Hydrogen and Fuel Cell EnergyAnnual Merit Review
May 2020
Idaho National LaboratoryShannon Bragg-Sitton, Ph.D. NELead, Integrated Energy SystemsNuclear Science & Technology Directorate
Richard Boardman, Ph.D. ChETechnology Development Lead for Integrated Energy SystemsEnergy and Environmental Sciences & Technology Directorate
Integrated Energy Systems for Hydrogen & Chemicals Production
DESIGNING OUR FUTURE ENERGY SYSTEMSWhat goals are we trying to achieve?
How will energy be used?
What role(s) will nuclear fill?
2
INNOVATIVE NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES FOR
CURRENT AND FUTURE ENERGY SYSTEMS
ADVANCED REACTORS
Benefits:• Enhanced safety• Versatile applications• Reduced waste• Apply advanced
manufacturing to reduce costs
INTEGRATED ENERGY SYSTEMSMaximizing the contribution of carbon-free energy generation for electricity, industry, and transportation – while
supporting a resilient grid and converting valuable resources to higher value products
Integrated Energy Systems: A Key Opportunity for Nuclear Energy
TodayElectricity-only focus
Small Modular Reactors
New Chemical
Processes
Flexible Generators Advanced Processes Revolutionary Design
Micro Reactors
Large Light Water
Reactors
Potential Future Energy SystemIntegrated grid system that leverages contributions from nuclear
fission beyond electricity sector
Advanced Reactors Clean Water
Hydrogen forVehicles and Industry
IndustryHeat
Modelica®, Aspen Dynamics®
RAVEN(INL System Optimization)
Aspen Plus® and HYSYS®
Process Models
Graded approach to identify design, and evaluate hybrid system architectures
Dynamic modeling addressestechnical and control
feasibility
System modelingaddresses whole-system
coordination
Process modeling addresses technical and economic
value proposition
Cross-cutting Energy System Modeling, Analysis, and Evaluation
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INL Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL)
INL Experimental Demonstration of Integrated Systems
Data Links to DETAIL Components and Unit Operations:System-Level Controller to Unit-Level Controllers
Thermal Energy Distribution
System (TEDS)
Simulated Nuclear Reactor
ARTIST
ProgrammableHeating Elements
Steam or GasTurbine
Intermediate Heat Exch.
Thermal Energy Storage
DynomometerPower Grid
or Community Power
High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Power
Converter
Future Baseload Power Gen Capability
Chemicals / FuelsSynthesis
O2 H2
Storage
System Integration Lab Microgrid Components
Wind EV and Battery
Charging
Flow-ThroughChemical Batteries
PV SolarQ
QSET
CLR
S
R
Vin
GND
Vref
B1
B8
Sign
ENB
A/D Converter
Digital Real-TimeSimulator Stations
System Monitoring & Control
Other PowerGeneration Operations
Carbon FeedstocksCO2, Biomass
Natural Gas, Coal
Establishing the experimental capability to demonstrate coordinated, controlled, and efficient transient distribution of electricity and heat for power generation, storage, and industrial end uses.
TEDS: Thermal Energy Distribution SystemMAGNET: Microreactor Agile Nonnuclear Experiment TestbedHTSE: High Temperature Steam Electrolysis
INL Dynamic Energy Transport and Integration Laboratory (DETAIL)
INL Experimental Demonstration of Integrated Systems
Establishing the experimental capability to demonstrate coordinated, controlled, and efficient transient distribution of electricity and heat for power generation, storage, and industrial end uses.
