Optimal integration of a solid-oxide electrolyser cell into a direct steam generation solar tower plant for zero-emission hydrogen production

Abstract

This work has been realised during my time as a PhD researcher at the High-Temperature Processes Unit at IMDEA Energy Institute. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme(FP7/2007-2013) for the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Technology Initiative under grant agreement nº 256755 of project ADEL "Advanced Electrolyser for Hydrogen Production with Renewable Energy Sources". I would like to thank all the people that contributed directly or indirectly to this work and without whom this time at IMDEA Energy would have been not by far as gratifying. Thanks to Manuel Romero and Javier Muñoz, and also to José Gonzalez, for their support and supervision, and to the tribunal for assisting to my defence, to the high-temperature processes group Sandra, Elisa, Aurelio, Fabri, Carlos, Selvan, and people from the whole IMDEA Energy Institute, specially to Laura, Jens, Tokhir, Prabhas... for the happy and cheerful atmosphere that surround every day of this period. I truly appreciate the help from my companion, Sandra Álvarez, and my little boy, Leo. Without her presence and support, and his hugs and smiles, the completion of this work would have been more difficult. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their understanding and eternal encouragement.

Part load operation of a solid oxide electrolysis system for integration with renewable energy sources

“…The thermal equivalent is calculated dividing the power consumption of each component by the thermal efficiency of a power plant. Based on previous works, the hydrogen production plant is assumed to be coupled with a direct steam generation solar tower plant (DSG-CRS), which efficiency is 23.5 % [10].…”

“…In previous works the authors have proposed different integration schemes of SOEC systems into a direct steam generation solar tower plant [10]. Due to the transient nature of solar irradiation, power and heat supply may change along the day.…”

Hybrid Energy System for a Coal-Based Chemical Industry

“…Thus, it will be an effective and reasonable solution to integrate nuclear/renewable energy with coal for low-carbon fuel and chemicals production, i.e., hybrid energy systems (see Figure 2B). Nuclear/renewable energy can supply heat and electricity 13,14 for low-/high-temperature water electrolysis 15,16 processes to produce clean hydrogen, after which the hydrogen will be mixed with the syngas from the coal gasification unit to adjust the H/C ratio for downstream chemicals synthesis processes (Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, 17 methanol to olefin, 18,19 methanation process, 20,21 etc.). In this case, the water-gas shift unit can be eliminated and the CO 2 emission significantly reduced.…”

Techno-economic modeling and optimization of solar-driven high-temperature electrolysis systems

“…2016; Sanz-Bermejo et al, 2014b). These systems suffer from a high hydrogen production price because of the high capital cost of solar concentrating systems (Holladay et al, 2009).…”