Applications & Pathways
Future of Electric and Hydrogen Cars and Trucks: An Overview
Apr 2023
Publication
The negative consequences of toxic emissions from internal combustion engines energy security climate change and energy costs have led to a growing demand for clean power sources in the automotive industry. The development of eco-friendly vehicle technologies such as electric and hydrogen vehicles has increased. This article investigates whether hydrogen vehicles will replace electric vehicles in the future. The results showed that fuel-cell cars are unlikely to compete with electric cars. This is due to the advancements in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure which are becoming more cost-effective and efficient. Additionally the technical progress in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is expected to reduce the market share of fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in passenger vehicles. However significant investments have been made in hydrogen cars. Many ongoing investments seem to follow the sunk cost fallacy where decision-makers continue to invest in an unprofitable project due to their already invested resources. Furthermore even with megawatt charging fuel-cell trucks cost more than battery-powered electric trucks. The use cases for fuel-cell electric trucks are also much more limited as their running expenses are higher compared to electric cars. Hydrogen vehicles may be beneficial for heavy transport in remote areas. However it remains to be seen if niche markets are large enough to support fuel-cell electric truck commercialization and economies of scale. In summary we believe that hydrogen vehicles will not replace electric cars and trucks at least before 2050.
Investigation of Pre-cooling Strategies for Heavy-duty Hydrogen Refuelling
Mar 2024
Publication
Green hydrogen presents a promising solution for transitioning from fossil fuels to a clean energy future particularly with the application of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). However the hydrogen refuelling process for FCEVs requires extensive pre-cooling to achieve fast filling times. This study presents experiments and simulations of a hydrogen refuelling station equipped with an adaptable cold-fill unit aiming to maximize fuelling efficiencies. For this purpose we developed and experimentally validated simulation models for a hydrogen tank and an aluminium block heat exchanger. Different pre-cooling parameters affect the final tank temperatures during the parallel filling of three 350 L type IV tanks. The results indicate significant potential for optimizing the required cooling energy with achievable savings of over 50 % depending on the pre-cooling strategy. The optimized pre-cooling strategies and energy savings aid in advancing the refuelling process for FCEVs effectively contributing to the transition to clean energy.
Enhancement of Microgrid Frequency Stability Based on the Combined Power-to-Hydrogen-to-Power Technology under High Penetration Renewable Units
Apr 2023
Publication
Recently with the large-scale integration of renewable energy sources into microgrid (µGs) power electronics distributed energy systems have gained popularity. However low inertia reduces system frequency stability and anti-disturbance capabilities exposing power quality to intermittency and uncertainty in photovoltaics or wind turbines. To ensure system stability the virtual inertia control (VIC) is presented. This paper proposes two solutions to overcome the low inertia problem and the surplus in capacities resulting from renewable energy sources. The first solution employs superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) which can be deemed as an efficient solution for damping the frequency oscillations. Therefore in this work SMES that is managed by a simple proportional-integral-derivative controller (PID) controller is utilized to overcome the low inertia. In the second solution the hydrogen storage system is employed to maintain the stability of the microgrid by storing surplus power generated by renewable energy sources (RESs). Power-to-Power is a method of storing excess renewable energy as chemical energy in the form of hydrogen. Hydrogen can be utilized locally or delivered to a consumption node. The proposed µG operation demonstrates that the integration of the photovoltaics (PVs) wind turbines (WTs) diesel engine generator (DEG) electrolyzer micro gas turbine (µGT) and SMES is adequate to fulfill the load requirements under transient operating circumstances such as a low and high PV output power as well as to adapt to sudden changes in the load demand. The effectiveness of the proposed schemes is confirmed using real irradiance data (Benban City Egypt) using a MATLAB/SIMULINK environment.
An Energy Balance and Multicriteria Approach for the Sizing of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System with Hydrogen Storage
Mar 2023
Publication
As the clamour for a Net Zero carbon energy economy increases it is necessary to harness the potential of renewable energies in powering buildings to lower fossil power plants' contributions to the overall energy mix. This paper aims to present an energy balance load sensitivity analysis and multi-criteria method for sizing a green energy system for powering two office complexes that house space research laboratories. The energy component considered includes battery storage (BAT) captive diesel generator (DG) fuel cell (FC) hydrogen storage (H2T) solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind turbine. Using HOMER the techno-economic features and the hourly operational details of the energy components were obtained. The efficacy of Entropy- Additive Ratio Assessment was deployed on the outputs from HOMER to obtain the most preferred energy system based on more than one criterion. The result of the study indicates that the most preferred energy system for Abuja is a PV WD FC DG and BAT having a total net present cost (TNPC) of $220930. In contrast the most suitable energy system for the energy in the Anyigba office consists of PV FC and BAT with its TNPC at $106955.
Economic Evaluation of a Power-to-hydrogen System Providing Frequency Regulation Reserves: A Case Study of Denmark
Mar 2023
Publication
Operating costs are dominant in the hydrogen production of a power-to-hydrogen system. An optimal operational strategy or bidding framework is effective in reducing these costs. However it is still found that the production cost of hydrogen is high. As the electrolysis unit is characterized by high flexibility providing ancillary service to the grid becomes a potential pathway for revenue stacking. Recent research has demonstrated the feasibility of providing such a service but the related economics have not been well evaluated. In this work we propose a comprehensive operation model to enable participation in the day-head balancing and reserve markets. Three types of reserves are considered by using different operational constraints. Based on the proposed operation framework we assess the economic performance of a power-to-hydrogen system in Denmark using plentiful actual market data. The results reveal that providing frequency containment reserve and automatic frequency restoration reserve efficiently raises the operational contribution margins. In parallel by investing in the cash flows net present value and break-even hydrogen prices we conclude that providing reserves makes the power-to-hydrogen project more profitable in the studied period and region.
Hydrogenerally - Episode 7: Hydrogen for Heat
Dec 2022
Publication
In this seventh episode Steffan Eldred Hydrogen Innovation Network Knowledge Transfer Manager and Jenni McDonnell MBE Heating and Cooling Knowledge Transfer Manager from Innovate UK KTN discuss why using hydrogen to generate heat is so important and explore the hydrogen economy opportunities and challenges within this sector alongside their special guest Jeff House Head of External Affairs Baxi Boilers.
The podcast can be found on their website.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Experimental Analysis of the Effects of Ship Motion on Hydrogen Dispersion in an Enclosed Area
Apr 2023
Publication
This study aims to experimentally quantify the hydrogen diffusion characteristics by ship motion. Hydrogen leakage experiments were conducted under various ship motion conditions and the corresponding hydrogen concentrations for each sensor were expressed by an equation. The experimental facility was a scale model of the hydrogen fuel storage room of a ship. An experiment was conducted by implementing the roll and pitch motions of the ship as well as motion direction using a ship simulator. In the equation describing the hydrogen concentration the minimum and maximum root mean square deviations were 0.987 and 0.707 respectively and the correlations were 0.000109 and 0.0012289. Although the results differed as per the sensor location the hydrogen concentration was affected by the motion period of the ship. The experimental results and prediction equations can be useful for sensor and vent location selection by predicting the concentration when hydrogen leaks in ships in motion.
