Publications

In order to achieve the ambitious goal of “carbon neutrality” countries around the world are striving to develop clean energy. Against this background this paper takes China and Italy as representatives of developing and developed countries to summarize the energy structure composition and development overview of the two countries. The paper analyzes the serious challenges facing the future energy development of both countries and investigates the possibilities of energy cooperation between the two countries taking into account their respective advantages in energy development. By comparing the policies issued by the two governments to encourage clean energy development this paper analyzes the severe challenges faced by the two countries’ energy development in the future and combines their respective energy development advantages to look forward to the possibility of energy cooperation between the two countries in the future. This lays the foundation for China and Italy to build an “Energy Road” after the “Silk Road”.

The present paper offers a thorough examination of the safety measures enforced at hydrogen filling stations emphasizing their crucial significance in the wider endeavor to advocate for hydrogen as a sustainable and reliable substitute for conventional fuels. The analysis reveals a wide range of crucial safety aspects in hydrogen refueling stations including regulated hydrogen dispensing leak detection accurate hydrogen flow measurement emergency shutdown systems fire-suppression mechanisms hydrogen distribution and pressure management and appropriate hydrogen storage and cooling for secure refueling operations. The paper therefore explores several aspects including the sophisticated architecture of hydrogen dispensers reliable leak-detection systems emergency shut-off mechanisms and the implementation of fire-suppression tactics. Furthermore it emphasizes that the safety and effectiveness of hydrogen filling stations are closely connected to the accuracy in the creation and upkeep of hydrogen dispensers. It highlights the need for materials and systems that can endure severe circumstances of elevated pressure and temperature while maintaining safety. The use of sophisticated leak-detection technology is crucial for rapidly detecting and reducing possible threats therefore improving the overall safety of these facilities. Moreover the research elucidates the complexities of emergency shut-off systems and fire-suppression tactics. These components are crucial not just for promptly managing hazards but also for maintaining the station’s structural soundness in unanticipated circumstances. In addition the study provides observations about recent technical progress in the industry. These advances effectively tackle current safety obstacles and provide the foundation for future breakthroughs in hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The integration of cutting-edge technology and materials together with the development of upgraded safety measures suggests a positive trajectory towards improved efficiency dependability and safety in hydrogen refueling stations.

This paper presents the development of a thermodynamic model for the hydrogen refuelling station (HRS) to simulate the process of refuelling which involves the transfer of hydrogen gas from a high-pressure storage tank to the onboard tank of a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). This model encompasses the fundamental elements of an HRS which consists of a storage tank compressor piping system heat exchanger and an on-board vehicle tank. The model is implemented and validated using experimental data from SAE J2601. Various simulations are conducted to assess the impact of the Joule-Thomson effect and compression on the temperature of hydrogen flow specifically focusing on an average pressure rate of 18 MPa/min. Furthermore a comprehensive analysis is conducted to examine the impact of pressure variations in the storage tank (10–90 MPa) and the initial pressure within the vehicle tank (5–35 MPa) as well as variations in ambient temperature (0–40 °C). The study revealed that the energy consumption in the cooling system surpasses the average power consumption in the more advantageous scenario of 60 MPa by a range of 36% to over 220% when the pressure in the storage system drops below 30 MPa. Furthermore it was noted that the impact of ambient temperature is comparatively less significant when compared to the initial pressure of the vehicle's tank. The impact of an ambient temperature change of 10 °C on the final temperature of a hydrogen vehicle is found to be approximately 2 °C. Similarly a variation in the initial vehicle pressure of 10 MPa results in a modification of the final hydrogen vehicle temperature by approximately 8.5 °C.

Hydrogen is an environmentally friendly fuel that can facilitate the upcoming energy transition. The development of an extensive infrastructure for hydrogen transport and storage is crucial. However the mechanical properties of structural materials are significantly degraded in H2 environments leading to early component failures. Pipelines are designed following defect-tolerant principles and are subjected to periodic pressure fluctuations. Hence these systems are potentially prone to fatigue degradation often accelerated in pressurized hydrogen gas. Inspection and maintenance activities are crucial to guarantee the integrity and fitness for service of this infrastructure. This study predicts the severity of hydrogen-enhanced fatigue in low-alloy steels commonly employed for H2 transport and storage equipment. Three machine-learning algorithms i.e. Linear Model Deep Neural Network and Random Forest are used to categorize the severity of the fatigue degradation. The models are critically compared and the best-performing algorithm are trained to predict the Fatigue Acceleration Factor. This approach shows good prediction capability and can estimate the fatigue crack propagation in lowalloy steels. These results allow for estimating the probability of failure of hydrogen pipelines thus facilitating the inspection and maintenance planning.

The chemical industry serves as a global economic backbone and it is an intensive consumer of conventional energy. Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases it is necessary to analyze energy supply solutions based on renewable energy sources in this industrial sector. Unlike other sectors such as residential or service industries which have been thoroughly analyzed by the scientific community the use of renewable energies in the chemical industry remains comparatively less examined by the scientific community. This article studies the use of an energy supply system based on photovoltaic technology or a PEM fuel cell for a styrene production industry analyzing the integration of energy storage systems such as batteries as well as different uses for the surplus hydrogen produced by the facility. The most interesting conclusions of the article are: (1) the renewable microgrid considered is viable both technically and economically with a discounted payback period between 5.4 and 6.5 years using batteries as an energy storage system; and (2) the use of hydrogen as energy storage system for a styrene industry is not yet a viable option from an economic point of view.

