functions simultaneously in the system’s ultimate optimum design. Furthermore the objective of this paper becomes even more apparent when there is no choice but to cut greenhouse gas emissions while also addressing the rising global energy demand.
Utilization of Hydrogen in Gas Turbines: A Comprehensive Review
Feb 2022
Publication
The concerns regarding the consumption of traditional fuels such as oil and coal have driven the proposals for several cleaner alternatives in recent years. Hydrogen energy is one of the most attractive alternatives for the currently used fossil fuels with several superiorities such as zero-emission and high energy content. Hydrogen has numerous advantages compared to conventional fuels and as such has been employed in gas turbines (GTs) in recent years. The main benefit of using hydrogen in power generation with the GT is the considerably lower emission of greenhouse gases. The performance of the GTs using hydrogen as a fuel is influenced by several factors including the performance of the components the operating condition ambient condition etc. These factors have been investigated by several scholars and scientists in this field. In this article studies on hydrogen-fired GTs are reviewed and their results are discussed. Furthermore some recommendations are proposed for the upcoming works in this field.
An On-Board Pure H2 Supply System Based on A Membrane Reactor for A Fuel Cell Vehicle: A Theoretical Study
Jul 2020
Publication
In this novel conceptual fuel cell vehicle (FCV) an on-board CH4 steam reforming (MSR) membrane reformer (MR) is considered to generate pure H2 for supplying a Fuel Cell (FC) system as an alternative to the conventional automobile engines. Two on-board tanks are forecast to store CH4 and water useful for feeding both a combustion chamber (designed to provide the heat required by the system) and a multi tubes Pd-Ag MR useful to generate pure H2 via methane steam reforming (MSR) reaction. The pure H2 stream is hence supplied to the FC. The flue gas stream coming out from the combustion chamber is used to preheat the MR feed stream by two heat exchangers and one evaporator. Then this theoretical work demonstrates by a 1-D model the feasibility of the MR based system in order to generate 5 kg/day of pure H2 required by the FC system for cruising a vehicle for around 500 km. The calculated CH4 and water consumptions were 50 and 70 kg respectively per 1 kg of pure H2. The on-board MR based FCV presents lower CO2 emission rates than a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle also resulting in a more environmentally friendly solution.
Predicting Power and Hydrogen Generation of a Renewable Energy Converter Utilizing Data-Driven Methods: A Sustainable Smart Grid Case Study
Jan 2023
Publication
This study proposes a data-driven methodology for modeling power and hydrogen generation of a sustainable energy converter. The wave and hydrogen production at different wave heights and wind speeds are predicted. Furthermore this research emphasizes and encourages the possibility of extracting hydrogen from ocean waves. By using the extracted data from the FLOW-3D software simulation and the experimental data from the special test in the ocean the comparison analysis of two data-driven learning methods is conducted. The results show that the amount of hydrogen production is proportional to the amount of generated electrical power. The reliability of the proposed renewable energy converter is further discussed as a sustainable smart grid application.
Technical, Economic, Carbon Footprint Assessment, and Prioritizing Stations for Hydrogen Production Using Wind Energy: A Case Study
Jul 2021
Publication
While Afghanistan’s power sector is almost completely dependent on fossil fuels it still cannot meet the rising power demand of this country. Deploying a combination of renewable energy systems with hydrogen production as the excess energy storage mechanism could be a sustainable long-term approach for addressing some of the energy problems of Afghanistan. Since Badakhshan is known to have a higher average wind speed than any other Afghan province in this study a technical economic and carbon footprint assessment was performed to investigate the potential for wind power and hydrogen production in this province. Wind data of four stations in Badakhshan were used for technical assessment for three heights of 10 30 and 40 m using the Weibull probability distribution function. This technical assessment was expanded by estimating the energy pattern factor probability of wind speeds greater than 5 m/s wind power density annual power output and annual hydrogen output. This was followed by an economic assessment which involved computing the Leveled Cost Of Energy (LCOE) the Leveled Cost Of Hydrogen (LCOH) and the payback period and finally an carbon footprint assessment which involved estimating the consequent CO2 reduction in two scenarios. The assessments were performed for 22 turbines manufactured by reputable companies with capacities ranging from 600 kW to 2.3 MW. The results showed that the entire Badakhshan province and especially Qal’eh-ye Panjeh and Fayazabad have excellent potentials in terms of wind energy that can be harvested for wind power and hydrogen production. Also wind power generation in this province will be highly cost-effective as the produced electricity will cost about one-third of the price of electricity supplied by the government. For better evaluation the GIS maps of wind power and hydrogen outputs were prepared using the IDW method. These maps showed that the eastern and northeastern parts of Badakhshan province have higher wind power-hydrogen production potentials. The results of ranking the stations with SWARA-EDAS hybrid MCDM methods showed that Qal’eh-ye Panjeh station was the best location to produce hydrogen from wind energy.
