GIF activities related to H2 production GIF / INPRO Interface Meeting Vienna, 1-3 March 2010
Producing H 2 using Nuclear Energy H 2 is already a highly valuable chemical reactant, with established need mostly for fertilizers (ammonia) and petrochemical industry An increasing use for Hydrogen makes the most sense if the H2 is produced from non-fossil, non-greenhouse gas-emitting, sustainable sources Splitting water in Hydrogen and Oxygen Elec. Nuclear Nuclear Reactor Reactor Heat Low Low Temp. Temp. Electrolysis Electrolysis High High Temp. Temp. Electrolysis Electrolysis Thermochemical Thermochemical H 2 Slide 2
Low Temperature Electrolysis Mature technology But Limited maximum capacity Capacité de production (Nm3/h) 1000 100 10 1 0,1 485 10 330 3 760 110 60 10 100 120 1 1,25 StatoilHydro IHT atmo IHT pressure Hydrogenics Accagen HYOS (Air Liquide) 5 0,34 Avalence 16 1 PIEL Electric consumption Large electrolyser: 760 Nm 3 /h = 9,4 mol/s = 1,6 t/j 4,3 kwh/nm 3 at 1,8 V (http://iht.ch) In order to cover present production (~ 60 Mt/y), it would require > 300 GWe Slide 3
Hydrogen Production PA Hydrogen Production (HP) Project Arrangement is one of the 3 Project Arrangement issued from the VHTR System Arrangement. HP PA became effective 19 March 2008 Signatories of the HP PA are Canada, Euratom, France, Japan, Republic of Korea, United States Observers from People s Republic of China and Republic of South Africa are attending meetings, and consider joining the PA Slide 4
Hydrogen Production PA According to the HP Project Plan: The VHTR hydrogen production program aims at developing and optimizing the thermochemical water splitting processes of the sulfur family, giving priority to the sulfur-iodine (S/I), evaluating alternative thermochemical hydrogen-generation processes, and advancing the high-temperature electrolysis process, as well as defining and validating technologies for coupling reactors to process plants. The program also aims to assess and develop other hydrogen producing processes amenable to operation with other Generation IV reactor systems. VHTR GFR SFR SCWR but also Slide 5
Hydrogen Production Project Plan Structure (present) WP 1: Sulfur/Iodine Thermochemical Cycle WP 2: High Temperature Electrolysis WP 3: Alternative Processes Including estimate of the economics of processes at an industrial plant level WP 4: Hydrogen Production Coupling Technology Proposed Structure (under discussion): WP 1: Sulfur/Iodine Thermochemical Cycle WP 2: High Temperature Electrolysis WP 3: Copper Chloride and other cycles WP 4: Technical Economic Evaluation of HP Coupled to Nuclear Reactor WP 5: Hybrid Sulfur Process Slide 6
Methodology 1. Assess the state of knowledge and identify Background Proprietary Information 2. Benchmark flowsheets and codes 3. Organize workshops so experts can exchange 4. Organize the R&D Produce synthesis reports 5. Share costs of large demonstration experiments H 2 H 2 SO 4 600 C H 2 O SO 3 900 C HTR 100 C O 2 H 2 O SO 2 Slide 7
Sulfur/Iodine Thermochemical Cycle R&D Tasks Flowsheet Analyses Benchmark Exercises Materials Screening / Catalysts Demonstrate Sulfur-Iodine cycle at lab scale - confirm process, materials, potential performance Key Technology Issues Materials high temperature (~ 900 C), corrosive environments Process chemistry efficiency, data uncertainties, alternative configurations Slide 8
Sulfur/Iodine Thermochemical Cycle Main activities Evaluation of the cycle through analyses of various flowsheet of the S-I cycle Materials screening and development activities are conducted involving membranes and adsorbents for separations, and catalysts for SO 3 and HI decomposition. Performance of component and closed-circuit bench-scale experiments at full temperature, pressure, and flux rates to define and evaluate key parameters such as thermodynamic properties, rate constants. H 2 SO 4 HI X Bunsen Reaction DOE (GA, SNL) / CEA facility Slide 9
High Temperature Electrolysis R&D Tasks Develop HTE system design for High Temperature Reactor Cell, stack, and integrated experiments Modelling and system design Key Technology Issues Materials solid oxide electrolytes, electrodes, cell degradation, lifetime Sealing and interconnect technology Module thermal management Integrated Laboratory-Scale Experiment at INL (Idaho National Laboratory and Ceramatec, Inc.) Slide 10
