Concepts NREC has completed the detailed design of a six-stage hydrogen compressor rated for industrial gas pipeline service. A single-stage prototype system has also been designed to enable the controlled laboratory testing of the mechanical elements of the compressor subsystems. The project has successfully met the Department of Energy’s technical objectives including:
• Develop and demonstrate an advanced centrifugal compressor system for high-pressure hydrogen pipeline transport to support the DOE’s strategic hydrogen economy infrastructure plan.
• Deliver 100,000 to 1,000,000 kg/day of 99.99% hydrogen gas from generation site(s) to forecourt stations.
• Compression from 350 psig to 1,000 psig or greater.
• Reduce initial installed system equipment cost to less than $9M (compressor package of $5.4M) for 240,000 kg/day system by FY 2017.
• Reduce package footprint and improve packaging design.
• Achieve transport delivery costs below $1–2/GGE (the DOE’s target as given in the original FOA).
• Reduce maintenance cost to below 3% of Total Capital Investment by FY 2017.
• Increase system reliability to avoid purchasing redundant systems.
• Maintain hydrogen efficiency (as defined by the DOE equal to 1-Compression Specific Energy/Hydrogen High Heating Value) to 98% or greater.
• Reduce H2 leakage to less than 0.5% by FY 2017.
This paper reviews a novel power generation system that improves the overall efficiency of concentrated solar energy systems while also providing for the cost effective reclamation and utilization of a man-made geo-physical phenomenon: decommissioned, open pit mines. A preliminary feasibility will be presented of an integrated system consisting of a concentrated solar energy powered Rankine Cycle system and the authors’ novel (patent pending) energy recovery system that consists of a thermally induced, pneumatic (wind turbine) power tube system (Pneumatic Power Tube) that is designed with reflective surfaces for concentrating solar energy. The proposed system is unique in the field of power generation using renewable/natural resources while also providing a solution to the reclamation and utilization of depleted open pit mines. The paper presents a parametric feasibility study of the proposed system installed for a range of “small” and “large” open-pit mines, such as the Palabora copper open pit mine located in South Africa. Using state-of-the-art specifications for power generation from concentrated solar energy systems based on D.O.E. supported research, a average size integrated installations could generate approx. 700–750 Mwe with 12–18 Mwe contributed by the new Pneumatic Power Pit Tubes. The enhancements include a unique design for a pneumatic power tube that combines the functions of solar collector/reflector with a hot air “chimney” air diffuser and wind power generation. A schematic of the proposed integrated system is also provided. The paper also presents a summary of the major technical benefits of the proposed system including the synergisms between the proposed renewable energy system and the application of DOE’s microwave power generation and transmission as well as the societal benefits of reclaiming land areas that are otherwise not suitable for habitation. Suggestions will also be made as to the application of authors’ pneumatic wind turbine power tubes to other large, naturally occurring geo-physical phenomenon.
A thermodynamic analysis of an advanced CAES for Distributed Power Generation (DPG) is presented that utilizes turbomachinery for energy recovery, but also gives continuous power generation to augment on-site power. The advanced CAES uses renewable energy such as wind power and solar PV in the power range of 1500 to 2500 kW plus recuperation of waste heat from the existing on-site prime mover to improve the utility of the energy storage system. The proposed system also utilizes battery storage to maintain high energy density storage, preferably without the need for costly electrical rectifying and inversion systems to improve the stabilization of power generation. This proposed system may be thought of as a “cross-over” system that combines CAES technology with electric battery storage technology, particularly if the stored electric power is used directly as D.C. power at an industrial facility. The direct use of stored energy from a battery as heat input to the proposed “cross-over” system also may be considered in some limited applications. The ideal application of the proposed system is for isolated DPG systems perhaps in remote sites utilizing “power islands” of renewable energy augmented with on-site fossil fuel prime mover, power generation systems. The proposed “cross-over” system enables higher reliability, faster response to transient power loads, and the efficient use of renewable energy, as well as heat recovery from conventional prime mover systems that are on site.
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