Green Hydrogen Supply Chain Risk Analysis: A European Hard-to-abate Sectors Perspective
May 2023
Publication
Green hydrogen is a tentative solution for the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors such as steel chemical cement and refinery industries. Green hydrogen is a form of hydrogen gas that is produced using renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power through a process called electrolysis. The green hydrogen supply chain includes several interconnected entities such as renewable energy providers electrolysers distribution facilities and consumers. Although there have been many studies about green hydrogen little attention has been devoted to green hydrogen supply chain risk identification and analysis especially for hard-to-abate sectors in Europe. This research contributes to existing knowledge by identifying and analysing the European region’s green hydrogen supply chain risk factors. Using a Delphi method 7 categories and 43 risk factors are identified based on the green hydrogen supply chain experts’ opinions. The best-worst method is utilised to determine the importance weights of the risk categories and risk factors. High investment of capital for hydrogen production and delivery technology was the highest-ranked risk factor followed by the lack of enough capacity for electrolyser and policy & regulation development. Several mitigation strategies and policy recommendations are proposed for high-importance risk factors. This study provides novelty in the form of an integrated approach resulting in a scientific ranking of the risk factors for the green hydrogen supply chain. The results of this study provide empirical evidence which corroborates with previous studies that European countries should endeavour to create comprehensive and supportive standards and regulations for green hydrogen supply chain implementation.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Plotting the Course for a Decarbonized Global Maritime Industry
Jan 2023
Publication
On this episode of EAH we sat down with Dr. Bo Cerup-Simonsen Chief Executive Officer of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. Bo holds a PHD in Naval Architecture and Mechanical Engineering and spent seven years as a research engineer at MIT.
Bo explains the Center's work and we discuss decarbonization of shipping using hydrogen derived green fuels.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Bo explains the Center's work and we discuss decarbonization of shipping using hydrogen derived green fuels.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Development of a New Renewable Energy System for Clean Hydrogen and Ethanol Production
Mar 2024
Publication
The present research work aims to present a uniquely designed renewable energy-based integrated system along with an equilibrium model for the processing of feedstock by following a hybrid route of thermochemical and biochemical ways. In this regard Canadian maple leaves and plastic wastes are selected as potential feedstocks for co-pyrolysis and syngas fermentation. The influence of co-pyrolysis process parameters on the overall system performance is investigated and assessed. Also several sensitivity analyses are performed to determine the optimal operating parameters that can generate maximum yields of hydrogen and ethanol. The present system is further investigated thermodynamically in terms of energetic and exergetic approaches and efficiencies. The present study shows that a molar flow ratio of 1:1 for maple leaves to plastic wastes a temperature of 1000◦C temperature and a pressure of 1 bar appear to be the most suitable operating conditions with the net production capacities of 7.43 tons/day for hydrogen and 8.72 tons/day for ethanol. The cold gas efficiency and LHV of the syngas produced are found to be 57.23% and 19.96 MJ/kg respectively. The overall energetic and exergetic efficiencies of the present system are found to be 30.98% and 26.88% respectively.
Society, Materials, and the Environment: The Case of Steel
Mar 2020
Publication
This paper reviews the relationship between the production of steel and the environment as it stands today. It deals with raw material issues (availability scarcity) energy resources and generation of by-products i.e. the circular economy the anthropogenic iron mine and the energy transition. The paper also deals with emissions to air (dust Particulate Matter heavy metals Persistant Organics Pollutants) water and soil i.e. with toxicity ecotoxicity epidemiology and health issues but also greenhouse gas emissions i.e. climate change. The loss of biodiversity is also mentioned. All these topics are analyzed with historical hindsight and the present understanding of their physics and chemistry is discussed stressing areas where knowledge is still lacking. In the face of all these issues technological solutions were sought to alleviate their effects: many areas are presently satisfactorily handled (the circular economy—a historical’ practice in the case of steel energy conservation air/water/soil emissions) and in line with present environmental regulations; on the other hand there are important hanging issues such as the generation of mine tailings (and tailings dam failures) the emissions of greenhouse gases (the steel industry plans to become carbon-neutral by 2050 at least in the EU) and the emission of fine PM which WHO correlates with premature deaths. Moreover present regulatory levels of emissions will necessarily become much stricter.
Computational Analysis of Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tanks for Aircraft Applications
Mar 2023
Publication
During the last two decades the use of hydrogen (H2 ) as fuel for aircraft applications has been drawing attention; more specifically its storage in liquid state (LH2 ) which is performed in extreme cryogenic temperatures (−253 ◦C) is a matter of research. The motivation for this effort is enhanced by the predicted growth of the aviation sector; however it is estimated that this growth could be sustainable only if the strategies and objectives set by global organizations for the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions during the next decades such as the European Green Deal are taken into consideration and consequently technologies such as hydrogen fuel are promoted. Regarding LH2 in aircraft substantial effort is required to design analyze and manufacture suitable tanks for efficient storage. Important tools in this process are computational methods provided by advanced engineering software (CAD/CAE). In the present work a computational study with the finite element method is performed in order to parametrically analyze proper tanks examining the effect of the LH2 level stored as well as the tank geometric configuration. In the process the need for powerful numerical models is demonstrated owing to the highly non-linear dependence on temperature of the involved materials. The present numerical models’ efficiency could be further enhanced by integrating them as part of a total aircraft configuration design loop.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Operation of an Internal Combustion Engine Fueled by Hydrogen-containing Mixtures
Mar 2023
Publication
At present hydrogen is considered as one of the most promising motor fuels capable of replacing traditional hydrocarbons. This article presents the results of a comprehensive experimental study of the effect of hydrogen additives on the main parameters of a gasoline spark-ignition ICE. The thermophysical parameters of the processes of ignition and combustion inside the cylinder with the addition of hydrogen in the amount of 0%–20% of the air volume as well as the fuel and energy characteristics of the engine and its impact on the environment were studied. It has been established that hydrogen leads to significant changes in the engine operation. It increases some parameters and reduces others improving or worsening them compared to running on pure gasoline. So with a 20% H2 addition at an average engine load the following parameters increase: the maximum pressure in the cylinder by almost 20%; the rate of pressure increase in the combustion chamber by 2.8 times; the highest combustion temperature by 140 K. At the same time the following parameters decrease: average indicator pressure by 18%; ignition timing by 82% (6◦ to TDC versus 34◦ for gasoline); crank angle corresponding to the maximum pressure by 32% (9.4◦ versus 13.9◦ for gasoline); crank angle corresponding to maximum temperature by 54% (17.7◦ after TDC versus 38.3◦ for clean gasoline); ignition delay time (τind = 0.32 ms) and visible combustion time (τvis = 1.58 ms) by 4 and 2.3 times respectively.
