Netherlands
Prospects and Challenges for Green Hydrogen Production and Utilization in the Philippines
Apr 2022
Publication
The Philippines is exploring different alternative sources of energy to make the country less dependent on imported fossil fuels and to reduce significantly the country's CO2 emissions. Given the abundance of renewable energy potential in the country green hydrogen from renewables is a promising fuel because it can be utilized as an energy carrier and can provide a source of clean and sustainable energy with no emissions. This paper aims to review the prospects and challenges for the potential use of green hydrogen in several production and utilization pathways in the Philippines. The study identified green hydrogen production routes from available renewable energy sources in the country including geothermal hydropower wind solar biomass and ocean. Opportunities for several utilization pathways include transportation industry utility and energy storage. From the analysis this study proposes a roadmap for a green hydrogen economy in the country by 2050 divided into three phases: green hydrogen as industrial feedstock green hydrogen as fuel cell technology and commercialization of green hydrogen. On the other hand the analysis identified several challenges including technical economic and social aspects as well as the corresponding policy implications for the realization of a green hydrogen economy that can be applied in the Philippines and other developing countries.
Assessment of a CFD Model for Simulations of Fast Filling of Hydrogen Tanks with Pre-cooling
Sep 2013
Publication
High gas temperatures can be reached inside a hydrogen tank during the filling process because of the large pressure increase (up to 70-80 MPa) and because of the short time (~3 minutes) of the process. High temperatures can potentially jeopardize the structural integrity of the storage system and one of the strategies to reduce the temperature increase is to pre-cool the hydrogen before injecting it into the tank. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools have the capabilities of capturing the flow field and the temperature rise in the tank. The results of CFD simulations of fast filling with pre-cooling are shown and compared with experimental data to assess the accuracy of the CFD model
Experimental Study of the Thermal Behaviour of Hydrogen Tanks During Hydrogen Cycling
Sep 2013
Publication
The thermal behaviour of several commercial hydrogen tanks has been studied during high pressure (70-84 MPa) hydrogen cycling. The temperature of the gas at different points inside the tank the temperature at the bosses and the tank outer wall temperature have been measured under different filling and emptying conditions. From the experimental results the effect of the filling rate (1.5-4 g/s) and the influence of the liner material in the thermal behaviour of the hydrogen tanks have been evaluated. Bosses thermal response under the different cycling conditions has also been investigated.
An Assessment on the Quantification of Hydrogen Releases Through Oxygen Displacement Using Oxygen
Sep 2013
Publication
Contrary to several reports in the recent literature the use of oxygen sensors for indirectly monitoring ambient hydrogen concentration has serious drawbacks. This method is based on the assumption that a hydrogen release will displace oxygen which is quantified using oxygen sensors. Despite its shortcomings the draft Hydrogen Vehicle Global Technical Regulation lists this method as a means to monitor hydrogen leaks to verify vehicle fuel system integrity. Experimental evaluations that were designed to impartially compare the ability of commercial oxygen and hydrogen sensors to reliably measure and report hydrogen concentration changes are presented. Numerous drawbacks are identified and discussed.
Aqueous Phase Reforming in a Microchannel Reactor: The Effect of Mass Transfer on Hydrogen Selectivity
Aug 2013
Publication
Aqueous phase reforming of sorbitol was carried out in a 1.7 m long 320 mm ID microchannel reactor with a 5 mm Pt-based washcoated catalyst layer combined with nitrogen stripping. The performance of this microchannel reactor is correlated to the mass transfer properties reaction kinetics hydrogen selectivity and product distribution. Mass transfer does not affect the rate of sorbitol consumption which is limited by the kinetics of the reforming reaction. Mass transfer significantly affects the hydrogen selectivity and the product distribution. The rapid consumption of hydrogen in side reactions at the catalyst surface is prevented by a fast mass transfer of hydrogen from the catalyst site to the gas phase in the microchannel reactor. This results in a decrease of the concentration of hydrogen at the catalyst surface which was found to enhance the desired reforming reaction rate at the expense of the undesired hydrogen consuming reactions. Compared to a fixed bed reactor the selectivity to hydrogen in the microchannel reactor was increased by a factor of 2. The yield of side products (mainly C3 and heavier hydrodeoxygenated species) was suppressed while the yield of hydrogen was increased from 1.4 to 4 moles per mole of sorbitol fed.