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning in Energy Management Systems, Control, and Optimization of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles
Mar 2023
Publication
Environmental emissions global warming and energy-related concerns have accelerated the advancements in conventional vehicles that primarily use internal combustion engines. Among the existing technologies hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles may have minimal contributions to greenhouse gas emissions and thus are the prime choices for environmental concerns. However energy management in fuel cell electric vehicles and fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles is a major challenge. Appropriate control strategies should be used for effective energy management in these vehicles. On the other hand there has been significant progress in artificial intelligence machine learning and designing data-driven intelligent controllers. These techniques have found much attention within the community and state-of-the-art energy management technologies have been developed based on them. This manuscript reviews the application of machine learning and intelligent controllers for prediction control energy management and vehicle to everything (V2X) in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. The effectiveness of data-driven control and optimization systems are investigated to evolve classify and compare and future trends and directions for sustainability are discussed.
Impacts of Green Energy Expansion and Gas Import Reduction on South Korea’s Economic Growth: A System Dynamics Approach
Jun 2023
Publication
South Korea ranking ninth among the largest energy consumers and seventh in carbon dioxide emissions from 2016 to 2021 faces challenges in energy security and climate change mitigation. The primary challenge lies in transitioning from fossil fuel dependency to a more sustainable and diversified energy portfolio while meeting the growing energy demand for continued economic growth. This necessitates fostering innovation and investment in the green energy sector. This study examines the potential impact of green energy expansion (through integrating renewable energy and hydrogen production) and gas import reduction on South Korea’s economic growth using a system dynamics approach. The findings indicate that increasing investment in green energy can result in significant growth rates ranging from 7% to 35% between 2025 and 2040. Under the expansion renewable energy scenario (A) suggests steady but sustainable economic growth in the long term while the gas import reduction scenario (B) displays a potential for rapid economic growth in the short term with possible instability in the long term. The total production in Scenario B is USD 2.7 trillion in 2025 and will increase to USD 4.8 trillion by 2040. Scenario C which combines the effects of both Scenarios A and B results in consistently high economic growth rates over time and a substantial increase in total production by 2035–2040 from 20% to 46%. These findings are critical for policymakers in South Korea as they strive for sustainable economic growth and transition to renewable energy.
Energy, Exergy, and Economic Analysis of Cryogenic Distillation and Chemical Scrubbing for Biogas Upgrading and Hydrogen Production
Mar 2022
Publication
Biogas is one of the most important sources of renewable energy and hydrogen production which needs upgrading to be functional. In this study two methods of biogas upgrading from organic parts of municipal waste were investigated. For biogas upgrading this article used a 3E analysis and simulated cryogenic separation and chemical scrubbing. The primary goal was to compare thermoeconomic indices and create hydrogen by reforming biomethane. The exergy analysis revealed that the compressor of the refrigerant and recovery column of MEA contributed the most exergy loss in the cryogenic separation and chemical scrubbing. The total exergy efficiency of cryogenic separation and chemical scrubbing was 85% and 84%. The energy analysis revealed a 2.07% lower energy efficiency for chemical scrubbing. The capital energy and total annual costs of chemical absorption were 56.51 26.33 and 54.44 percent lower than those of cryogenic separation respectively indicating that this technology is more economically feasible. Moreover because the thermodynamic efficiencies of the two methods were comparable the chemical absorption method was adopted for hydrogen production. The biomethane steam reforming was simulated and the results indicated that this method required an energy consumption of 90.48 MJ kgH2 . The hydrogen production intensity equaled 1.98 kmoleH2 kmolebiogas via a 79.92% methane conversion.
Numerical Study on Hydrogen–Gasoline Dual-Fuel Spark Ignition Engine
Nov 2022
Publication
Hydrogen as a suitable and clean energy carrier has been long considered a primary fuel or in combination with other conventional fuels such as gasoline and diesel. Since the density of hydrogen is very low in port fuel-injection configuration the engine’s volumetric efficiency reduces due to the replacement of hydrogen by intake air. Therefore hydrogen direct in-cylinder injection (injection after the intake valve closes) can be a suitable solution for hydrogen utilization in spark ignition (SI) engines. In this study the effects of hydrogen direct injection with different hydrogen energy shares (HES) on the performance and emissions characteristics of a gasoline port-injection SI engine are investigated based on reactive computational fluid dynamics. Three different injection timings of hydrogen together with five different HES are applied at low and full load on a hydrogen– gasoline dual-fuel SI engine. The results show that retarded hydrogen injection timing increases the concentration of hydrogen near the spark plug resulting in areas with higher average temperatures which led to NOX emission deterioration at −120 Crank angle degree After Top Dead Center (CAD aTDC) start of injection (SOI) compared to the other modes. At −120 CAD aTDC SOI for 50% HES the amount of NOX was 26% higher than −140 CAD aTDC SOI. In the meanwhile an advanced hydrogen injection timing formed a homogeneous mixture of hydrogen which decreased the HC and soot concentration so that −140 CAD aTDC SOI implied the lowest amount of HC and soot. Moreover with the increase in the amount of HES the concentrations of CO CO2 and soot were reduced. Having the HES by 50% at −140 CAD aTDC SOI the concentrations of particulate matter (PM) CO and CO2 were reduced by 96.3% 90% and 46% respectively. However due to more complete combustion and an elevated combustion average temperature the amount of NOX emission increased drastically.
