Optimized Flow Sheet for a Reference Commercial-Scale Nuclear-Driven High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

Results of a system evaluation and lifecycle cost analysis are presented for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) central hydrogen production plant. The plant design relies on grid electricity to power the electrolysis process and system components, and industrial natural gas to provide process heat. The HYSYS process analysis software was used to evaluate the reference central plant design capable of producing 50,000 kg/day of hydrogen. The HYSYS software performs mass and energy balances across all components to allow optimized of the design using a detailed process flow sheet and realistic operating conditions specified the analyst. The lifecycle cost analysis was performed using the H2A analysis methodology developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program. This methodology utilizes Microsoft Excel spreadsheet analysis tools that require detailed plant performance information (obtained from HYSYS), along with financial and cost information to calculate lifecycle costs. The results of the lifecycle analyses indicate that for a 10% internal rate of return, a large central commercial-scale hydrogen production plant can produce 50,000 kg/day of hydrogen at an average cost of $2.68/kg. When the cost of carbon sequestration is taken into account, the average cost of hydrogen production increases by $0.40/kg to $3.08/kg.

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Analysis of a High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor Powered High Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Plant

Volume 5: Energy Systems Analysis, Thermodynamics and Sustainability; NanoEngineering for Energy; Engineering to Address Climate Change, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/imece2010-40627 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

M. G. McKellar ◽

E. A. Harvego ◽

A. M. Gandrik

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Economic Analysis ◽

Electric Power ◽

Production Rate ◽

Production Plant ◽

System Pressure ◽

Reference Design ◽

High Temperature Gas ◽

High Temperature Electrolysis

An updated reference design for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) plant for hydrogen production has been developed. The HTE plant is powered by a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) whose configuration and operating conditions are based on the latest design parameters planned for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). The current HTGR reference design specifies a reactor power of 600 MWt, with a primary system pressure of 7.0 MPa, and reactor inlet and outlet fluid temperatures of 322°C and 750°C, respectively. The reactor heat is used to produce heat and electric power for the HTE plant. A Rankine steam cycle with a power conversion efficiency of 44.4% was used to provide the electric power. The electrolysis unit used to produce hydrogen includes 1.1 million cells with a per-cell active area of 225 cm2. The reference hydrogen production plant operates at a system pressure of 5.0 MPa, and utilizes a steam-sweep system to remove the excess oxygen that is evolved on the anode (oxygen) side of the electrolyzer. The overall system thermal-to-hydrogen production efficiency (based on the higher heating value of the produced hydrogen) is 42.8% at a hydrogen production rate of 1.85 kg/s (66 million SCFD) and an oxygen production rate of 14.6 kg/s (33 million SCFD). An economic analysis of this plant was performed with realistic financial and cost estimating The results of the economic analysis demonstrated that the HTE hydrogen production plant driven by a high-temperature helium-cooled nuclear power plant can deliver hydrogen at a competitive cost. A cost of $3.03/kg of hydrogen was calculated assuming an internal rate of return of 10% and a debt to equity ratio of 80%/20% for a reactor cost of $2000/kWt and $2.41/kg of hydrogen for a reactor cost of $1400/kWt.

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Economic Analysis of a Nuclear Reactor Powered High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

ASME 2008 2nd International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Volume 1 ◽