Seasonal Energy Storage for Zero-emissions Multi-energy Systems Via Underground Hydrogen Storage
Jan 2020
Publication
The deployment of diverse energy storage technologies with the combination of daily weekly and seasonal storage dynamics allows for the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per unit energy provided. In particular the production storage and re-utilization of hydrogen starting from renewable energy has proven to be one of the most promising solutions for offsetting seasonal mismatch between energy generation and consumption. A realistic possibility for large-scale hydrogen storage suitable for long-term storage dynamics is presented by salt caverns. In this contribution we provide a framework for modelling underground hydrogen storage with a focus on salt caverns and we evaluate its potential for reducing the CO2 emissions within an integrated energy systems context. To this end we develop a first-principle model which accounts for the transport phenomena within the rock and describes the dynamics of the stored energy when injecting and withdrawing hydrogen. Then we derive a linear reduced order model that can be used for mixed-integer linear program optimization while retaining an accurate description of the storage dynamics under a variety of operating conditions. Using this new framework we determine the minimum-emissions design and operation of a multi-energy system with H2 storage. Ultimately we assess the potential of hydrogen storage for reducing CO2 emissions when different capacities for renewable energy production and energy storage are available mapping emissions regions on a plane defined by storage capacity and renewable generation. We extend the analysis for solar- and wind-based energy generation and for different energy demands representing typical profiles of electrical and thermal demands and different CO2 emissions associated with the electric grid.
Dynamic modelling of a direct internal reforming solid oxide fuel cell stack based on single cell experiments
May 2018
Publication
Direct internal reforming enables optimal heat integration and reduced complexity in solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) systems but thermal stresses induced by the increased temperature gradients may inflict damage to the stack. Therefore the development of adequate control strategies requires models that can accurately predict the temperature profiles in the stack. A 1D dynamic modelling platform is developed in this study and used to simulate SOFCs in both single cell and stack configurations. The single cell model is used to validate power law and Hougen-Watson reforming kinetics derived from experiments in previous work. The stack model based on the same type of cells accounts for heat transfer in the inactive area and to the environment and is validated with data reported by the manufacturer. The reforming kinetics are then implemented in the stack model to simulate operation with direct internal reforming. Although there are differences between the temperature profiles predicted by the two kinetic models both are more realistic than assuming chemical equilibrium. The results highlight the need to identify rate limiting steps for the reforming and hydrogen oxidation reactions on anodes of functional SOFC assemblies. The modelling approach can be used to study off-design conditions transient operation and system integration as well as to develop adequate energy management and control strategies.
Statistics, Lessons Learned and Recommendations from Analysis of HIAD 2.0 Database
Mar 2022
Publication
The manuscript firstly describes the data collection and validation process for the European Hydrogen Incidents and Accidents Database (HIAD 2.0) a public repository tool collecting systematic data on hydrogen-related incidents and near-misses. This is followed by an overview of HIAD 2.0 which currently contains 706 events. Subsequently the approaches and procedures followed by the authors to derive lessons learned and formulate recommendations from the events are described. The lessons learned have been divided into four categories including system design; system manufacturing installation and modification; human factors and emergency response. An overarching lesson learned is that minor events which occurred simultaneously could still result in serious consequences echoing James Reason's Swiss Cheese theory. Recommendations were formulated in relation to the established safety principles adapted for hydrogen by the European Hydrogen Safety Panel considering operational modes industrial sectors and human factors. This work provide an important contribution to the safety of systems involving hydrogen benefitting technical safety engineers emergency responders and emergency services. The lesson learned and the discussion derived from the statistics can also be used in training and risk assessment studies being of equal importance to promote and assist the development of sound safety culture in organisations.