Improved Monitoring and Diagnosis of Transformer Solid Insulation Using Pertinent Chemical Indicators
Jul 2021
Publication
Transformers are generally considered to be the costliest assets in a power network. The lifetime of a transformer is mainly attributable to the condition of its solid insulation which in turn is measured and described according to the degree of polymerization (DP) of the cellulose. Since the determination of the DP index is complex and time-consuming and requires the transformer to be taken out of service utilities prefer indirect and non-invasive methods of determining the DP based on the byproduct of cellulose aging. This paper analyzes solid insulation degradation by measuring the furan concentration recently introduced methanol and dissolved gases like carbon oxides and hydrogen in the insulating oil. A group of service-aged distribution transformers were selected for practical investigation based on oil samples and different kinds of tests. Based on the maintenance and planning strategy of the power utility and a weighted combination of measured chemical indicators a neural network was also developed to categorize the state of the transformer in certain classes. The method proved to be able to improve the diagnostic capability of chemical indicators thus providing power utilities with more reliable maintenance tools and avoiding catastrophic failure of transformers.
Optimal Scheduling of a Hydrogen-Based Energy Hub Considering a Stochastic Multi-Attribute Decision-Making Approach
Jan 2023
Publication
Nowadays the integration of multi-energy carriers is one of the most critical matters in smart energy systems with the aim of meeting sustainable energy development indicators. Hydrogen is referred to as one of the main energy carriers in the future energy industry but its integration into the energy system faces different open challenges which have not yet been comprehensively studied. In this paper a novel day-ahead scheduling is presented to reach the optimal operation of a hydrogen-based energy hub based on a stochastic multi-attribute decision-making approach. In this way the energy hub model is first developed by providing a detailed model of Power-to-Hydrogen (P2H) facilities. Then a new multi-objective problem is given by considering the prosumer’s role in the proposed energy hub model as well as the integrated demand response program (IDRP). The proposed model introduces a comprehensive approach from the analysis of the historical data to the final decision-making with the aim of minimizing the system operation cost and carbon emission. Moreover to deal with system uncertainty the scenario-based method is applied to model the renewable energy resources fluctuation. The proposed problem is defined as mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) and to solve this problem a simple augmented e-constrained (SAUGMECON) method is employed. Finally the simulation of the proposed model is performed on a case study and the obtained results show the effectiveness and benefits of the proposed scheme.
Thermal Management System Architecture for Hydrogen-Powered Propulsion Technologies: Practices, Thematic Clusters, System Architectures, Future Challenges, and Opportunities
Jan 2022
Publication
The thermal management system architectures proposed for hydrogen-powered propulsion technologies are critically reviewed and assessed. The objectives of this paper are to determine the system-level shortcomings and to recognise the remaining challenges and research questions that need to be sorted out in order to enable this disruptive technology to be utilised by propulsion system manufacturers. Initially a scientometrics based co-word analysis is conducted to identify the milestones for the literature review as well as to illustrate the connections between relevant ideas by considering the patterns of co-occurrence of words. Then a historical review of the proposed embodiments and concepts dating back to 1995 is followed. Next feasible thermal management system architectures are classified into three distinct classes and its components are discussed. These architectures are further extended and adapted for the application of hydrogen-powered fuel cells in aviation. This climaxes with the assessment of the available evidence to verify the reasons why no hydrogen-powered propulsion thermal management system architecture has yet been approved for commercial production. Finally the remaining research challenges are identified through a systematic examination of the critical areas in thermal management systems for application to hydrogen-powered air vehicles’ engine cooling. The proposed solutions are discussed from weight cost complexity and impact points of view by a system-level assessment of the critical areas in the field.
Modeling of Thermal Performance of a Commercial Alkaline Electrolyzer Supplied with Various Electrical Currents
Nov 2021
Publication
Hydrogen produced by solar and other clean energy sources is an essential alternative to fossil fuels. In this study a commercial alkaline electrolyzer with different cell numbers and electrode areas are simulated for different pressure temperature thermal resistance and electrical current. This alkaline electrolyzer is considered unsteady in simulations and different parameters such as temperature are obtained in terms of time. The obtained results are compared with similar results in the literature and good agreement is observed. Various characteristics of this alkaline electrolyzer as thermoneutral voltage faraday efficiency and cell voltage are calculated and displayed. The outlet heat rate and generated heat rate are obtained as well. The pressure and the temperature in the simulations are between 1 and 100 bar and between 300 and 360 Kelvin respectively. The results show that the equilibrium temperature is reached 2-3 hours after the time when the Alkaline electrolyzer starts to work.
A Review of Hydrogen/rock/brine Interaction: Implications for Hydrogen Geo-storage
Dec 2022
Publication
Hydrogen (H2) is currently considered a clean fuel to decrease anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and will play a vital role in climate change mitigation. Nevertheless one of the primary challenges of achieving a complete H2 economy is the large-scale storage of H2 which is unsafe on the surface because H2 is highly compressible volatile and flammable. Hydrogen storage in geological formations could be a potential solution to this problem because of the abundance of such formations and their high storage capacities. Wettability plays a critical role in the displacement of formation water and determines the containment safety storage capacity and amount of trapped H2 (or recovery factor). However no comprehensive review article has been published explaining H2 wettability in geological conditions. Therefore this review focuses on the influence of various parameters such as salinity temperature pressure surface roughness and formation type on wettability and consequently H2 storage. Significant gaps exist in the literature on understanding the effect of organic material on H2 storage capacity. Thus this review summarizes recent advances in rock/H2/brine systems containing organic material in various geological reservoirs. The paper also presents influential parameters affecting H2 storage capacity and containment safety including liquid–gas interfacial tension rock–fluid interfacial tension and adsorption. The paper aims to provide the scientific community with an expert opinion to understand the challenges of H2 storage and identify storage solutions. In addition the essential differences between underground H2 storage (UHS) natural gas storage and carbon dioxide geological storage are discussed and the direction of future research is presented. Therefore this review promotes thorough knowledge of UHS provides guidance on operating large-scale UHS projects encourages climate engineers to focus more on UHS research and provides an overview of advanced technology. This review also inspires researchers in the field of climate change to give more credit to UHS studies.
