Efficiency of Using Heat Pumps in a Hydrogen Production Unit at Steam-Powered Thermal Power Plants

Abstract

The need to increase the level of beneficial recycling of municipal solid waste (MSW) and the focus on low-carbon energy are increasing interest in the production of hydrogen from MSW. The presence of free space and excess capacity makes thermal power plants (TPPs) the most rational objects for the integration of units that produce hydrogen from MSW. The use of heat pumps (HP) will make it possible to use waste heat, increase heat output, and optimize the TPPs’ operating modes. The purpose of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of using HPs in the scheme for producing hydrogen from MSW at TPPs. The integration of a hydrogen-generating unit into the thermal circuit of a TPP will provide the necessary amount of vapor for the production of hydrogen but will lead to a decrease in the thermal efficiency of the plant. The use of HP will partially compensate for this decrease. For plants with a turbine of type T-100/120-130, when using HPs to heat network water, the reduction in electricity generation will be 1.9–32.0%, and the increase in heat supply will be 1.7–14.2%. The reduction in specific fuel consumption for an electricity supply will be 0–1.2%, an increase in marginal profit of 0.1–6.4%, with the MSW disposal of 10–90 t/h, and the hydrogen generation of 0.8–18.9 t/h.