Requirements for the Safety Assessment for the Approval of a Hydrogen Refueling Station
Sep 2007
Publication
The EC 6th framework research project HyApproval will draft a Handbook which will describe all relevant issues to get approval to construct and operate a Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS) for hydrogen vehicles. In WP3 of the HyApproval project it is under investigation which safety information competent authorities require to give a licence to construct an operate an HRS. The paper describes the applied methodology to collect the information from the authorities in 5 EC countries and the USA. The results of the interviews and recommendations for the information to include in the Handbook are presented.
Technical and Economic Analysis of One-Stop Charging Stations for Battery and Fuel Cell EV with Renewable Energy Sources
Jun 2020
Publication
Currently most of the vehicles make use of fossil fuels for operations resulting in one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions. The need to cut our dependency on these fossil fuels has led to an increased use of renewable energy sources (RESs) for mobility purposes. A technical and economic analysis of a one-stop charging station for battery electric vehicles (BEV) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) is investigated in this paper. The hybrid optimization model for electric renewables (HOMER) software and the heavy-duty refueling station analysis model (HDRSAM) are used to conduct the case study for a one-stop charging station at Technical University of Denmark (DTU)-Risø campus. Using HOMER a total of 42 charging station scenarios are analyzed by considering two systems (a grid-connected system and an off-grid connected system). For each system three different charging station designs (design A-hydrogen load; design B-an electrical load and design C-an integrated system consisting of both hydrogen and electrical load) are set up for analysis. Furthermore seven potential wind turbines with different capacity are selected from HOMER database for each system. Using HDRSAM a total 18 scenarios are analyzed with variation in hydrogen delivery option production volume hydrogen dispensing option and hydrogen dispensing option. The optimal solution from HOMER for a lifespan of twenty-five years is integrated into design C with the grid-connected system whose cost was $986065. For HDRSAM the optimal solution design consists of tube trailer as hydrogen delivery with cascade dispensing option at 350 bar together with high production volume and the cost of the system was $452148. The results from the two simulation tools are integrated and the overall cost of the one-stop charging station is achieved which was $2833465. The analysis demonstrated that the one-stop charging station with a grid connection is able to fulfil the charging demand cost-effectively and environmentally friendly for an integrated energy system with RESs in the investigated locations.
Safe Operation of Natural Gas Appliances Fuelled with Hydrogen & Natural Gas Mixtures (Progress Obtained in the Naturalhy-Project)
Sep 2007
Publication
Considering the transition towards the hydrogen economy dependent on hydrogen penetration scenario the cost of a new hydrogen pipeline infrastructure in Europe may amount to several thousands of billions of EURO’s. Therefore the examination of the potential contribution of the existing natural gas assets is a practical and logical first step. As the physical and chemical properties of hydrogen differ significantly from those of natural gas it is not at all possible to simply exchange natural gas by hydrogen in the existing infrastructure. In this paper first a brief overview will be given of the NATURALHY-project. Further the focus will be on the impact of added hydrogen on the performance of existing natural gas domestic end user appliances which is related to the operation of the natural gas grid connecting the different types of appliance. The application of the fundamental insights and carefully designed experiments comparing the behaviour of gases using justified reference conditions have been shown to offer essential progress. The Wobbe index limits of the natural gas distributed pose a first limiting factor upon the maximum allowable hydrogen concentration. Constant-Wobbe index and decreasing-Wobbe index options of H2 admixture have been studied. Considering the appliance light back H2 limiting factor for domestic appliances fuel-rich appliances are the critical ones. Also taking into account stationary gas engines gas turbines industrial applications and natural gas grid management it is not yet justified to present statements on what level of hydrogen concentration could be safely allowed in which specific natural gas distribution region. But more clarity has been obtained on combustion safety aspects of existing domestic appliances on the connection with Wobbe distribution conditions and on the bottlenecks still to be handled.