Thermocatalytic Hydrogen Production Through Decomposition of Methane-A Review
Oct 2021
Publication
Consumption of fossil fuels especially in transport and energy-dependent sectors has led to large greenhouse gas production. Hydrogen is an exciting energy source that can serve our energy purposes and decrease toxic waste production. Decomposition of methane yields hydrogen devoid of COx components thereby aiding as an eco-friendly approach towards large-scale hydrogen production. This review article is focused on hydrogen production through thermocatalytic methane decomposition (TMD) for hydrogen production. The thermodynamics of this approach has been highlighted. Various methods of hydrogen production from fossil fuels and renewable resources were discussed. Methods including steam methane reforming partial oxidation of methane auto thermal reforming direct biomass gasification thermal water splitting methane pyrolysis aqueous reforming and coal gasification have been reported in this article. A detailed overview of the different types of catalysts available the reasons behind their deactivation and their possible regeneration methods were discussed. Finally we presented the challenges and future perspectives for hydrogen production via TMD. This review concluded that among all catalysts nickel ruthenium and platinum-based catalysts show the highest activity and catalytic efficiency and gave carbon-free hydrogen products during the TMD process. However their rapid deactivation at high temperatures still needs the attention of the scientific community.
Just Energy Transition: Learning from the Past for a More Just and Sustainable Hydrogen Transition in West Africa
Dec 2022
Publication
The rising demand for energy and the aim of moving away from fossil fuels and to low-carbon power have led many countries to move to alternative sources including solar energy wind geothermal energy biomass and hydrogen. Hydrogen is often considered a “missing link” in guaranteeing the energy transition providing storage and covering the volatility and intermittency of renewable energy generation. However due to potential injustice with regard to the distribution of risks benefits and costs (i.e. in regard to competing for land use) the large-scale deployment of hydrogen is a contested policy issue. This paper draws from a historical analysis of past energy projects to contribute to a more informed policy-making process toward a more just transition to the hydrogen economy. We perform a systematic literature review to identify relevant conflict factors that can influence the outcome of hydrogen energy transition projects in selected Economic Community of West African States countries namely Nigeria and Mali. To better address potential challenges policymakers must not only facilitate technology development access and market structures for hydrogen energy policies but also focus on energy access to affected communities. Further research should monitor hydrogen implementation with a special focus on societal impacts in producing countries.
Recent Advances in High-Temperature Steam Electrolysis with Solid Oxide Electrolysers for Green Hydrogen Production
Apr 2023
Publication
Hydrogen is known to be the carbon-neutral alternative energy carrier with the highest energy density. Currently more than 95% of hydrogen production technologies rely on fossil fuels resulting in greenhouse gas emissions. Water electrolysis is one of the most widely used technologies for hydrogen generation. Nuclear power a renewable energy source can provide the heat needed for the process of steam electrolysis for clean hydrogen production. This review paper analyses the recent progress in hydrogen generation via high-temperature steam electrolysis through solid oxide electrolysis cells using nuclear thermal energy. Protons and oxygen-ions conducting solid oxide electrolysis processes are discussed in this paper. The scope of this review report covers a broad range including the recent advances in material development for each component (i.e. hydrogen electrode oxygen electrode electrolyte interconnect and sealant) degradation mechanisms and countermeasures to mitigate them.
Impact of Local Emergency Demand Response Programs on the Operation of Electricity and Gas Systems
Mar 2022
Publication
With increasing attention to climate change the penetration level of renewable energy sources (RES) in the electricity network is increasing. Due to the intermittency of RES gas‐fired power plants could play a significant role in backing up the RES in order to maintain the supply– demand balance. As a result the interaction between gas and power networks are significantly in‐ creasing. On the other hand due to the increase in peak demand (e.g. electrification of heat) net‐ work operators are willing to execute demand response programs (DRPs) to improve congestion management and reduce costs. In this context modeling and optimal implementation of DRPs in proportion to the demand is one of the main issues for gas and power network operators. In this paper an emergency demand response program (EDRP) is implemented locally to reduce the con‐ gestion of transmission lines and gas pipelines more efficiently. Additionally the effects of optimal implementation of local emergency demand response program (LEDRP) in gas and power networks using linear and non‐linear economic models (power exponential and logarithmic) for EDRP in terms of cost and line congestion and risk of unserved demand are investigated. The most reliable demand response model is the approach that has the least difference between the estimated demand and the actual demand. Furthermore the role of the LEDRP in the case of hydrogen injection instead of natural gas in the gas infrastructure is investigated. The optimal incentives for each bus or node are determined based on the power transfer distribution factor gas transfer distribution factor available electricity or gas transmission capability and combination of unit commitment with the LEDRP in the integrated operation of these networks. According to the results implementing the LEDRP in gas and power networks reduces the total operation cost up to 11% and could facilitate hydrogen injection to the network. The proposed hybrid model is implemented on a 24‐bus IEEE electricity network and a 15‐bus gas network to quantify the role and value of different LEDRP models.