Overview of the Method and State of Hydrogenization of Road Transport in the World and the Resulting Development Prospects in Poland
Jan 2021
Publication
National Implementation Plans (NIP) in regard hydrogenation motor transport are in place in European Union (EU) countries e.g.Germany France or Belgium Denmark Netherlands. Motor transport hydrogenization plans exist in the Japan and USA. In Poland the methodology deployment Hydrogen Refuelling Stations (HRS) developed in Motor Transport Institute is of multi-stage character are as follows: Stage I: Method allowing to identify regions in which HRS should be located. Stage II: Method allowing to identify urban centres in which should be located the said stations. Stage III: Method for determining the area of the station location. The presentation of the aforesaid NIPS and based on that and the mentioned methodology the conditions for hydrogenization of motor transport in Poland is the purpose of this article which constitutes its novelty. The scope of the article concerns the hydrogenization of motor transport in the abovementioned countries. With the above criteria the order the construction in Poland of a HRS in the order of their creation along the TEN-T corridors is as follows: 1 - Poznan 2 - Warsaw 3 - Bialystok 4 - Szczecin 5 - the Lodz region 6 - the Tri-City region 7 - Wrocław 8 - the Katowice region 9 – Krakow. The concluding discussion sets out the status of deployment HRS and FCEVs in the analysed countries.
Hydrogenerally - Episode 8: Hydrogen for Combustion
Jan 2023
Publication
In this episode Steffan Eldred Hydrogen Knowledge Transfer Manager and Debra Jones Chemistry Knowledge Transfer Manager from Innovate UK KTN talk about hydrogen combustion with special guest Duncan Engeham European Research and Development Director at Cummins Inc.
The podcast can be found on their website.
The podcast can be found on their website.
Climate Action for the Shipping Industry: Some Perspectives on the Role of Nuclear Power in Maritime Decarbonization
Feb 2023
Publication
The shipping industry is a major enabler of globalization trade commerce and human welfare. But it is still heavily served by fossil fuels which make it one of the foremost greenhouse gas emitting sectors operational today. It is also one of the hardest to abate segments of the transport industry. As part of the economy-wide climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts it is necessary to consider a low carbon energy transition for this segment as well. This study examines the potential role of nuclear power and cogeneration towards greening this sector and identifies the associated techno-commercial and policy challenges associated with the transition. Quantitative estimates of the economics and investments associated with some of the possible routes are also presented. Alternatives such as nuclear-powered ships along commercial maritime trading routes ships working on nuclear derived green hydrogen ammonia or other sustainable power fuels will enable not only decarbonization of the shipping industry but also allow further diversification of the nuclear industry through non-electric applications of nuclear power and new sector coupling opportunities. In the run-up to the UNFCCC-COP28 meeting in 2023 in UAE nuclear equipped nations heavily engaged in and dependent on maritime trade and commerce should definitely consider nuclear driven decarbonization of shipping and some of the options presented here as part of their climate action strategies.
Prioritization and Optimal Location of Hydrogen Fueling Stations in Seoul: Using Multi-Standard Decision-Making and ILP Optimization
Mar 2023
Publication
Thus far the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HCEVs) has been hampered by the lack of hydrogen fueling infrastructure. This study aimed to determine the optimal location and prioritization of hydrogen fueling stations (HFSs) in Seoul by utilizing a multi-standard decision making approach and optimization method. HFS candidate sites were evaluated with respect to relevant laws and regulations. Key factors such as safety economy convenience and demand for HCEVs were considered. Data were obtained through a survey of experts in the fields of HCEV and fuel cells and the Analytic Hierarchy Process method was applied to prioritize candidate sites. The optimal quantity and placement of HFSs was then obtained using optimization software based on the acceptable travel time from intersections of popular roads in Seoul. Our findings suggest that compliance with legal safety regulations is the most important factor when constructing HFSs. Furthermore sensitivity analysis revealed that the hydrogen supply cost currently holds the same weight as other elements. The study highlights the importance of utilizing a multi-standard decision-making approach and optimization methods when determining the optimal location and prioritization of HFSs and can help develop a systematic plan for the nationwide construction of HFSs in South Korea.
Low Carbon Economic Dispatch of Integrated Energy Systems Considering Utilization of Hydrogen and Oxygen Energy
Mar 2024
Publication
Power-to-gas (P2G) facilities use surplus electricity to convert to natural gas in integrated energy systems (IES) increasing the capacity of wind power to be consumed. However the capacity limitation of P2G and the antipeaking characteristic of wind power make the wind abandonment problem still exist. Meanwhile the oxygen generated by P2G electrolysis is not fully utilized. Therefore this study proposes a low-carbon economic dispatch model considering the utilization of hydrogen and oxygen energy. First the two-stage reaction model of P2G is established and the energy utilization paths of hydrogen blending and oxygen-rich deep peaking are proposed. Specifically hydrogen energy is blended into the gas grid to supply gas-fired units and oxygen assists oxygenrich units into deep peaking. Subsequently the stochastic optimization is used to deal with the uncertainty of the system and the objective function and constraints of the IES are given to establish a low-carbon dispatch model under the energy utilization model. Finally the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified based on the modified IEEE 39-node electric network 20-node gas network and 6-node heat network models.
Low Carbon Optimal Operation of Integrated Energy System Based on Concentrating Solar Power Plant and Power to Hydrogen
Mar 2023
Publication
A new integrated energy system (IES) framework is created in order to encourage the consumption of renewable energy which is represented by wind and solar energy and lower carbon emissions. The connection between the units in the composite system is examined in this research. In-depth analysis is done on how energy is transferred between electricity heat gas and hydrogen. The system model and constraints are used to build an objective function with the lowest total operating cost. The calculation of carbon trading includes the ladder carbon trading method. And set up 6 cases for analysis which verifies the effectiveness of the participation of the concentrated solar power plant (CSPP) in the heat supply and power to hydrogen system (P2HS) in reducing the total operating cost of the system reducing wind curtailment and light curtailment and reducing carbon emissions. Under the model considered in this paper reduces the total operating cost reduces by 27.04% when the concentrated solar power plant is involved in the supply of thermal load. And the carbon emission is reduced by 14.529%. Compared with the traditional power to gas considers the power to hydrogen system in this paper which reduces the total operating cost by 4.79%.
Thermoacoustic Combustion Stability Analysis of a Bluff Body-Stabilized Burner Fueled by Methane–Air and Hydrogen–Air Mixtures
Apr 2023
Publication
Hydrogen can play a key role in the gradual transition towards a full decarbonization of the combustion sector e.g. in power generation. Despite the advantages related to the use of this carbon-free fuel there are still several challenging technical issues that must be addressed such as the thermoacoustic instability triggered by hydrogen. Given that burners are usually designed to work with methane or other fossil fuels it is important to investigate their thermoacoustic behavior when fueled by hydrogen. In this framework the present work aims to propose a methodology which combines Computational Fluid Dynamics CFD (3D Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS)) and Finite Element Method (FEM) approaches in order to investigate the fluid dynamic and the thermoacoustic behavior introduced by hydrogen in a burner (a lab-scale bluff body stabilized burner) designed to work with methane. The case of CH4 -air mixture was used for the validation against experimental results and benchmark CFD data available in the literature. Numerical results obtained from CFD simulations namely thermofluidodynamic properties and flame characteristics (i.e. time delay and heat release rate) are used to evaluate the effects of the fuel change on the Flame Response Function to the acoustic perturbation by means of a FEM approach. As results in the H2 -air mixture case the time delay decreases and heat release rate increases with respect to the CH4 -air mixture. A study on the Rayleigh index was carried out in order to analyze the influence of H2 -air mixture on thermoacoustic instability of the burner. Finally an analysis of both frequency and growth rate (GR) on the first four modes was carried out by comparing the two mixtures. In the H2 -air case the modes are prone to become more unstable with respect to the same modes of the case fueled by CH4 -air due to the change in flame topology and variation of the heat release rate and time delay fields.