Integration of Experimental Facilities: A Joint Effort for Establishing a Common Knowledge Base in Experimental Work on Hydrogen Safety
Sep 2009
Publication
With regard to the goals of the European HySafe Network research facilities are essential for the experimental investigation of relevant phenomena for testing devices and safety concepts as well as for the generation of validation data for the various numerical codes and models. The integrating activity ‘Integration of Experimental Facilities (IEF)’ has provided basic support for jointly performed experimental work within HySafe. Even beyond the funding period of the NoE HySafe in the 6th Framework Programme IEF represents a long lasting effort for reaching sustainable integration of the experimental research capacities and expertise of the partners from different research fields. In order to achieve a high standard in the quality of experimental data provided by the partners emphasis was put on the know-how transfer between the partners. The strategy for reaching the objectives consisted of two parts. On the one hand a documentation of the experimental capacities has been prepared and analysed. On the other hand a communication base has been established by means of biannual workshops on experimental issues. A total of 8 well received workshops has been organised covering topics from measurement technologies to safety issues. Based on the information presented by the partners a working document on best practice including the joint experimental knowledge of all partners with regard to experiments and instrumentation was created. Preserving the character of a working document it was implemented in the IEF wiki website which was set up in order to provide a central communication platform. The paper gives an overview of the IEF network activities over the last 5 years.
Best Practice in Numerical Simulation and CFD Benchmarking. Results from the SUSANA Project
Sep 2017
Publication
Correct use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools is essential in order to have confidence in the results. A comprehensive set of Best Practice Guidelines (BPG) in numerical simulations for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen applications has been one of the main outputs of the SUSANA project. These BPG focus on the practical needs of engineers in consultancies and industry undertaking CFD simulations or evaluating CFD simulation results in support of hazard/risk assessments of hydrogen facilities as well as on the needs of regulatory authorities. This contribution presents a summary of the BPG document. All crucial aspects of numerical simulations are addressed such as selection of the physical models domain design meshing boundary conditions and selection of numerical parameters. BPG cover all hydrogen safety relative phenomena i.e. release and dispersion ignition jet fire deflagration and detonation. A series of CFD benchmarking exercises are also presented serving as examples of appropriate modelling strategies.
CFD Investigation of Filling and Emptying of Hydrogen Tanks
Oct 2015
Publication
During the filling of hydrogen tanks high temperatures can be generated inside the vessel because of the gas compression while during the emptying low temperatures can be reached because of the gas expansion. The design temperature range goes from −40 °C to 85 °C. Temperatures outside that range could affect the mechanical properties of the tank materials. CFD analyses of the filling and emptying processes have been performed in the HyTransfer project. To assess the accuracy of the CFD model the simulation results have been compared with new experimental data for different filling and emptying strategies. The comparison between experiments and simulations is shown for the temperatures of the gas inside the tank for the temperatures at the interface between the liner and the composite material and for the temperatures on the external surface of the vessel.
Hydrogen Tank Filling Experiments at the JRC-IE Gastef Facility
Sep 2011
Publication
Storage of gases under pressure including hydrogen is a well-known technique. However the use in vehicles of hydrogen at pressures much higher than those applicable in natural gas cars still requires safety and performance studies with respect to the verification of the existing standards and regulations. The JRC-IE has developed a facility GasTeF for carrying out tests on full-scale high pressure vehicle’s tanks for hydrogen or natural gas. Typical tests performed in GasTeF are static permeation measurements of the storage system and hydrogen cycling in which tanks are fast filled and slowly emptied using hydrogen pressurised up to 70 MPa for at least 1000 times according to the requirements of the EU regulation on type-approval of hydrogen-powered motor vehicles. Moreover the temperature evolution of the gas inside and outside the tank is monitored using an ad-hoc designed thermocouples array system. This paper reports the first experimental results on the temperature distribution during hydrogen cycling tests.
