The integration of renewable energy into industrial processes has a high potential for moving to a competitive low‐carbon economy in 2050, as targeted by the European Commission. The vision of the GrInHy project is to provide ‘green’ hydrogen via electrolysis using renewable electricity and to provide grid management services as a reversible generator in the iron‐and‐steel works of Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH (Germany). Therefore, an reverse solid oxide cell (RSOC) system was built with a nominal electrolyzer power consumption of 150 kWAC and a power output of 30 kWAC in fuel cell operation with hydrogen, respectively, 25 kWAC with natural gas. A key outcome of the project is to prove high system efficiencies up to 84%LHV in electrolysis mode and more than 50%LHV in fuel cell mode with natural gas are achievable in a real life system. It also showed long‐term operability at degradation rates < 1% kh−1. The findings and results of the first 5,000 h of operation are presented in this paper. The GrInHy prototype demonstrates the technical feasibility of the integration of an RSOC system in an industrial environment as flexible load or power source. It proves that steam electrolyzers have reached a technical readiness that allows their scale‐up to a level at which real life customer demands can be covered.
The GrInHy project targets the industrial integration and validation of a SOC based (Solid Oxide Cell) High-Temperature Electrolyser (HTE) with a nominal electrolyser power of 150 kW AC in one scalable module. The prototype is designed as reversible generator.In the Electrolyser Mode hydrogen can be produced with an overall efficiency over 80% LHV , whereas the Fuel Cell Mode is able to generate electricity from hydrogen or natural gas with efficiencies over 50% LHV . The reversibility allows a maximized annual utilization of the prototype system by providing hydrogen or electricity e.g. for grid balancing. The system is the world's largest known HTE/RSOC unit. It will be fully integrated in an existing iron-and-steel works regarding feed streams, products and power management. This paper describes the project concept, the layout of the prototype system as well as the first results of the prototype operation obtained during lab testing.
Sunfire has performed large steps towards the commercialization of large-scale high-temperature (HTE) steam- and co-electrolysers by the development of several HTE generations. The iron and steel works of Salzgitter was the location where Sunfire integrated the first large system in an industrial environment. Based on steam, the electrolyser efficiencies of more than 80%LHV were achieved. The system could be operated reversibly in SOFC mode with electrical efficiencies of about 50%LHV. An optimized SOEC module with increased power density, reduced complexity and costs has been developed and tested under steady and highly dynamic RSOC cycles. Furthermore, a technological breakthrough was achieved with the successful operation of a complete co-electrolysis system. Co-electrolysis enables a highly efficient production of synthesis gas in a single step using water, CO2 and green electricity.
The High-Temperature Electrolysis (HTE) process based on Solid Oxide Cells (SOC) uses green electricity to efficiently generate a renewable molecular feedstock for industry and mobility. Therefore, it is a key technology to link the electricity sector with other industries and to evolve the electricity transition into a full energy transition. After years of development HTE is now on the threshold to reach market readiness and competitiveness compared to other electrolysis technologies. Yet, HTE still needs to proof its advantages and reliability in relevant industrial environments over relevant operation times. The present paper shows the latest achievements of Sunfire’s development within the product lines Sunfire-HyLink (steam electrolysis systems) and Sunfire-SynLink (co-electrolysis systems). The world’s largest HTE is a HyLink implementation that was installed in late 2020 in Salzgitter (Germany) within the GrInHy2.0 project. It is a 720 kWAC electrolyzer with a compression and drying unit designed by Paul Wurth. It produces up to 200 Nm³/h hydrogen from simple heating steam for the local iron-and-steel works operated by the project partner Salzgitter Flachstahl. The commissioning was finished in February 2021 and the system is now in operation for approx. 1,000 hours. First results from both dynamic and stationary operation will be shown. Also the achieved efficiency and production rate in normal operation will be evaluated for full load and part load. Additionally the potential to reduce the carbon footprint by replacing “grey” hydrogen with “green” produced by HTE will be analyzed. While the HyLink system in Salzgitter consists of eight smaller Generation 1 modules that are integrated in one 40’ ISO container, Sunfire is already testing a next generation module in its testing facilities in Dresden (Germany). The Generation 2 module is designed as SynLink module from the scratch and provides a capacity of 240 kWAC, i.e. 62.5 Nm³/h production rate. The design allows for operation in either steam electrolysis mode or co-electrolysis mode. It also includes the capability to internally reform hydrocarbons, which enables the integration of carbon-rich residual gases from connected processes like Fischer Tropsch Synthesis, Methanization or biogas plants. The present paper describes the major design improvements and findings from the module tests in Sunfire’s test facilities. Finally, an outlook on next development steps and upcoming project is given. On module level Sunfire’s designing a Generation 3, which is a first MW-scale module. On project site Sunfire will established itself on the MW-scale with both HyLink and SynLink projects. HyLink will be scaled up to 2.5 MW within the MultiPLHY project at a Neste refinery in Rotterdam (Netherlands). SynLink will be demonstrated on a multi-MW scale by Sunfire’s daughter company Norsk e-Fuel in Heroya (Norway). The detailed outlook will provided insight on how HTE will play a major role in the near future to efficiently produce renewable feedstock for an economy with a drastically reduced carbon footprint. Figure 1
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