An Inter-laboratory Comparison between 13 International Laboratories for Eight Components Relevant for Hydrogen Fuel Quality Assessment
Mar 2024
Publication
The quality of the hydrogen delivered by refuelling stations is critical for end-users and society. The purity of the hydrogen dispensed at hydrogen refuelling points should comply with the technical specifications included in the ISO 14687:2019 and EN 17124:2022 standards. Once laboratories have set up methods they need to verify their performances for example through participation in interlaboratory comparisons. Due to the challenge associated with the production of stable reference materials and transport of these which are produced in hydrogen at high pressure (>10 bar) interlaboratory comparisons have been organized in different steps with increasing extent. This study describes an inter-laboratory comparison exercise for hydrogen fuel involving a large number of participants (13 laboratories) completed in less than a year and included eight key contaminants of hydrogen fuel at level close to the ISO14687 threshold. These compounds were selected based on their high probability of occurrence or because they have been found in hydrogen fuel samples. For the results of the intercomparison it appeared that fully complying with ISO 21087:2019 is still challenging for many participants and highlighted the importance of organising these types of exercises. Many laboratories performed corrective actions based on their results which in turn significantly improved their performances.
Techno-economic Study of Power-to-Power Renewable Energy Storage Based on the Smart Integration of Battery, Hydrogen, and Micro Gas Turbine Technologies
Mar 2023
Publication
This paper deals with the integration of a Power-to-Power Energy Storage System (P2P-ESS) based on a hydrogen driven micro gas turbine (mGT) for an off-grid application with a continuous demand of 30 kWe for three European cities: Palermo Frankfurt and Newcastle. In the first part of the analysis the results show that the latitude of the location is a very strong driver in determining the size of the system (hence footprint) and the amount of seasonal storage. The rated capacity of the PV plant and electrolyzer are 37%/41% and 58%/64% higher in Frankfurt and Newcastle respectively as compared to the original design for Palermo. And not only this but seasonal storage also increases largely from 3125 kg H2 to 5023 and 5920 kg H2 . As a consequence of this LCOE takes values of 0.86 e/kWh 1.26 e/kWh and 1.5 e/kWh for the three cities respectively whilst round-trip efficiency is approximately 15.7% for the three designs at the 3 cities. Finally with the aim to reduce the footprint and rating of the different systems a final assessment of the system hybridised with battery storage shows a 20% LCOE reduction and a 10% higher round-trip efficiency.
Seasonal Hydrogen Storage for Residential On- and Off-grid Solar Photovoltaics Prosumer Applications: Revolutionary Solution or Niche Market for the Energy Transition until 2050?
Apr 2023
Publication
Appropriate climate change mitigation requires solutions for all actors of the energy system. The residential sector is a major part of the energy system and solutions for the implementation of a seasonal hydrogen storage system in residential houses has been increasingly discussed. A global analysis of prosumer systems including seasonal hydrogen storage with water electrolyser hydrogen compressor storage tank and a fuel cell studying the role of such a seasonal household storage in the upcoming decades is not available. This study aims to close this research gap via the improved LUT-PROSUME model which models a fully micro sector coupled residential photovoltaic prosumer system with linear optimisation for 145 regions globally. The modelling of the cost development of hydrogen storage components allows for the simulation of a residential system from 2020 until 2050 in 5-year steps in hourly resolution. The systems are cost-optimised for either on– or off-grid operation in eight scenarios including battery electric vehicles which can act as an additional vehicle-to-home electricity storage for the system. Results show that implementation of seasonal hydrogen systems only occurs in least cost solutions in high latitude countries when the system is forced to run in off-grid mode. In general a solar photovoltaic plus battery system including technologies that can cover the heat demand is the most economic choice and can even achieve lower cost than a full grid supply in off-grid operation for most regions until 2050. Additional parameters including the self-consumption ratio the demand cover ratio and the heat cover ratio can therefore not be improved by seasonal storage systems if economics is the main deciding factor for a respective system. Further research opportunities and possible limitations of the system are then identified.
Regional Supply Chains for Decarbonising Steel: Energy Efficiency and Green Premium Mitigation
Jan 2022
Publication
Decarbonised steel enabled by green hydrogen-based iron ore reduction and renewable electricity-based steel making will disrupt the traditional supply chain. Focusing on the energetic and techno-economic assessment of potential green supply chains this study investigates the direct reduced iron-electric arc furnace production route enabled by renewable energy and deployed in regional settings. The hypothesis that co-locating manufacturing processes with renewable energy resources would offer highest energy efficiency and cost reduction is tested through an Australia-Japan case study. The binational partnership is structured to meet Japanese steel demand (for domestic use and regional exports) and source both energy and iron ore from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. A total of 12 unique supply chains differentiated by spatial configuration timeline and energy carrier were simulated which validated the hypothesis: direct energy and ore exports to remote steel producers (i.e. Japan-based production) as opposed to co-locating iron and steel production with abundant ore and renewable energy resources (i.e. Australia-based production) increased energy consumption and the levelised cost of steel by 45% and 32% respectively when averaged across 2030 and 2050. Two decades of technological development and economies of scale realisation would be crucial; 2030 supply chains were on average 12% more energy-intense and 23% more expensive than 2050 equivalents. On energy vectors liquefied hydrogen was more efficient than ammonia for export-dominant supply chains due to the pairing of its process flexibility and the intermittent solar energy profile as well as the avoidance of the need for ammonia cracking prior to direct reduction. To mitigate the green premium a carbon tax in the range of A$66–192/t CO2 would be required in 2030 and A$0–70/t CO2 in 2050; the diminished carbon tax requirement in the latter is achievable only by wholly Australia-based production. Further the modelled system scale was immense; producing 40 Mtpa of decarbonised steel will require 74–129% of Australia’s current electricity output and A$137–328 billion in capital investment for solar power production and shipping vessel infrastructure. These results call for strategic planning of regional resource pairing to drive energy and cost efficiencies which accelerate the global decarbonisation of steel.