On the Use of Hydrogen in Confined Spaces: Results from the Internal Project InsHyde
Sep 2009
Publication
Alexandros G. Venetsanos,
Paul Adams,
Inaki Azkarate,
A. Bengaouer,
Marco Carcassi,
Angunn Engebø,
E. Gallego,
Olav Roald Hansen,
Stuart J. Hawksworth,
Thomas Jordan,
Armin Keßler,
Sanjay Kumar,
Vladimir V. Molkov,
Sandra Nilsen,
Ernst Arndt Reinecke,
M. Stöcklin,
Ulrich Schmidtchen,
Andrzej Teodorczyk,
D. Tigreat,
N. H. A. Versloot and
L. Boon-Brett
The paper presents an overview of the main achievements of the internal project InsHyde of the HySafe NoE. The scope of InsHyde was to investigate realistic small-medium indoor hydrogen leaks and provide recommendations for the safe use/storage of indoor hydrogen systems. Additionally InsHyde served to integrate proposals from HySafe work packages and existing external research projects towards a common effort. Following a state of the art review InsHyde activities expanded into experimental and simulation work. Dispersion experiments were performed using hydrogen and helium at the INERIS gallery facility to evaluate short and long term dispersion patterns in garage like settings. A new facility (GARAGE) was built at CEA and dispersion experiments were performed there using helium to evaluate hydrogen dispersion under highly controlled conditions. In parallel combustion experiments were performed by FZK to evaluate the maximum amount of hydrogen that could be safely ignited indoors. The combustion experiments were extended later on by KI at their test site by considering the ignition of larger amounts of hydrogen in obstructed environments outdoors. An evaluation of the performance of commercial hydrogen detectors as well as inter-lab calibration work was jointly performed by JRC INERIS and BAM. Simulation work was as intensive as the experimental work with participation from most of the partners. It included pre-test simulations validation of the available CFD codes against previously performed experiments with significant CFD code inter-comparisons as well as CFD application to investigate specific realistic scenarios. Additionally an evaluation of permeation issues was performed by VOLVO CEA NCSRD and UU by combining theoretical computational and experimental approaches with the results being presented to key automotive regulations and standards groups. Finally the InsHyde project concluded with a public document providing initial guidance on the use of hydrogen in confined spaces.
Hysafe SBEP-V20: Numerical Predictions of Release Experiments Inside a Residential Garage With Passive Ventilation
Sep 2009
Publication
This work presents the results of the Standard Benchmark Exercise Problem (SBEP) V20 of Work Package 6 (WP6) of HySafe Network of Excellence (NoE) co-funded by the European Commission in the frame of evaluating the quality and suitability of codes models and user practices by comparative assessments of code results. The benchmark problem SBEP-V20 covers release scenarios that were experimentally investigated in the past using helium as a substitute to hydrogen. The aim of the experimental investigations was to determine the ventilation requirements for parking hydrogen fuelled vehicles in residential garages. Helium was released under the vehicle for 2 h with 7.200 l/h flow rate. The leak rate corresponded to a 20% drop of the peak power of a 50 kW fuel cell vehicle. Three double vent garage door geometries are considered in this numerical investigation. In each case the vents are located at the top and bottom of the garage door. The vents vary only in height. In the first case the height of the vents is 0.063 m in the second 0.241 m and in the third 0.495 m. Four HySafe partners participated in this benchmark. The following CFD packages with the respective models were applied to simulate the experiments: ADREA-HF using k–ɛ model by partner NCSRD FLACS using k–ɛ model by partner DNV FLUENT using k–ɛ model by partner UPM and CFX using laminar and the low-Re number SST model by partner JRC. This study compares the results predicted by the partners to the experimental measurements at four sensor locations inside the garage with an attempt to assess and validate the performance of the different numerical approaches.