10.1115/es2008-54206 ◽

2008 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

E. A. Harvego ◽

M. G. McKellar ◽

M. S. Sohal ◽

J. E. O’Brien ◽

J. S. Herring

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Economic Analysis ◽

Nuclear Reactor ◽

Primary System ◽

Production Plant ◽

Operating Pressure ◽

System Pressure ◽

Reference Design ◽

High Temperature Electrolysis

A reference design for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) plant for hydrogen production was developed to provide a basis for comparing the HTE concept with other hydrogen production concepts. The reference plant design is driven by a high-temperature helium-cooled nuclear reactor coupled to a direct Brayton power cycle. The reference design reactor power is 600 MWt, with a primary system pressure of 7.0 MPa, and reactor inlet and outlet fluid temperatures of 540°C and 900°C, respectively. The electrolysis unit used to produce hydrogen includes 4,009,177 cells with a per-cell active area of 225 cm2. The optimized design for the reference hydrogen production plant operates at a system pressure of 5.0 MPa, and utilizes an air-sweep system to remove the excess oxygen that is evolved on the anode (oxygen) side of the electrolyzer. The inlet air for the air-sweep system is compressed to the system operating pressure of 5.0 MPa in a four-stage compressor with intercooling. The alternating-current (AC) to direct-current (DC) conversion efficiency is 96%. The overall system thermal-to-hydrogen production efficiency (based on the lower heating value of the produced hydrogen) is 47.1% at a hydrogen production rate of 2.356 kg/s. An economic analysis of this plant was performed using the standardized H2A Analysis Methodology developed by the Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen Program, and using realistic financial and cost estimating assumptions. The results of the economic analysis demonstrated that the HTE hydrogen production plant driven by a high-temperature helium-cooled nuclear power plant can deliver hydrogen at a competitive cost. A cost of $3.23/kg of hydrogen was calculated assuming an internal rate of return of 10%.

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Economic Analysis of the Reference Design for a Nuclear-Driven High-Temperature-Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

10.2172/933186 ◽

2008 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

E. A. Harvego ◽

M. G. McKellar ◽

M. S. Sohal ◽

J. E. O'Brien ◽

J. S. Herring

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Economic Analysis ◽

Production Plant ◽

Reference Design ◽

High Temperature Electrolysis

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Probabilistic Risk Assessment of a Light Water Reactor Coupled with a High Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen Production Plant

10.2172/1691486 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kurt Vedros ◽

Robby Christian ◽

Cristian Rabiti

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

High Temperature ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Probabilistic Risk Assessment ◽

Light Water Reactor ◽

Production Plant ◽

Light Water ◽

Water Reactor ◽

Probabilistic Risk ◽

High Temperature Electrolysis

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System Evaluation and Economic Analysis of a Nuclear Reactor Powered High-Temperature Electrolysis Hydrogen-Production Plant

Journal of Energy Resources Technology ◽

10.1115/1.4001566 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 132 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

E. A. Harvego ◽

M. G. McKellar ◽

M. S. Sohal ◽

J. E. O’Brien ◽

J. S. Herring

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Hydrogen Production ◽

Economic Analysis ◽

Production Efficiency ◽

Nuclear Reactor ◽

Primary System ◽

Production Plant ◽

System Pressure ◽

Reference Design ◽

High Temperature Electrolysis

A reference design for a commercial-scale high-temperature electrolysis (HTE) plant for hydrogen production was developed to provide a basis for comparing the HTE concept with other hydrogen-production concepts. The reference plant design is driven by a high-temperature helium-cooled nuclear reactor coupled to a direct Brayton power cycle. The reference design reactor power is 600 MWt, with a primary system pressure of 7.0 MPa, and reactor inlet and outlet fluid temperatures of 540°C and 900°C, respectively. The electrolysis unit used to produce hydrogen includes 4,009,177 cells with a per-cell active area of 225 cm2. The optimized design for the reference hydrogen-production plant operates at a system pressure of 5.0 MPa, and utilizes an air-sweep system to remove the excess oxygen that has evolved on the anode (oxygen) side of the electrolyzer. The inlet air for the air-sweep system is compressed to the system operating pressure of 5.0 MPa in a four-stage compressor with intercooling. The alternating current to direct current conversion efficiency is 96%. The overall system thermal-to-hydrogen-production efficiency (based on the lower heating value of the produced hydrogen) is 47.1% at a hydrogen-production rate of 2.356 kg/s. This hydrogen-production efficiency is considerably higher than can be achieved using current low-temperature electrolysis techniques. An economic analysis of this plant was performed using the standardized hydrogen analysis methodology developed by the Department of Energy Hydrogen Program, and using realistic financial and cost estimating assumptions. The results of the economic analysis demonstrated that the HTE hydrogen-production plant driven by a high-temperature helium-cooled nuclear power plant can deliver hydrogen at a competitive cost. A cost of $3.23/kg of hydrogen was calculated assuming an internal rate of return of 10%.

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