Design and Simulation Studies of Hybrid Power Systems Based on Photovoltaic, Wind, Electrolyzer, and PEM Fuel Cells
May 2021
Publication
In recent years the need to reduce environmental impacts and increase flexibility in the energy sector has led to increased penetration of renewable energy sources and the shift from concentrated to decentralized generation. A fuel cell is an instrument that produces electricity by chemical reaction. Fuel cells are a promising technology for ultimate energy conversion and energy generation. We see that this system is integrated where we find that the wind and photovoltaic energy system is complementary between them because not all days are sunny windy or night so we see that this system has higher reliability to provide continuous generation. At low load hours PV and electrolysis units produce extra power. After being compressed hydrogen is stored in tanks. The purpose of this study is to separate the Bahr AL-Najaf Area from the main power grid and make it an independent network by itself. The PEM fuel cells were analyzed and designed and it were found that one layer is equal to 570.96 Watt at 0.61 volts and 1.04 A/Cm2 . The number of layers in one stack is designed to be equal to 13 layers so that the total power of one stack is equal to 7422.48 Watt. That is the number of stacks required to generate the required energy from the fuel cells is equal to 203 stk. This study provided an analysis of the hybrid system to cover the electricity demand in the Bahr AL-Najaf region of 1.5 MW the attained hybrid power system TNPC cost was about 9573208 USD whereas the capital cost and energy cost (COE) were about 7750000 USD and 0.169 USD/kWh respectively for one year.
A Review on Recent Progress in the Integrated Green Hydrogen Production Processes
Feb 2022
Publication
The thermochemical water‐splitting method is a promising technology for efficiently con verting renewable thermal energy sources into green hydrogen. This technique is primarily based on recirculating an active material capable of experiencing multiple reduction‐oxidation (redox) steps through an integrated cycle to convert water into separate streams of hydrogen and oxygen. The thermochemical cycles are divided into two main categories according to their operating temperatures namely low‐temperature cycles (<1100 °C) and high‐temperature cycles (<1100 °C). The copper chlorine cycle offers relatively higher efficiency and lower costs for hydrogen production among the low‐temperature processes. In contrast the zinc oxide and ferrite cycles show great potential for developing large‐scale high‐temperature cycles. Although several challenges such as energy storage capacity durability cost‐effectiveness etc. should be addressed before scaling up these technologies into commercial plants for hydrogen production. This review critically examines various aspects of the most promising thermochemical water‐splitting cycles with a particular focus on their capabilities to produce green hydrogen with high performance redox pairs stability and the technology maturity and readiness for commercial use.
Optimization of Geothermal- and Solar-driven Clean Electricity and Hydrogen Production Multi-generation Systems to Address the Energy Nexus
Jan 2022
Publication
Given the limited sources of fossil fuels mankind should find new ways to meet its energy demands. In this regard geothermal and solar energy are acknowledged as reliable safe promising and clean means for this purpose. In this research study a comparative analysis is applied on geothermal and solar-driven multi-generation systems for clean electricity and hydrogen production through energy and exergy assessments. The system consists of an organic Rankine cycle a proton electrolyte membrane electrolyzer and a thermoelectric generator subsystem. The Engineering Equation Solver software has been utilized in order to model the system and obtain the output contours sensitivity analysis and exergy destruction. The results were calculated considering the ambient temperature of Bandar Abbas city as a case study considering the geothermal system due to better performance in comparison to the solar system. According to the sensitivity analysis the turbine efficiency evaporator inlet temperature thermoelectric generator suitability criterion pump efficiency and evaporator inlet mass flow rate are the most influential parameters. Also the exergy analysis showed that the utmost system's exergy destruction is pertinent to the evaporator and the least is related to the pump. In addition the system produces 352816 kWh and 174.913 kg of electrical power and hydrogen during one year.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of a Novel Integrated System Consisting of Hydrogen Boil-off Gas Reliquifying Process and Polymer Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Using Exergoeconomic and Markov Analyses
Dec 2021
Publication
The price of constructing hydrogen generation units is very high and sometimes it is not possible to build them in the desired location so the transfer of hydrogen from the hydrogen generation system to the units that need it is justified. Since the storage of hydrogen gas needs a large volume and its transportation is very complex so if hydrogen is stored in liquid form this problem can be resolved. In transporting liquid hydrogen (LH2) over long distances owing to heat transfer to the environment the LH2 vaporizes forming boil-off gas (BOG). Herein in lieu of only reliquifying the BOG this study proposes and assesses a system employing the BOG partially as feed for a novel liquefaction process and also the remaining utilized in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to generate power. Using the cold energy of the onsite liquid oxygen utility of the LH2 cargo vessel the mixed refrigerant liquefaction cycle is further cooled down. In this regard by using 130 kg/h BOG as input 60.37 kg/h of liquid hydrogen is produced and the rest enters PEMFC with 552.7 kg/h oxygen to produce 1592 kW of power. The total thermal efficiency of the integrated system and electrical efficiency of the PEMFC is 83.18% and 68.76% respectively. Regarding the liquefaction cycle its specific power consumption (SPC) and coefficient of performance (COP) were achieved at 3.203 kWh/kgLH2 and 0.1876 respectively. The results of exergy analysis show that the exergy destruction of the whole system is 937.4 kW and also its exergy efficiency is calculated to be 58.38%. Exergoeconomic and Markov analyses have also been applied to the integrated system. Also by changing the important parameters of PEMFC its optimal performance has been extracted.