Pre-cooling Systems for Hydrogen Fueling Stations: Techno-economic Analysis for Scaled Enactment
Mar 2023
Publication
Hydrogen fueling standards stipulates a sustainable cooling system technically and economically. Accordingly the interior surface temperature of the on-board H2 storage tank in fuel cell electric vehicles must not exceed the maximum specified limit (358.15 K) and the fueling rate must be ≤ 42.86 sec / kg-H2 with T40 dispenser at 70 MPa. In this context H2 refueling stations often employ double-tube and block heat exchangers for heat transfer. This study examines the H2 pre-cooling system for various loads and provides a comparative techno-economic analysis of double tube heat exchangers (DTHE) and microchannel heat exchangers (MCHE) under stipulated technical operational and outlet gas standards. For this purpose thermal and hydraulic performances were simulated using ANSYS-CFX. Technical and cost models utilize manufacturer specifications and literature-based technical and economic characteristics to derive the minimum sustainable price defined as the price to sustain the product. The results showed that the MCHE outperformed the DTHE for setups in mass manufacturing improved effective heat transfer area and predicted long term unit cost. The annual quantitative output affects manufacturing expenses and profit margins substantially. With high production rates it is expected that the unit cost of the MCHE will decrease by up to 74%. In switching from DTHE to MCHE general material requirements decreased by ~60% with scrap waste savings of ~45% reflecting an appreciable footprint reduction.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Highway to the Hydrogen Zone
May 2020
Publication
On this weeks episode the team discuss hydrogen for aviation with ZeroAvia. Val launched ZeroAvia to provide a genuinely zero emission flight proposition with two aircraft currently undergoing trials in California and the UK. The company is due to complete a 300 mile flight of its six seater aircraft from the Orkney islands to the Scottish mainland this summer 2020 with plans for twenty seat planes flying regional routes as early as 20205. On the show we discuss why Val set up ZeroAvia how the proposition stacks up against conventional alternatives infrastructure and plans for the future. All this and more on the show!
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Energy Management Control Strategy for Saving Trip Costs of Fuel Cell/Battery Electric Vehicles
Mar 2022
Publication
Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) should control the energy management between two energy sources for fuel economy using the stored energy in a battery or generation of energy through a fuel cell system. The fuel economy for an FCV includes trip costs for hydrogen consumption and the lifetime of two energy sources. This paper proposes an implementable energy management control strategy for an FCV to reduce trip costs. The concept of the proposed control strategy is first to analyze the allowable current of a fuel cell system from the optimal strategies for various initial battery state of charge (SOC) conditions using dynamic programming (DP) and second to find a modulation ratio determining the current of a fuel cell system for driving a vehicle using the particle swarm optimization method. The control strategy presents the on/off moment of a fuel cell system and the proper modulation ratio of the turned-on fuel cell system with respect to the battery SOC and the power demand. The proposed strategy reduces trip costs in real-time similar to the DP-based optimal strategy and more than the simple energy control strategy of switching a fuel cell system on/off at the battery SOC boundary conditions even for long-term driving cycles.
Electric Mobility in Portugal: Current Situation and Forecasts for Fuel Cell Vehicles
Nov 2021
Publication
In recent years the growing concern for air quality has led to the development of sustainable vehicles to replace conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Currently the most widespread technology in Europe and Portugal is that of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) or plug‐in HEV (PHEV) electric cars but hydrogen‐based transport has also shown significant growth in the commercialization of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) and in the development of new infrastructural schemes. In the current panorama of EV particular attention should be paid to hydrogen technology i.e. FCEVs which is potentially a valid alternative to BEVs and can also be hybrid (FCHEV) and plug‐in hybrid (FCPHEV). Several sources cited show a positive trend of hydrogen in the transport sector identifying a growing trend in the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure although at this time it is still at an early stage of development. At the moment the cost of building the infrastructure is still high but on the basis of medium/long‐term scenarios it is clear that investments in hydrogen refueling stations will be profitable if the number of Fuel Cell vehicles increases. Conversely the Fuel Cell vehicle market is hampered if there is no adequate infrastructure for hydrogen development. The opportunity to use Fuel Cells to store electrical energy is quite fascinating and bypasses some obstacles encountered with BEVs. The advantages are clear since the charging times are reduced compared to charging from an electric charging post and the long‐distance voyage is made easier as the autonomy is much larger i.e. the psycho‐ sociological anxiety is avoided. Therefore the first part of the paper provides an overview of the current state of electric mobility in Portugal and the strategies adopted by the country. This is necessary to have a clear vision of how a new technology is accepted by the population and develops on the territory that is the propensity of citizens to technological change. Subsequently using current data on EV development and comparing information from recent years this work aims to investigate the future prospects of FCEVs in Portugal by adopting a dynamic model called SERA (Scenario Evaluation and Regionalization Analysis) with which it is possible to identify the Portuguese districts and cities where an FC charging infrastructure is expected to be most beneficial. From the results obtained the districts of Lisbon Porto and Aveiro seem to be the most interested in adopting FC technology. This analysis aims to ensure a measured view of the credible development of this market segment.
Climate Impact Reduction Potentials of Synthetic Kerosene and Green Hydrogen Powered Mid-Range Aircraft Concepts
Jun 2022
Publication
One of aviation’s major challenges for the upcoming decades is the reduction in its climate impact. As synthetic kerosene and green hydrogen are two promising candidates their potentials in decreasing the climate impact is investigated for the mid-range segment. Evolutionary advancements for 2040 are applied first with an conventional and second with an advanced low-NOx and low-soot combustion chamber. Experts and methods from all relevant disciplines are involved starting from combustion turbofan engine overall aircraft design fleet level and climate impact assessment allowing a sophisticated and holistic evaluation. The main takeaway is that both energy carriers have the potential to strongly reduce the fleet level climate impact by more than 75% compared with the reference. Applying a flight-level constraint of 290 and a cruise Mach number of 0.75 causing 5% higher average Direct Operating Costs (DOC) the reduction is even more than 85%. The main levers to achieve this are the advanced combustion chamber an efficient contrail avoidance strategy in this case a pure flight-level constraint and the use of CO2 neutral energy carrier in a descending priority order. Although vehicle efficiency gains only lead to rather low impact reduction they are very important to compensate the increased costs of synthetic fuels or green hydrogen.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: FCEV's "Down Under"
Dec 2020
Publication
On today's show the EAH team will be joined by Brendan Norman to talk about deployment of sustainable FCEV technologies across many different segments of the transport sector and utility vehicles. Brendan is the CEO of H2X a new vehicle manufacturing company based in Sydney with a manufacturing facility in Port Kembla will deliver its first hydrogen FCEVs to market beginning in 2022 before expanding its vehicle offerings in subsequent years. Brendan joined the EAH team via SquadCast from Kuala Lumpur to talk fuel cells with us and you don't want to miss the excellent discussion that we had on this week's episode.
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
Waste Aluminum Application as Energy Valorization for Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Mobile Low Power Machines Applications
Nov 2021
Publication
This article proposes a new model of power supply for mobile low power machines applications between 10 W and 30 W such as radio-controlled (RC) electric cars. This power supply is based on general hydrogen from residual aluminum and water with NaOH so it is proposed energy valorization of aluminum waste. In the present research a theoretical model allows us to predict the requested aluminum surface and the required flow of hydrogen has been developed also considering in addition to the geometry and purity of the material two key variables as the temperature and the molarity of the alkaline solution used in the hydrogen production process. Focusing on hydrogen production isopropyl alcohol plays a key role in the reactor’s fuel cell vehicle as it filters out NaOH particles and maintains a constant flow of hydrogen for the operation of the machine keeping the reactor temperature controlled. Finally a comparison of the theoretical and experimental data has been used to validate the developed model using aluminum sheets from ring cans to generate hydrogen which will be used as a source of hydrogen in a power fuel cell of an RC car. Finally the manuscript shows the parts of the vehicle’s powertrain its behavior and mode of operation.