Reducing the cost of hydrogen fuel cell technology is crucial in propelling the hydrogen economy and achieving decarbonized energy systems. This study identifies the hydrogen fuel cell cost trajectory through a multi-stage learning curve model highlighting technology learning mechanisms across different stages. Findings show that innovation and production contribute to cost reduction and the learning by researching holds a more significant role presently while the learning by doing takes precedence in the long term achieving a 14% learning rate. The cost predictions imply that the system cost of hydrogen fuel cell is expected to fall below 1000 yuan/kW after 2031. Moreover the scenario analyses highlight the conducive role of various hydrogen production technologies and the evolution of cost influencing factors on cost reduction. Our research provides critical insights into the evolving dynamics of technological learning and cost trajectory in the hydrogen fuel cell industry with significant implications for policy-making.

Hydrogen is a promising fuel because it has good capabilities to operate gas turbines. Due to its ignition speed which exceeds the ignition of traditional fuel it achieves a higher thermal efficiency while the resulting emissions are low. So it was used as a clean and sustainable energy source. This paper reviews the most important research that was concerned with studying the characteristics of hydrogen combustion within incinerators and power generation equipment where hydrogen was used as a fuel mixed with traditional fuel in the combustion chambers of gas turbines. It also includes an evaluation of the combustion processes and flame formation resulting from the enrichment of gaseous fuels with hydrogen and partial oxidation. A large amount of theoretical and experimental work in this field has been reviewed. This review summarizes the predictive and experimental results of various research interests in the field of hydrogen combustion and also production.

The war in Ukraine caused Europe to more than double its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in only one year. In addition imported LNG remains a crucial source of energy for resource-poor countries such as Japan where LNG imports satisfy about a quarter of the country’s primary energy demand. However an increasing number of countries are formulating stringent decarbonization plans. Liquefied hydrogen and liquefied ammonia coupled with carbon capture and storage (LH2-CCS LNH3-CCS) are emerging as the front runners in the search for low-carbon alternatives to LNG. Yet little is currently known about the full environmental profile of LH2-CCS and LNH3-CCS because several characteristics of the two alternatives have only been analyzed in isolation in previous work. Here we show that the potential of these fuels to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the supply chain is highly uncertain. Our best estimate is that LH2-CCS and LNH3-CCS can reduce GHG emissions by 25%–61% relative to LNG assuming a 100 year global warming potential. However directly coupling LNG with CCS would lead to substantial GHG reductions on the order of 74%. Further under certain conditions emissions from LH2-CCS and LNH3-CCS could exceed those of LNG by up to 44%. These results question the suitability of LH2-CCS and LNH3-CCS for stringent decarbonization purposes.

Hydrogen production and storage in hybrid systems is a promising solution for sustainable energy transition decoupling the energy generation from its end use and boosting the deployment of renewable energy. Nonetheless the optimal and cost-effective design of hybrid hydrogen-based systems is crucial to tackle existing limitations in diffusion of these systems. The present study explores net-zero energy management via a multi-objective optimization algorithm for an outdoor test facility equipped with a hydrogen-based hybrid energy production system. Aimed at enabling efficient integration of hydrogen fuel cell system the proposed solution attempts to maximize the renewable factor (RF) and carbon mitigation in the hybrid system as well as to minimize the grid dependency and the life cycle cost (LCC) of the system. In this context the techno-enviroeconomic optimization of the hybrid system is conducted by employing a statistical approach to identify optimal design variables and conflictive objective functions. To examine interactions in components of the hybrid system a series of dynamic simulations are carried out by developing a TRNSYS code coupled with the OpenStudio/EnergyPlus plugin. The obtained results indicate a striking disparity in the monthly RF values as well as the hydrogen production rate and therefore in the level of grid dependency. It is shown that the difference in LCC between optimization scenarios suggested by design of experiments could reach $15780 corresponding to 57% of the mean initial cost. The LCOE value yielded for optimum scenarios varies between 0.389 and 0.537 $/kWh. The scenario with net-zero target demonstrates the lowest LCOE value and the highest carbon mitigation i.e. 828 kg CO2/yr with respect to the grid supply case. However the LCC in this scenario exceeds $57370 which is the highest among all optimum scenarios. Furthermore it was revealed that the lowest RF in optimal scenarios is equal to 66.2% and belongs to the most economical solution.

This study explores the potentiality of low/zero carbon fuels such as methanol methane and hydrogen for motor applications to pursue the goal of energy security and environmental sustainability. An experimental investigation was performed on a spark ignition engine equipped with both a port fuel and a direct injection system. Liquid fuels were injected into the intake manifold to benefit from a homogeneous charge formation. Gaseous fuels were injected in direct mode to enhance the efficiency and prevent abnormal combustion. Tests were realized at a fixed indicated mean effective pressure and at three different engine speeds. The experimental results highlighted the reduction of CO and CO2 emissions for the alternative fuels to an extent depending on their properties. Methanol exhibited high THC and low NOx emissions compared to gasoline. Methane and even more so hydrogen allowed for a reduction in THC emissions. With regard to the impact of gaseous fuels on the NOx emissions this was strongly related to the operating conditions. A surprising result concerns the particle emissions that were affected not only by the fuel characteristics and the engine test point but also by the lubricating oil. The oil contribution was particularly evident for hydrogen fuel which showed high particle emissions although they did not contain carbon atoms.