FastCharging
Thermal Energy Delivery System & Microreactor Test Bed (in procurement)
DistributedEnergy
SynthesisReactor
Energy Storage Vehicles Hydrogen Power SystemsGrid
EmulationHigh TempElectrolysis
WirelessCharging
Battery Testing(out of picture)
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Coordinated Energy Systems
Tightly Coupled Hybrid Systems
• Holistic Integration of the energy system
• Involve electrical, thermal, and chemical networks
• Utilize energy storage on various scales
• Provide reliable, sustainable, low-emissions, most affordable energy
• Involve thermal, electrical, and process intermediates integration
• More complex than co-generation, poly-generation, or combined heat and power
• May exploit the economics of coordinated energy systems
• May provide grid services through demand response (import or export)
Electrochemical Polymers Plant
RenewableBiomass
Dispatchable ElectrolysisCo-Electrolysis
O2H2
Storage
Ammonia & FertilizerProduction
Regional Ethanol Plants
Formic Acid/FormateElectrochemcial Process
Process Offgas CO2
Electricity
Steam Bypass
Davis-Besse Nuclear Plant
Fertilizer
Ther
mal
Ene
rgy
Tran
spor
t
Hydr
ogen
Hydrogen
Plastics Recycle
Plastics, Fibers& Commodity Products
Hydrogen
Electricity GridLoad 1
Load 2y
Electricity StorageGiga-Watt Batteries
SolarWind
Natural Gas Supply
Variable Renewable Energy Sources
Natural Gas/H2 Power Gen:Hybrid Carbon Conversion
Gas Turbines
In-Situ
Hydrogenation
Biomass Upgrading& Chemicals Production
Methanol Synthesis
StorageTank
FormicAcid
Formic Acid
Plastics Recycling& Municipal Waste
Formic Acid Decomposer
Formic Acid DerivativeChemicals
Electricity Transmission
H2 and Formic Acid
Fuel Cells
Gas Separation
Process Offgas CO2
Rec
ycle
C
O2
Local H2 Users
Power Transactions with Grid
Methanol DerivativeChemicals
Hydrogen Industries
Enhancing Natural Gas Power
Ion Ore
ElectricArc
Furnace
Scrap Metals Recycle
Metals & Metals Products
Ener
gy R
eten
tion
In F
eeds
tock
s:
Ano
ther
Ene
rgy
Stor
age
Res
ervo
ir
• Evaluation of Hydrogen Production Feasibility for a Light Water Reactor in the MidwestRepurposing existing Exelon plant for H2 production via high temperature electrolysis; use of produced hydrogen for multiple off-take industries (ammonia and fertilizer production, steel manufacturing, and fuel cells) (INL/EXT-19-55395)
• Evaluation of Non-electric Market Options for a Light-water Reactor in the MidwestLWR market opportunities for LWRs with a focus on H2 production using low-temperature and high-temperature electrolysis; initial look at polymers, chemicals, and synfuels (INL/EXT-19-55090)
Recent Hydrogen Production Analyses for Current Fleet LWRs
INL issued public-facing reports on in FY19 that provide the foundation for demonstration of using LWRs to produce non-electric products:
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**H2@Scale is a complementary, collaborating program supported by the DOE Energy Efficiency & Renewable
Energy Fuel Cell Technologies Office.
12
Light Water Nuclear Reactor with HTE Process Heat Integration
12
High-temperatureRecuperation
Low-temperatureRecuperation
Topping Heat
HTSE Vessel Boundary
Nuclear process heat
Nuclear process heat
SOECStacksCathode side
Anodeside
24ºC(75ºF)
160ºC(320ºF)
271ºC(520ºF)
684ºC(1263ºF)
800ºC(1472ºF)
800ºC(1472ºF)
Low-temp. recup.
Nuclearheat
High-temp. recup.
Electricaltopping Heat
Electrolysis
1313
INL Preliminary Process Design Reference
Thermal heat from LWR
Electricity from LWR
Membranes separations processes in design
Example Test for Non-Spinning Reserve: Electrolyzer ramps down in 10 mins while NPP dispatches electricity
to the grid; then returns to full load after onehour.
• Purpose & Scope1. Demonstrate hydrogen production using direct electrical power offtake from a nuclear power plant for a commercial, 1-3 MWe, low-temperature (PEM) electrolysis module2. Acquaint NPP operators with monitoring and controls procedures and methods for scaleup to large commercial-scale hydrogen plants3. Evaluate power offtake dynamics on NPP power transmission stations to avoid NPP flexible operations4. Evaluate power inverter control response to provide grid contingency (inertia and frequency stability), ramping reserves, and volt/reactive control reserve5. Produce hydrogen for captive use by NPPs6. Produce hydrogen for first movers of clean hydrogen; fuel-cell buses, heavy-duty trucks, forklifts, and industrial users
• Two projects: (1) Exelon, (2) Energy Harbor Partnership with Xcel Energy and APS
• INL and NREL role: Support utilities with project test planning, controls and monitoring environment implementation and testing, data collection, systems performance evaluation, and project reporting.