Life Cycle Assessment of Waste-to-hydrogen Systems for Fuel Cell Electric Buses in Glasgow, Scotland
Jun 2022
Publication
Waste-to-hydrogen (WtH) technologies are proposed as a dual-purpose method for simultaneous non-fossil-fuel based hydrogen production and sustainable waste management. This work applied the life cycle assessment approach to evaluate the carbon saving potential of two main WtH technologies (gasification and fermentation) in comparison to the conventional hydrogen production method of steam methane reforming (SMR) powering fuel cell electric buses in Glasgow. It was shown that WtH technologies could reduce CO2-eq emissions per kg H2 by 50–69% as compared to SMR. Gasification treating municipal solid waste and waste wood had global warming potentials of 4.99 and 4.11 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 respectively which were lower than dark fermentation treating wet waste at 6.6 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 and combined dark and photo fermentation at 6.4 kg CO2-eq/kg H2. The distance emissions of WtH-based fuel cell electric bus scenarios were 0.33–0.44 kg CO2-eq/km as compared to 0.89 kg CO2-eq/km for the SMR-based scenario.
Hydrogen vs. Batteries: Comparative Safety Assessments for a High-Speed Passenger Ferry
Mar 2022
Publication
Batteries and hydrogen constitute two of the most promising solutions for decarbonising international shipping. This paper presents the comparison between a battery and a proton-exchange membrane hydrogen fuel cell version of a high-speed catamaran ferry with a main focus on safety. The systems required for each version are properly sized and fitted according to the applicable rules and their impact on the overall design is discussed. Hazards for both designs were identified; frequency and consequence indexes for them were input qualitatively following Novel Technology Qualification and SOLAS Alternative Designs and Arrangements while certain risk control options were proposed in order to reduce the risks of the most concerned accidental events. The highest ranked risks were analysed by quantitative risk assessments in PyroSim software. The gas dispersion analysis performed for the hydrogen version indicated that it is crucial for the leakage in the fuel cell room to be stopped within 1 s after being detected to prevent the formation of explosive masses under full pipe rupture of 33 mm diameter even with 120 air changes per hour. For the battery version the smoke/fire simulation in the battery room indicated that the firefighting system could achieve a 30% reduction in fire duration with firedoors closed and ventilation shut compared to the scenario without a firefighting system.
Numerical Investigation of Dual Fuel Combustion on a Compression Ignition Engine Fueled with Hydrogen/Natural Gas Blends
Mar 2022
Publication
The present work aims to assess the influence of the composition of blends of hydrogen (H2 ) and Natural Gas (NG) on Dual Fuel (DF) combustion characteristics including gaseous emissions. The 3D-CFD study is carried out by means of a customized version of the KIVA-3V code. An automotive 2.8 L 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine was previously modified in order to operate in DF NG–diesel mode and tested at the dynamometer bench. After validation against experimental results the numerical model is applied to perform a set of combustion simulations at 3000 rpm–BMEP = 8 bar in DF H2/NG-diesel mode. Different H2–NG blends are considered: as the H2 mole fraction varies from 0 vol% to 50 vol% the fuel energy within the premixed charge is kept constant. The influence of the diesel Start Of Injection (SOI) is also investigated. Simulation results demonstrate that H2 enrichment accelerates the combustion process and promotes its completion strongly decreasing UHC and CO emissions. Evidently CO2 specific emissions are also reduced (up to about 20% at 50 vol% of H2 ). The main drawbacks of the faster combustion include an increase of in-cylinder peak pressure and pressure rate rise and of NOx emissions. However the study demonstrates that the optimization of diesel SOI can eliminate all aforementioned shortcomings.
Combustion Characterization in a Diffusive Gas Turbine Burner for Hydrogen-Compliant Applications
Jun 2022
Publication
The target of net-zero emissions set by the 2015 Paris Agreement has strongly commissioned the energy production sector to promote decarbonization renewable sources exploitation and systems efficiency. In this framework the utilization of hydrogen as a long-term energy carrier has great potential. This paper is concerned with the combustion characterization in a non-premixed gas turbine burner originally designed for natural gas when it is fed with NG-H2 blends featuring hydrogen content from 0 to 50% in volume. The final aim is to retrofit a 40 MW gas turbine. Starting from the operational data of the engine a CFD model of the steady-state combustion process has been developed with reference to the base load NG conditions by reducing the fuel mass-flow rate by up to 17% to target the baseline turbine inlet temperature. When the fuel is blended with hydrogen for a given temperature at turbine inlet an increase in the peak temperature up to 800 K is obtained if no countermeasures are taken. Furthermore the flame results are more intense and closer to the injector in the case of hydrogen blending. The results of this work hint at the necessity of carefully analyzing the possible NOx compensation strategies as well as the increased thermal stresses on the injector.
Potential Transitions in the Iron and Steel Industry in Sweden: Towards a Hydrogen-based Future?
May 2018
Publication
The iron and steel industry accounts for one third of global industrial CO2 emissions putting pressure on the industry to shift towards more sustainable modes of production. However for an industry characterised by path dependency and technological lock-ins sustainability transitions are not straightforward. In this study we aim to explore the potential pathways for sustainability transitions in the iron and steel industry. To do so we have conducted a case study in Sweden where there are policy and industry commitments towards fossil-free steel production. Our theoretical points of departure are the technological innovation system (TIS) approach and the multi-level perspective (MLP) and our paper presents the dynamics behind an emerging case of transition towards a hydrogen-based future. The paper has two major contributions to the literature on sustainability transitions. First it attempts to borrow some concepts from the MLP and integrate them with the TIS approach. Second it empirically presents an in-depth case study of the iron and steel industry e an understudied context in the field of sustainability transitions. By doing so it sheds some light on the dynamics between an emerging TIS and potential transition pathways of a regime.
H2-powered Aviation at Airports – Design and Economics of LH2 Refueling Systems
Feb 2022
Publication
In this paper the broader perspective of green hydrogen (H2) supply and refueling systems for aircraft is provided as an enabling technology brick for more climate friendly H2-powered aviation. For this two H2 demand scenarios at exemplary airports are determined for 2050. Then general requirements for liquid hydrogen (LH2) refueling setups in an airport environment are derived and techno-economic models for LH2 storage liquefaction and transportation to the aircraft are designed. Finally a cost tradeoff study is undertaken for the design of the LH2 setup including LH2 refueling trucks and a LH2 pipeline and hydrant system. It is found that for airports with less than 125 ktLH2 annual demand a LH2 refueling truck setup is the more economic choice. At airports with higher annual LH2 demands a LH2 pipeline & hydrant system can lead to slight cost reductions and enable safer and faster refueling. However in all demand scenarios the refueling system costs only mark 3 to 4% of the total supply costs of LH2. The latter are dominated by the costs for green H2 produced offsite followed by the costs for liquefaction of H2 at an airport. While cost reducing scaling effects are likely to be achieved for H2 liquefaction plants other component capacities would already be designed at maximum capacities for medium-sized airports. Furthermore with annual LH2 demands of 100 ktLH2 and more medium and larger airports could take a special H2 hub role by 2050 dominating regional H2 consumption. Finally technology demonstrators are required to reduce uncertainty around major techno-economic parameters such as the investment costs for LH2 pipeline & hydrant systems.
