HYDROGEN ENERGY PRODUCTION USING NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES
HC 399 PresentationHidekel A. Moreno Luna
Hydrogen Consumption Purposes Transportation
Automobiles Buses Bicycles Motorcycles and Scooters Rocket AirplanesEnergy Storage
Fuel Cell
Hydrogen Energy Production Today
Production Hydrogen fuel can be obtain through many thermo chemical
methods utilizing: Natural gas Coal Liquefied petroleum Biomass Water Geothermal
Today 85% of hydrogen produced is from removing sulfur from gasoline.
Fig. 1. World hydrogen supply. Source: International Association for Hydrogen Energy (IAHE)
Investment
Storage: Usually store as liquid
hydrogen in compressedhydrogen storage tanks.
Fig. 2: Energy Investment. Source: IAHE
Nuclear Energy Background
Nuclear energy in 2005 accounted for 2.1% of the world’s energy and 15% of the electricity.
In 2007 the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that there were 439 nuclear plants in the world in 31 countries.
Map , next slide.
Electricity Production from nuclear processes It originates from splitting uranium atoms(fission). The
released energy is use to make steam which is used to run a turbine that produces electricity. In the US 19% of the electricity comes from nuclear processes (US Environmental Protection Agency EPA)
Fig. 3. Nuclear Power Stations . Source: Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nuclear_
power_station.svg
Machinery that can be used to produce electricity and hydrogen
Examples Modular Helium Reactor(MHR) Advance High Temperature Reactor(AHTR) Secure Transportable Autonomous
Reactor(SFR)
Fig.4.Technology options for nuclear hydrogen production. Source: IAHE
Efficiency figures F:\HC 399\Efficiency of hydrogen
production systems using alternative nuclear energy technologies.htm
Successful countries France
Fig.5. Electricity Production Source: International Electricity Generation
Conversion between both productions (Nuclear and hydrogen)
Nuclear energy can be used in hydrogen production in three main ways: By using the electricity from the nuclear
plant for conventional liquid water electrolysis.
By using high-temp. heat and electricity from the nuclear plant for high temp. steam electrolysis or the hybrid process.
Using the heat for thermo chemical processes.
Machinery options MHR: operating temperature 800 C AHTR: operating temp. 1000C (not built yet) AGR: operating temp. 750C
14 units in the world, originally built in UK. CO2 coolant!
STAR-H2: operating temp. 500C Based on Russian Submarine reactor, not been
built commercially yet. SFR: operating temp. 500c
Sodium cooled for efficient management. Solid demonstration in Russia, France, and the US.
Fig.6. The gas turbine-modular helium reactor. Source: General Atomics
Fig.7.Advanced Gas Reactor. Source: Österreichisches Ökologie-Institut
Fig.8.SFR. Source: Idaho National Laboratory
Approach Electrochemical Thermochemical
4-5 Feature Water electrolysisHigh temperatures steam electrolysis Steam-methane reformingThermochemical water splitting
Required temperature, (°C) <100, at Patm >500, at Patm >700
>800 for S-I and WSP >700 for UT-3 >600 for Cu–Cl
Efficiency of the process (%) 85–90
90–95 (at View the MathML source)
>60, depending on temperature >40, depending on TC cycle and temperature
Energy efficiency coupled to LWR, or ALWR%
not, vert, similar27 not, vert, similar30 Not feasible Not feasible
Energy efficiency coupled to MHR, ALWR, ATHR, or S-AGR (%) >35
>45, depending on power cycle and temperature
>60, depending on temperature >40, depending on TC cycle and temperature
AdvantageView the MathML source technology
View the MathML source efficiency View the MathML sourcebe coupled to reactors operating at intermediate temperatures View the MathML sourceCO2 emission
View the MathML source technology View the MathML sourceCO2 emission View the MathML source CO2 emission
Disadvantage
View the MathML source energy efficiency
View the MathML source development of durable, large-scale HTSE units
View the MathML source emissionsView the MathML source on methane prices
View the MathML source chemistry View the MathML sourcevery high temperature reactors View the MathML sourcedevelopment at large scale
Table 1.1 Advantages and Disadvantages for different approaches of energy. Source: IJHE
Hydrogen Energy Production in the Future requires change in the technology. Such change figures cannot be calculated yet because
we are still in early phases of development.
Demand: because nuclear plants are characterized by high capital cost and low operation cost, we can expect that by using the techniques develop for natural gas transportation(pipes); we could increase the storage capacity. According to the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (IJHE), H2 storage in large volumes is expected to be relatively low cost.
Future for Hydrogen Energy?
Questions?
Fuel cell type Mobile ion Operatingtemperature
Applications and notes
Alkaline (AFC) OH− 50–200◦C e.g. Apollo, Shuttle.Proton exchangemembrane
(PEMFC) H+ 30–100◦C Vehicles and mobile applications, and forlower power
CHP systemsDirect methanol(DMFC)
H+ 20–90◦C Suitable for portable electronic systems of lowpower, running for long times
Phosphoric acid(PAFC)
H+ ∼220◦C Large numbers of 200-kW CHP systems in use.
Molten carbonate(MCFC) CO3
2− ∼650◦C Suitable for medium- to large-scale CHPsystems, up to MW capacity
Solid oxide(SOFC)
O2− 500–1000◦C Suitable for all sizes of CHP systems, 2kW tomulti-MW.
Table 1.2 Data for different types of fuel cell. Source: Fuel Cell Systems Explained
Second Edition
Fig. 9,10. Refueling infrastructure for hydrogen vehicles. Source: Journal of Power Sources
Fig.11. Capital cost of hydrogen infrastructure. Fuel. Source: Journal of Power Sources
Fig.12. Capital cost for developing new hydrogen production Source: Journal For Power Sources
Works Cited
Bilge, Yildiz, and Mugid Kazimi. "Efficiency of hydrogen production systems using alternative nuclear energy technologies ." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 31.1 (2006): 77-92. Web. 1 Oct 2009. <F:\HC 399\Efficiency of hydrogen production systems using alternative nuclear energy technologies.htm>.
Forsberg, Charles. "Hydrogen, nuclear energy,and the advanced high temperature reactor." International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 28.10 (2003): 1073-1081. Web. 1 Oct 2009. <F:\HC 399\Hydrogen, nuclear energy, and the advanced high-temperature reactor.htm>. 3
Ogden, Joan, Margaret Steinbugler, and Thomas Kreutz. "A comparison of hydrogen, methanol and gasoline as fuels for fuel cell vehicles: implications for vehicle design and infrastructure development ." 79.2 (1999): 143-168. Web. 1 Oct 2009. <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6TH1-3WH67HF2&_user=576687&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F1999&_rdoc=1&_fmt=full&_orig=search&_cdi=5269&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1046819818&_rerunOrigin=scholar.google&_acct=C000029364&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=576687&md5=92d3453a814ec1758d3724b5ccfb227c#toc18>.
Wikipedia, . "Hydrogen vehicle." Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen_vehicle>.