Nuclear Power Plant Hydrogen Production Demonstration Projects
Davis-Bess Plant in Ohio
• Project FundingExelon: $8 M, EERE Fuel Cell Technology Office & NE Crosscutting Technology Integrated Energy System Program cost-shared joint fundingEnergy Harbor Partnership: $12.5 million, Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program cost shared; includes $1.6 M for Xcel Energy and APS techno-economic assessments, with FCTO H2@Scale Analysis support
• Project Schedule6 months — project planning, PEM provider due diligence, procurement/joint research agreements6 months — Exelon: Select nuclear plant for demonstration6-18 months — electrical tie-in engineering, site preparation, PEM module manufacturing, agency notifications, plant engineers, and operator training18-24 months — Exelon: Commence testing and hydrogen supply24-30 months — Energy Harbor: Commence testing and hydrogen supply
Site for demonstration under consideration
electrolysis plant load
profile
NPP dispatches to gird
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Water Splitting and Power Thermodynamics
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Loca
l The
rmal
Effi
cien
cy, η
Temperature of Working Fluid at Exit of Gas Heater or Steam Generator (°C)
S-CO2 Opt η He Brayton Opt ηAir Brayton Opt η Rankine Opt ηAFR Supcrt Rankine AFR Subcrt RankineAFR S-CO2 AFR He BraytonAFR Air Brayton AHTR Subcrt RankineAHTR Supcrt Rankine AHTR S-CO2AHTR He Brayton AHTR Air BraytonVHTR Subcrt Rankine VHTR S-CO2VHTR He Brayton VHTR Air BraytonVHTR S-CO2/Rankine Combined VHTR He Brayton/Rankine CombinedPWR Rankine
LWR HTSE: 30% more efficient than PEMVTGR HTSE: 37% more efficiency than PEM
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
0.85 0.94 1.03 1.12 1.21 1.30 1.39 1.48 1.57 1.66 1.75
Operating Voltage
Tota
l Ene
rgy
(kW
h/kg
-H2)
HTSEthermal neutral operatingpoint
HTSE
PEMAE
LWR withHeat Recov.VTGR with
Heat Recov.& Cell Heating
100% eff. steam splitting 100% eff. water splitting
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Electrolysis Efficiencies vs Nuclear Reactor Type
Reactor TypeT-Out
(Celsius)Power Cycle
Power Cycle Eff.
Carnot Eff.
ElectrolysisElectricity
(kWh/kg-H2)
Over Thermal EnergyEfficiency for H2
ProductionLWR N/A Rankine 32% 50% 39 (PEM) 26%LWR 300 Rankine 32% 50% 32 (HTSE) 38%
Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) 500
Supercritical Rankine
44% 63% 30 (HTSE) 54%
Advanced High Temp Reactor
(AHTR)(Molten Salt
Reactor, MSR)
700 Sup-crit. CO2 50% 70% 29.5 (HTSE) 62%
Very High Temp Reactor (VHTR) 900 Air Brayton 56% 75% 29 (HTSE) 70%
Thermal efficiency gain; LWR-PEM vs VHTR-HTSE = 169 %
Flexible Plant Operations & Generation Timeline to Bolster U.S. Nuclear Reactors
3.
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 20252019Techno/Economic Assessments
Holistic Systems Evaluations
2-3 MWe LTE Demos 50 - 100 MWe Plants 200 – 500 MWe Plants
50-100 MWe Plants
> 50 MW Thermal Integ. > 500 MW Thermal Integration
2026 - 2030Opportunity:
Several reactors producing:
• 2-5 MMT H2/yr• 2-4 MMT Ethylene/yr• 5 GWt heat delivery to
industrial parks
» 20-30 Reactors
Electrochemical Polymers
GWe Plants
GWe Plants
500 – 1,000 MWe Plants
Fuels Synthesis Demos Scale-up to Market Potential
PRA: H2 & Thermal Systems PRA: Chemical Plants & Fuels Synthesis
Interface Development & Verification
Engineering and case-specific thermal integration
Case Specific TEAs for Additional LWRS1.
2.
4.
Licensing Considerations with Engineering Measures
1 – 10 HTE MWe Plants250 kWe HTE Demos
• Objective: The GAIN Clean Nuclear Energy for Industry Webinar Series highlights the innovations in nuclear energy and associated integrated-energy options that may be beneficial to a wide range of industrial energy applications. The intent is to develop connections between the nuclear community and the energy end-use community to communicate the benefits of clean, reliable, and resilient nuclear energy.
• Part 1: Introduction (April 16, 2020)• Part 2: Advanced Nuclear Technologies (May 29, 2020)• Part 3: The Case for SMRs and Microreactors in Puerto Rico (June 18, 2020)• Visit https://gain.inl.gov/SitePages/GAINWebinarSeries.aspx to view previous webinars in this series and to
register for upcoming webinars.
Image courtesy of GAIN and ThirdWay, inspired by Nuclear Energy Reimagined concept led by INL.
Download this and other energy park concept images at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thirdwaythinktank/sets/72157665372889289/
What might the future entail for nuclear?
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