Everything About Hydrogen Podcast: Flying Hy!
Feb 2021
Publication
Decarbonizing aviation is a big challenge. It is one of the most carbon intensive business sectors in the modern world and change comes slowly to the aviation industry. Hydrogen and fuel cell technologies offer a pathway to decarbonize regional flights in the not-so-distant future and big names are looking at potential solutions for long-haul flights in the longer term. But even if we build the aircraft that can use hydrogen as a fuel how do we get the fuel to them in a timely reliable and cost-efficient way?
The podcast can be found on their website
The podcast can be found on their website
GIS-Based Method for Future Prospect of Energy Supply in Algerian Road Transport Sector Using Solar Roads Technology
May 2019
Publication
This paper aims to investigate the possibility of integration of Electric Vehicles EVs supply’s with electricity and/or hydrogen in the road transport sector and estimate the energy supply derived from solar irradiation by using solar roads technology. The case study is road Est-Oust (road E-O) of Algeria. A Geographic Information System and spatial analysis tools are combined with spatial data and technical models to carry out these calculations. The results of this study demonstrate that solar road panels which are integrated into the road E-O produce over to 804 GWh/year which equivalents to 13778 tons of hydrogen per year.by using FCEVs will saving over then 41.103 liter of fossil fuels (regular gasoline); and reduce GHG emission (CO2) in the transportation sector by 216 tons per year.
Acoustic and Psychoacoustic Levels from an Internal Combustion Engine Fueled by Hydrogen vs. Gasoline
Feb 2022
Publication
Whereas noise generated by road traffic is an important factor in urban pollution little attention has been paid to this issue in the field of hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the type of fuel (gasoline or hydrogen) on the sound levels produced by a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. A Volkswagen Polo 1.4 vehicle adapted for its bi-fuel hydrogen-gasoline operation has been used. Tests were carried out with the vehicle when stationary to eliminate rolling and aerodynamic noise. Acoustics and psychoacoustics levels were measured both inside and outside the vehicle. A slight increase in the noise level has only been found outside when using hydrogen as fuel compared to gasoline. The increase is statistically significant can be quantified between 1.1 and 1.7 dBA and is mainly due to an intensification of the 500 Hz band. Loudness is also higher outside the vehicle (between 2 and 4 sones) when the fuel is hydrogen. Differences in sharpness and roughness values are lower than the just-noticeable difference (JND) values of the parameters. Higher noise levels produced by hydrogen can be attributed to its higher reactivity compared to gasoline.
Comparison of Two Energy Management Strategies Considering Power System Durability for PEMFC-LIB Hybrid Logistics Vehicle
Jun 2021
Publication
For commercial applications the durability and economy of the fuel cell hybrid system have become obstacles to be overcome which are not only affected by the performance of core materials and components but also closely related to the energy management strategy (EMS). This paper takes the 7.9 t fuel cell logistics vehicle as the research object and designed the EMS from two levels of qualitative and quantitative analysis which are the composite fuzzy control strategy optimized by genetic algorithm and Pontryagin’s minimum principle (PMP) optimized by objective function respectively. The cost function was constructed and used as the optimization objective to prolong the life of the power system as much as possible on the premise of ensuring the fuel economy. The results indicate that the optimized PMP showed a comprehensive optimal performance the hydrogen consumption was 3.481 kg/100 km and the cost was 13.042 $/h. The major contribution lies in that this paper presents a method to evaluate the effect of different strategies on vehicle performance including fuel economy and durability of the fuel cell and battery. The comparison between the two totally different strategies helps to find a better and effective solution to reduce the lifetime cost.
Health-Conscious Optimization of Long-Term Operation for Hybrid PEMFC Ship Propulsion Systems
Jun 2021
Publication
The need to decarbonize the shipping sector is leading to a growing interest in fuel cell-based propulsion systems. While Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) represent one of the most promising and mature technologies for onboard implementation they are still prone to remarkable degradation. The same problem is also affecting Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) which are usually coupled with PEMFC in hybrid powertrains. By including the combined degradation effects in an optimization strategy the best compromise between costs and PEMFC/LIB lifetime could be determined. However this is still a challenging yet crucial aspect rarely addressed in the literature and rarely yet explored. To fill this gap a health-conscious optimization is here proposed for the long-term minimization of costs and PEMFC/LIB degradation. Results show that a holistic multi-objective optimization allows a 185% increase of PEMFC/LIB lifetime with respect to a fuel-consumption-minimization-only approach. With the progressive ageing of PEMFC/LIB the hybrid propulsion system modifies the energy management strategy to limit the increase of the daily operation cost. Comparing the optimization results at the beginning and the end of the plant lifetime daily operation costs are increased by 73% and hydrogen consumption by 29%. The proposed methodology is believed to be a useful tool able to give insights into the effective costs involved in the long-term operation of this new type of propulsion system.
Hydrogen Mobility Europe (H2ME): Vehicle and Hydrogen Refuelling Station Deployment Results
May 2018
Publication
Hydrogen Mobility Europe (H2ME 2015–2022) is the largest European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (EU FCH JU)-funded hydrogen light vehicle and infrastructure demonstration. Up until April 2017 the 40 Daimler passenger car fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and 62 Symbio Fuel Cell-Range Extended Electric Vans (FC-REEV)-vans deployed by the project drove 625300 km and consumed a total of 7900 kg of hydrogen with no safety incidents. During its first year of operation (to April 2017) the NEL Hydrogen Fueling HRS (hydrogen refuelling station) in Kolding Denmark dispensed 900 kg of hydrogen and demonstrated excellent reliability (98.2% availability) with no safety incidents. The average hydrogen refuelling time for passenger cars is comparable to that for conventional vehicles (2–3 min).