Underground Hydrogen Storage: A UK Perspective
Oct 2023
Publication
Hydrogen is anticipated to play a key role in global decarbonization and within the UK’s pathway to achieving net zero targets. However as the production of hydrogen expands in line with government strategies a key concern is where this hydrogen will be stored for later use. This study assesses the different large-scale storage options in geological structures available to the UK and addresses the surrounding uncertainties moving towards establishing a hydrogen economy. Currently salt caverns look to be the most favourable option considering their proven experience in the storage of hydrogen especially high purity hydrogen natural sealing properties low cushion gas requirement and high charge and discharge rates. However their geographical availability within the UK can act as a major constraint. Additionally a substantial increase in the number of new caverns will be necessary to meet the UK’s storage demand. Salt caverns have greater applicability as a good short-term storage solution however storage in porous media such as depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and saline aquifers can be seen as a long-term and strategic solution to meet energy demand and achieve energy security. Porous media storage solutions are estimated to have capacities which far exceed projected storage demand. Depleted fields have generally been well explored prior to hydrocarbon extraction. Although many saline aquifers are available offshore UK geological characterizations are still required to identify the right candidates for hydrogen storage. Currently the advantages of depleted gas reservoirs over saline aquifers make them the favoured option after salt caverns.
Optimization of Renewable Energy Supply Chain for Sustainable Hydrogen Energy Production from Plastic Waste
Dec 2023
Publication
Disposing of plastic waste through burial or burning leads to air pollution issues while also contributing to gas emissions and plastic waste spreading underground into seas via springs. Henceforth this research aims at reducing plastic waste volume while simultaneously generating clean energy. Hydrogen energy is a promising fuel source that holds great value for humanity. However achieving clean hydrogen energy poses challenges including high costs and complex production processes especially on a national scale. This research focuses on Iran as a country capable of producing this energy examining the production process along with related challenges and the general supply chain. These challenges encompass selecting appropriate raw materials based on chosen technologies factory capacities storage methods and transportation flow among different provinces of the country. To deal with these challenges a mixed-integer linear programming model is developed to optimize the hydrogen supply chain and make optimal decisions about the mentioned problems. The supply chain model estimates an average cost—IRR 4 million (approximately USD 8)—per kilogram of hydrogen energy that is available in syngas during the initial period; however subsequent periods may see costs decrease to IRR 1 million (approximately USD 2) factoring in return-on-investment rates.
Up-to-Date Status of Geoscience in the Field of Natural Hydrogen with Consideration of Petroleum Issues
Sep 2023
Publication
The perspective of natural hydrogen as a clear carbon-free and renewable energy source appears very promising. There have been many studies reporting significant concentrations of natural hydrogen in different countries. However natural hydrogen is being extracted to generate electricity only in Mali. This issue originates from the fact that global attention has not been dedicated yet to the progression and promotion of the natural hydrogen field. Therefore being in the beginning stage natural hydrogen science needs further investigation especially in exploration techniques and exploitation technologies. The main incentive of this work is to analyze the latest advances and challenges pertinent to the natural hydrogen industry. The focus is on elaborating geological origins ground exposure types extraction techniques previous detections of natural hydrogen exploration methods and underground hydrogen storage (UHS). Thus the research strives to shed light on the current status of the natural hydrogen field chiefly from the geoscience perspective. The data collated in this review can be used as a useful reference for the scientists engineers and policymakers involved in this emerging renewable energy source.
Synergistic Integration of Hydrogen Energy Economy with UK’s Sustainable Development Goals: A Holistic Approach to Enhancing Safety and Risk Mitigation
Oct 2023
Publication
Hydrogen is gaining prominence as a sustainable energy source in the UK aligning with the country’s commitment to advancing sustainable development across diverse sectors. However a rigorous examination of the interplay between the hydrogen economy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is imperative. This study addresses this imperative by comprehensively assessing the risks associated with hydrogen production storage transportation and utilization. The overarching aim is to establish a robust framework that ensures the secure deployment and operation of hydrogen-based technologies within the UK’s sustainable development trajectory. Considering the unique characteristics of the UK’s energy landscape infrastructure and policy framework this paper presents practical and viable recommendations to facilitate the safe and effective integration of hydrogen energy into the UK’s SDGs. To facilitate sophisticated decision making it proposes using an advanced Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) tool incorporating regret theory and a 2-tuple spherical linguistic environment. This tool enables a nuanced decision-making process yielding actionable insights. The analysis reveals that Incident Reporting and Learning Robust Regulatory Framework Safety Standards and Codes are pivotal safety factors. At the same time Clean Energy Access Climate Action and Industry Innovation and Infrastructure are identified as the most influential SDGs. This information provides valuable guidance for policymakers industry stakeholders and regulators. It empowers them to make well-informed strategic decisions and prioritize actions that bolster safety and sustainable development as the UK transitions towards a hydrogen-based energy system. Moreover the findings underscore the varying degrees of prominence among different SDGs. Notably SDG 13 (Climate Action) exhibits relatively lower overall distinction at 0.0066 and a Relation value of 0.0512 albeit with a substantial impact. In contrast SDG 7 (Clean Energy Access) and SDG 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure) demonstrate moderate prominence levels (0.0559 and 0.0498 respectively) each with its unique influence emphasizing their critical roles in the UK’s pursuit of a sustainable hydrogen-based energy future.