High Temperature Electrolysis Main activities Modeling activities in order to optimize system design for various plant configurations, examine cogeneration options, and analyze performance of cell configurations Tests of button cells and small stacks of standard cells are conducted to investigate performance and longevity issues. Current efforts are focused on identifying the causes of cell degradation and performing tests of small stacks of cells. Advancements in electrode materials, cell interconnect technologies, leak management solutions, and optimized operating conditions. High temperature electrolysis (HTE) splits water in a device very similar to a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), and the results of several national programs for electricity production from fuel cells are being monitored to assure the progress in SOFC technology provides key developmental data for the HTE program. Seals leak management Interconnects coatings Corrosion of materials High temperature sealing Management of connection Stack development Specific benches and procedures Slide 11
Alternative Processes R&D Tasks Screening Technical evaluation Flowsheet analysis Experiments This includes Copper Chloride cycle Hybrid Sulfur cycle HyS Electrolyzer Testing at SRNL Evaluation of feasibility, process efficiency, and economics Slide 12
Copper Chloride Cycle Maximum Temperature of 530 C makes this process compatible with GFR, SFR or SCWR Cycle development initially spearheaded by Argonne National Lab in USA Within HP PMB, direct electrolysis step subsequently demonstrated in Canada, where development continues Non-electrolysis steps now being further advanced collaboratively by France, Canada and US Slide 13
Hybrid Sulfur Cycle 600 C HTR H 2 H2SO4 H 2 O SO 3 900 C 100 C O 2 H 2 O Electrochemical Step SO 2 + 2 H 2 O H 2 + H 2 SO 4 < 100 C SO 2 Thermochemical Step H 2 SO 4 SO 2 + ½ O 2 + H 2 O 800 C 900 C similar to Sulfur/Iodine Cycle similar to Sulfur/Iodine Cycle Slide 14
Evaluation of economics Evaluation of hydrogen production processes Evaluation of hydrogen production processes coupled to a nuclear reactor Immediate goal is to guide R&D studies, helping to optimize and focusing on the key factors that could make a given process profitable (sensitivity studies) Efficiency is commonly used to compare processes, however, advanced processes often imply high investments Energy consumption may not be the first cost item Even if the efficiency of a given process can give some insights about its performances and spark interest in studies, it is not the final criterion to select the process. Ultimately, decisions will be made on production cost grounds Importance of reliable estimates Difficult today with the technical readiness Slide 15
Coupling Technology VHTR Hydrogen production system R&D Tasks Coupling system evaluation Component technology Advanced process heat exchanger Concentric hot gas duct High-temperature isolation valve Intermediate heat exchanger Key Issues High temperature heat exchangers, materials High temperature isolation valves Hot fluid ducting Operation and Safety for combined nuclear-hydrogen plants Slide 16
Some projects of Hydrogen Production coupled to Nuclear Reactor Iodine/Sulfur thermochemical cycle High Temperature Test Reactor (HTTR) - Japan Nuclear Hydrogen Development and Demonstration (NHDD) Rep. Of Korea High Temperature Electrolysis Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) United States Slide 17
Conclusion Hydrogen Production PA aims at developing and optimizing H 2 production processes coupled to nuclear heat source Four processes are presently more advanced: Sulfur/Iodine thermochemical cycle High Temperature Electrolysis Hybrid Sulfur cycle Copper Chloride cycle Studies include all aspects from base research (thermodynamic data, materials development and behavior) to large scale experiment (e.g. DOE/CEA Lab Scale pilot for S/I cycle), and economic evaluation Slide 18