A Study on the Joule-Thomson Effect of During Filling Hydrogen in High Pressure Tank
Dec 2022
Publication
With the development of the hydrogen fuel cell automobile industry higher requirements are put forward for the construction of hydrogen energy infrastructure the matching of parameters and the control strategy of hydrogen filling rate in the hydrogenation process of hydrogenation station. Fuel for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles comes from hydrogen refueling stations. At present the technological difficulty of hydrogenation is mainly reflected in the balanced treatment of reducing the temperature rise of hydrogen and shortening the filling time during the fast filling process. The Joule-Thomson (JT) effect occurs when high-pressure hydrogen gas passes through the valve assembly which may lead to an increase in hydrogen temperature. The JT effect is generally reflected by the JT coefficient. According to the high pressure hydrogen in the pressure reducing valve the corresponding JT coefficients were calculated by using the VDW equation RK equation SRK equation and PR equation and the expression of JT effect temperature rise was deduced which revealed the hydrogen temperature variation law in the process of reducing pressure. Make clear the relationship between charging parameters and temperature rise in the process of decompression; the flow and thermal characteristics of hydrogen in the process of decompression are revealed. This study provides basic support for experts to achieve throttling optimization of related pressure control system in hydrogen industry
A Review of Technical Advances, Barriers, and Solutions in the Power to Hydrogen Roadmap
Oct 2020
Publication
Power to hydrogen (P2H) provides a promising solution to the geographic mismatch between sources of renewable energy and the market due to its technological maturity flexibility and the availability of technical and economic data from a range of active demonstration projects. In this review we aim to provide an overview of the status of P2H analyze its technical barriers and solutions and propose potential opportunities for future research and industrial demonstrations. We specifically focus on the transport of hydrogen via natural gas pipeline networks and end-user purification. Strong evidence shows that an addition of about 10% hydrogen into natural gas pipelines has negligible effects on the pipelines and utilization appliances and may therefore extend the asset value of the pipelines after natural gas is depleted. To obtain pure hydrogen from hydrogen-enriched natural gas (HENG) mixtures end-user separation is inevitable and can be achieved through membranes adsorption and other promising separation technologies. However novel materials with high selectivity and capacity will be the key to the development of industrial processes and an integrated membrane-adsorption process may be considered in order to produce high-purity hydrogen from HENG. It is also worth investigating the feasibility of electrochemical separation (hydrogen pumping) at a large scale and its energy analysis. Cryogenics may only be feasible when liquefied natural gas (LNG) is one of the major products. A range of other technological and operational barriers and opportunities such as water availability byproduct (oxygen) utilization and environmental impacts are also discussed. This review will advance readers’ understanding of P2H and foster the development of the hydrogen economy.
Multi-Objective Optimization of a Hydrogen Hub for the Decarbonization of a Port Industrial Area
Feb 2022
Publication
Green hydrogen is addressed as a promising solution to decarbonize industrial and mobility sectors. In this context ports could play a key role not only as hydrogen users but also as suppliers for industrial plants with which they have strong commercial ties. The implementation of hydrogen technologies in ports has started to be addressed as a strategy for renewable energy transition but still requires a detailed evaluation of the involved costs which cannot be separated from the correct design and operation of the plant. Hence this study proposes the design and operation optimization of a hydrogen production and storage system in a typical Italian port. Multi-objective optimization is performed to determine the optimal levelized cost of hydrogen in environmental and techno-economic terms. A Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer powered by a grid-integrated photovoltaic (PV) plant a compression station and two-pressure level storage systems are chosen to provide hydrogen to a hydrogen refueling station for a 20-car fleet and satisfy the demand of the hydrogen batch annealing in a steel plant. The results report that a 341 kWP PV plant 89 kW electrolyzer and 17 kg hydrogen storage could provide hydrogen at 7.80 €/kgH2 potentially avoiding about 153 tCO2eq/year (120 tCO2eq/year only for the steel plant).
Green Hydrogen Powering Sustainable Festivals: Public Perceptions of Generators, Production and Ownership
Nov 2022
Publication
This paper is the first to explore public perceptions about a particular market niche for hydrogen; mobile generators. By utilising a combined research approach including in-situ surveys and online focus groups this paper explores what festival audience members and residents who live near festival sites think about the displacement of incumbent diesel generator technology with hydrogen alternatives. We investigate if hydrogen production methods are important in informing perceptions and subsequent support including the extent to which participants are influenced by the organisation or entity that produces the fuel and stands to profit from its sale. In addition to a primary focus on hydrogen energy we reflect upon how sustainability might be better conceptualised in a festival context. Our findings reveal broad support for hydrogen generators the use of green hydrogen as a fuel to generate electricity and community-led hydrogen production.
Integral Sliding Mode Control for Maximum Power Point Tracking in DFIG Based Floating Offshore Wind Turbine and Power to Gas
Jun 2021
Publication
This paper proposes a current decoupling controller for a Doubly-fed Induction Generator (DFIG) based on floating offshore wind turbine and power to gas. The proposed controller realizes Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) through integral sliding mode compensation. By using the internal model control strategy an open-loop controller is designed to ensure that the system has good dynamic performance. Furthermore using the integral Sliding Mode Control (SMC) strategy a compensator is designed to eliminate the parameter perturbation and external disturbance of the open-loop control. The parameters of the designed controller are designed through Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO). Simulation results show that the proposed control strategy has better response speed and smaller steady-state error than the traditional control strategy. This research is expected to be applied to the field of hydrogen production by floating offshore wind power.
Planetary Boundaries Assessment of Deep Decarbonisation Options for Building Heating in the European Union
Jan 2023
Publication
Building heating is one of the sectors for which multiple decarbonisation options exist and current geopolitical tensions provide urgency to design adequate regional policies. Heat pumps and hydrogen boilers alongside alternative district heating systems are the most promising alternatives. Although a host of city or country-level studies exist it remains controversial what role hydrogen should play for building heating in the European Union compared with electrification and how blue and green hydrogen differ in terms of costs and environmental impacts. This works assesses the optimal technology mix for staying within planetary boundaries and the influence of international cooperation and political restrictions. To perform the analysis a bottom-up optimisation model was developed incorporating life cycle assessment constraints and covering production storage transport of energy and carbon dioxide as well as grid and non-grid connected end-users of heat. It was found that a building heating system within planetary boundaries is feasible through large-scale electrification via heat pumps although at a higher cost than the current system with abatement costs of around 200 €/ton CO2. Increasing interconnector capacity or onshore wind energy is found to be vital to staying within boundaries. A strong trade-off for hydrogen was identified with blue hydrogen being cost-competitive but vastly unsustainable (when applied to heating) and green hydrogen being 2–3 times more expensive than electrification while still transgressing several planetary boundaries. The insights from this work indicate that heat pumps and renewable electricity should be prioritised over hydrogen-based heating in most cases and grid-stability and storage aspects explored further while revealing a need for policy instruments to mitigate increased costs for consumers.
Life Cycle Environmental and Cost Comparison of Current and Future Passenger Cars under Different Energy Scenarios
Apr 2020
Publication
In this analysis life cycle environmental burdens and total costs of ownership (TCO) of current (2017) and future (2040) passenger cars with different powertrain configurations are compared. For all vehicle configurations probability distributions are defined for all performance parameters. Using these a Monte Carlo based global sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the input parameters that contribute most to overall variability of results. To capture the systematic effects of the energy transition future electricity scenarios are deeply integrated into the ecoinvent life cycle assessment background database. With this integration not only the way how future electric vehicles are charged is captured but also how future vehicles and batteries are produced. If electricity has a life cycle carbon content similar to or better than a modern natural gas combined cycle powerplant full powertrain electrification makes sense from a climate point of view and in many cases also provides reductions in TCO. In general vehicles with smaller batteries and longer lifetime distances have the best cost and climate performance. If a very large driving range is required or clean electricity is not available hybrid powertrain and compressed natural gas vehicles are good options in terms of both costs and climate change impacts. Alternative powertrains containing large batteries or fuel cells are the most sensitive to changes in the future electricity system as their life cycles are more electricity intensive. The benefits of these alternative drivetrains are strongly linked to the success of the energy transition: the more the electricity sector is decarbonized the greater the benefit of electrifying passenger vehicles.
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