The Role of Clean Hydrogen Value Chain in a Successful Energy Transition of Japan
Aug 2022
Publication
The clean hydrogen in the prioritized value chain platform could provide energy incentives and reduce environmental impacts. In the current study strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis has been successfully applied to the clean hydrogen value chain in different sectors to determine Japan’s clean hydrogen value chain’s strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats as a case study. Japan was chosen as a case study since we believe that it is the only pioneer country in that chain with a national strategy investments and current projects which make it unique in this way. The analyses include evaluations of clean energy development power supply chains regional energy planning and renewable energy development including the internal and external elements that may influence the growth of the hydrogen economy in Japan. The ability of Japan to produce and use large quantities of clean hydrogen at a price that is competitive with fossil fuels is critical to the country’s future success. The implementation of an efficient carbon tax and carbon pricing is also necessary for cost parity. There will be an increasing demand for global policy coordination and inter-industry cooperation. The results obtained from this research will be a suitable model for other countries to be aware of the strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats in this field in order to make proper decisions according to their infrastructures potentials economies and socio-political states in that field.
Progress and Challenges on the Thermal Management of Electrochemical Energy Conversion and Storage Technologies: Fuel Cells, Electrolysers, and Supercapacitors
Oct 2021
Publication
It is now well established that electrochemical systems can optimally perform only within a narrow range of temperature. Exposure to temperatures outside this range adversely affects the performance and lifetime of these systems. As a result thermal management is an essential consideration during the design and operation of electrochemical equipment and can heavily influence the success of electrochemical energy technologies. Recently significant attempts have been placed on the maturity of cooling technologies for electrochemical devices. Nonetheless the existing reviews on the subject have been primarily focused on battery cooling. Conversely heat transfer in other electrochemical systems commonly used for energy conversion and storage has not been subjected to critical reviews. To address this issue the current study gives an overview of the progress and challenges on the thermal management of different electrochemical energy devices including fuel cells electrolysers and supercapacitors. The physicochemical mechanisms of heat generation in these electrochemical devices are discussed in-depth. Physics of the heat transfer techniques currently employed for temperature control are then exposed and some directions for future studies are provided.
Simulation of a Multi-Functional Energy System for Cogeneration of Steam, Power and Hydrogen in a Coke Making Plant
Mar 2013
Publication
In this paper a multifunctional energy system (MES) is proposed for recovering energy from the extra of coke oven gas (COG) which is usually flared or vented out as a waste stream in coke making plants. The proposed system consists of a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit for extracting some of the hydrogen from COG a gas turbine for producing heat and power from PSA offgas and a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) for generating the steam required by the plant's processes. o assess the performance of the system practically simulations are carried out on the basis of the design and operational conditions of Zarand Coke Making Plant in Iran. The results indicate that by utilizing about 4.39 tons of COG per hour 6.5 MW of net electric power can be approximately produced by the gas turbine which can supply the coke making plant's total electrical power demand. Furthermore through recovering heat from gas turbine's exhaust close to 57% of the plant's steam demand can be supplied by the HRSG unit. It is also found that around 350 kilograms per hour of nearly pure hydrogen (99.9% purity) at 200 bar can be produced by the PSA unit. According to the sensitivity analysis results if the hydrogen content of the coke oven gas decreases by about 10% the gross power output of the gas turbine also declines by around 5.2% due to the reduction of LHV of the PSA offgas. Moreover economic evaluation of the system shows that the payback period of the investment which is estimated at 36.1 M$ is about 5.5 years. The net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return on investment (ROI) are calculated to be 17.6% and 43.3 M$ respectively.
From Renewable Energy to Sustainable Protein Sources: Advancement, Challenges, and Future Roadmaps
Jan 2022
Publication
The concerns over food security and protein scarcity driven by population increase and higher standards of living have pushed scientists toward finding new protein sources. A considerable proportion of resources and agricultural lands are currently dedicated to proteinaceous feed production to raise livestock and poultry for human consumption. The 1st generation of microbial protein (MP) came into the market as land-independent proteinaceous feed for livestock and aquaculture. However MP may be a less sustainable alternative to conventional feeds such as soybean meal and fishmeal because this technology currently requires natural gas and synthetic chemicals. These challenges have directed researchers toward the production of 2nd generation MP by integrating renewable energies anaerobic digestion nutrient recovery biogas cleaning and upgrading carbon-capture technologies and fermentation. The fermentation of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) and hydrogen-oxidizing bacteria (HOB) i.e. two protein rich microorganisms has shown a great potential on the one hand to upcycle effluents from anaerobic digestion into protein rich biomass and on the other hand to be coupled to renewable energy systems under the concept of Power-to-X. This work compares various production routes for 2nd generation MP by reviewing the latest studies conducted in this context and introducing the state-of-the-art technologies hoping that the findings can accelerate and facilitate upscaling of MP production. The results show that 2nd generation MP depends on the expansion of renewable energies. In countries with high penetration of renewable electricity such as Nordic countries off-peak surplus electricity can be used within MP-industry by supplying electrolytic H2 which is the driving factor for both MOB and HOB-based MP production. However nutrient recovery technologies are the heart of the 2nd generation MP industry as they determine the process costs and quality of the final product. Although huge attempts have been made to date in this context some bottlenecks such as immature nutrient recovery technologies less efficient fermenters with insufficient gas-to-liquid transfer and costly electrolytic hydrogen production and storage have hindered the scale up of MP production. Furthermore further research into techno-economic feasibility and life cycle assessment (LCA) of coupled technologies is still needed to identify key points for improvement and thereby secure a sustainable production system.