HIAD 2.0 – Hydrogen Incident and Accident Database
Sep 2019
Publication
Hydrogen technologies are expected to play a key role in implementing the transition from a fossil fuel- based to a more sustainable lower-carbon energy system. To facilitate their widespread deployment the safe operation and hydrogen systems needs to be ensured together with the evaluation of the associated risk.<br/>HIAD has been designed to be a collaborative and communicative web-based information platform holding high quality information of accidents and incidents related to hydrogen technologies. The main goal of HIAD was to become not only a standard industrial accident database but also an open communication platform suitable for safety lessons learned and risk communication as well as a potential data source for risk assessment; it has been set up to improve the understanding of hydrogen unintended events to identify measures and strategies to avoid incidents/accidents and to reduce the consequence if an accident occurs.<br/>In order to achieve that goal the data collection is characterized by a significant degree of detail and information about recorded events (e.g. causes physical consequences lesson learned). Data are related not only to real incident and accidents but also to hazardous situations.<br/>The concept of a hydrogen accident database was generated in the frame of the project HySafe an EC co-funded NoE of the 6th Frame Work Programme. HIAD was built by EC-JRC and populated by many HySafe partners. After the end of the project the database has been maintained and populated by JRC with publicly available events. The original idea was to provide a tool also for quantitative risk assessment able to conduct simple analyses of the events; unfortunately that goal could not be reached because of a lack of required statistics: it was not possible to establish a link with potential event providers coming from private sector not willing to share information considered confidential. Starting from June 2016 JRC has been developing a new version of the database (i.e. HIAD 2.0); the structure of the database and the web-interface have been redefined and simplified resulting in a streamlined user interface compared to the previous version of HIAD. The new version is mainly focused to facilitate the sharing of lessons learned and other relevant information related to hydrogen technology; the database will be public and the events will be anonymized. The database will contribute to improve the safety awareness fostering the users to benefit from the experiences of others as well as to share information from their own experiences.
Magnesium Based Materials for Hydrogen Based Energy Storage: Past, Present and Future
Jan 2019
Publication
Volodymyr A. Yartys,
Mykhaylo V. Lototskyy,
Etsuo Akiba,
Rene Albert,
V. E. Antonov,
Jose-Ramón Ares,
Marcello Baricco,
Natacha Bourgeois,
Craig Buckley,
José Bellosta von Colbe,
Jean-Claude Crivello,
Fermin Cuevas,
Roman V. Denys,
Martin Dornheim,
Michael Felderhoff,
David M. Grant,
Bjørn Christian Hauback,
Terry D. Humphries,
Isaac Jacob,
Petra E. de Jongh,
Jean-Marc Joubert,
Mikhail A. Kuzovnikov,
Michel Latroche,
Mark Paskevicius,
Luca Pasquini,
L. Popilevsky,
Vladimir M. Skripnyuk,
Eugene I. Rabkin,
M. Veronica Sofianos,
Alastair D. Stuart,
Gavin Walker,
Hui Wang,
Colin Webb,
Min Zhu and
Torben R. Jensen
Magnesium hydride owns the largest share of publications on solid materials for hydrogen storage. The “Magnesium group” of international experts contributing to IEA Task 32 “Hydrogen Based Energy Storage” recently published two review papers presenting the activities of the group focused on magnesium hydride based materials and on Mg based compounds for hydrogen and energy storage. This review article not only overviews the latest activities on both fundamental aspects of Mg-based hydrides and their applications but also presents a historic overview on the topic and outlines projected future developments. Particular attention is paid to the theoretical and experimental studies of Mg-H system at extreme pressures kinetics and thermodynamics of the systems based on MgH2 nanostructuring new Mg-based compounds and novel composites and catalysis in the Mg based H storage systems. Finally thermal energy storage and upscaled H storage systems accommodating MgH2 are presented.
Optimisation-based System Designs for Deep Offshore Wind Farms including Power to Gas Technologies
Feb 2022
Publication
A large deployment of energy storage solutions will be required by the stochastic and non-controllable nature of most renewable energy sources when planning for higher penetration of renewable electricity into the energy mix. Various solutions have been suggested for dealing with medium- and long-term energy storage. Hydrogen and ammonia are two of the most frequently discussed as they are both carbon-free fuels. In this paper the authors analyse the energy and cost efficiency of hydrogen and ammonia-based pathways for the storage transportation and final use of excess electricity from an offshore wind farm. The problem is solved as a linear programming problem simultaneously optimising the size of each problem unit and the respective time-dependent operational conditions. As a case study we consider an offshore wind farm of 1.5 GW size located in a reference location North of Scotland. The energy efficiency and cost of the whole chain are evaluated and compared with competitive alternatives namely batteries and liquid hydrogen storage. The results show that hydrogen and ammonia storage can be part of the optimal solution. Moreover their use for long-term energy storage can provide a significant cost-effective contribution to an extensive penetration of renewable energy sources in national energy systems.
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