Potential of Producing Green Hydrogen in Jordan
Nov 2022
Publication
Green hydrogen is becoming an increasingly important energy supply source worldwide. The great potential for the use of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source makes it an attractive energy carrier. In this paper we discuss the potential of producing green hydrogen in Jordan. Aqaba located in the south of Jordan was selected to study the potential for producing green hydrogen due to its proximity to a water source (i.e. the Red Sea). Two models were created for two electrolyzer types using MATLAB. The investigated electrolyzers were alkaline water (ALK) and polymeric electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The first model was used to compare the required capacity of the PV solar system using ALK and PEM from 2022 to 2025 depending on the learning curves for the development of these technologies. In addition this model was used to predict the total investment costs for the investigated electrolyzers. Then a techno-economic model was constructed to predict the feasibility of using this technology by comparing the use of a PV system and grid electricity as sources for the production of hydrogen. The net present value (NPV) and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) were used as indicators for both models. The environmental effect according to the reduction of CO2 emissions was also taken into account. The annual production of hydrogen was 70.956 million kg. The rate of hydrogen production was 19.3 kg/s and 1783 kg/s for ALK and PEM electrolyzers respectively. The LCOH was 4.42 USD/kg and 3.13 USD/kg when applying electricity from the grid and generated by the PV system respectively. The payback period to cover the capital cost of the PV system was 11 years of the project life with a NPV of USD 441.95 million. Moreover CO2 emissions can be reduced by 3042 tons/year by using the PV as a generation source instead of fossil fuels to generate electricity. The annual savings with respect to the reduction of CO2 emissions was USD 120135.
A Comprehensive Resilience Assessment Framework for Hydrogen Energy Infrastructure Development
Jun 2023
Publication
In recent years sustainable development has become a challenge for many societies due to natural or other disruptive events which have disrupted economic environmental and energy infrastructure growth. Developing hydrogen energy infrastructure is crucial for sustainable development because of its numerous benefits over conventional energy sources. However the complexity of hydrogen energy infrastructure including production utilization and storage stages requires accounting for potential vulnerabilities. Therefore resilience needs to be considered along with sustainable development. This paper proposes a decision-making framework to evaluate the resilience of hydrogen energy infrastructure by integrating resilience indicators and sustainability contributing factors. A holistic taxonomy of resilience performance is first developed followed by a qualitative resilience assessment framework using a novel Intuitionistic fuzzy Weighted Influence Nonlinear Gauge System (IFWINGS). The results highlighted that Regulation and legislation Government preparation and Crisis response budget are the most critical resilience indicators in the understudy hydrogen energy infrastructure. A comparative case study demonstrates the practicality capability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results suggest that the proposed model can be used for resilience assessment in other areas.
Evaluation of Significant Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Using Hydrogen Fuel in a LFG/Diesel RCCI Engine
Jan 2024
Publication
The production of solid waste in human societies and the related environmental and global warming concerns are increasing. Extensive use of existing conventional diesel and dual-fuel engines also causes the production of high levels of greenhouse gases and aggravating the aforementioned concerns. Therefore the aim of this study is to reduce the greenhouse emissions in existing natural gas/diesel dual-fuel heavy-duty diesel engine. For this purpose changing the type of combustion to reactivity-controlled compression-ignition combustion and using landfill gas instead of natural gas in a dual-fuel engine were simultaneously implemented. Moreover a traditional method was used to evaluate the effect of variations in three important parameters on the engine's performance in order to determine the appropriate engine operating ranges. The simulation results indicate that although the consumption of 102000 cubic meters per year of natural gas in each cylinder is reduced only by replacing landfill gas the level of engine greenhouse gas emissions is too high compared to the relevant levels of emissions standards. Hence by keeping the total energy content of the fuels constant landfill gas enrichment with hydrogen was considered to reduce the engine emissions. The simulation results show that by increasing the hydrogen energy share up to 37% the engine load has the potential to be improved up to 7% without any exposure to diesel knock. However the downfall is the reduction in the gross indicated efficiency up to 3%. Meanwhile not only the fifth level of the European emission standard for nitrogen oxides and the sixth level of this standard for carbon monoxide can be achieved but it is also possible to overcome the high level of unburned methane as a drastic greenhouse gas and formaldehyde as a related carcinogenic species.
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