One-Dimensional Electrolyzer Modeling and System Sizing for Solar Hydrogen Production: an Economic Approach

Jamali Ghahderijani, Mehdi; Ommi, Fathollah

doi:10.30501/jree.2016.70090

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30501/jree.2016.70090

Abstract

In this paper, a solar based hydrogen production in the city of Tehran, the capital of Iran is simulated and the cost of produced hydrogen is evaluated. Local solar power profile is obtained using TRNSYS software for a typical parking station in Tehran. The generated electricity is used to supply power to a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer for hydrogen production. Dynamic nature of solar power and necessity of reasonable accuracy for estimating of amount of hydrogen production leads to propose a new 1D dynamic fluid flow model for PEM electrolyzer cell simulation. The hydrogen price in this system is estimated using Equivalent Annual Worth (EAW) analysis. Although it is convenient to select a yearly useful lifetime for electrolyzer as well as solar cells in this paper an hourly lifetime is considered which allows finding the hydrogen cost based on electrolyzer operating time. Also, electrolyzer sizing is done by selecting various number of cells for each stack and alternatives are compared from performance and economic point of view. In this regards 4 cases consist of 2, 3, 4 and 5 electrolyzer cell are compared. Hydrogen price at each case is evaluated and sensitivity analysis is performed. The results represent that the system with higher efficiency is not always an economical choice. As an alternative, the electrolyzer turning off at some conditions is also investigated for possibility of extending lifetime and reducing the hydrogen price. It is found that turning off the electrolyzer under specified minimum current density (2000 A/m2) in all cases reduce the final produced hydrogen price however this price and electrolyzer size is still strongly dependent to the electrolyzer capital cost.

Keywords

References

1. Kim, H., Park, M. and Lee, K.S., "One-dimensional dynamic modeling of a highpressure water electrolysis system for hydrogen production", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 38, No. 6, (2013), 2596-2609.

2. Ghribi, D., Khelifa, A., Diaf, S. and Belhamel, M., "Study of hydrogen production system by using PV solar energy and PEM electrolyser in Algeria", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 38, No. 20, (2013), 8480–8490.

3. Dursun, E., Acarkan, B. and Kilic, O., "Modeling of hydrogen production with a stand-alone renewable hybrid power system", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 37, No. 4, (2012), 3098-3107.

4. Sopian, K., Ibrahim, M.Z., Daud, W.R.W., Othman, M.Y. and Amin, N., "Performance of a PV–wind hybrid system for hydrogen production", Renewable Energy, Vol. 34, No. 8, (2009), 1973-1978.

5. Ahmadi, P., Dincer, I. and Rosen, M.A., "Energy and exergy analyses of hydrogen production via solar-boosted ocean thermal energy conversion and PEM electrolysis", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 38, No. 4, (2013), 1795-1805.

6. Shah, A., Mohan, V., Sheffield, J.W. and Martin, K.B., "Solar powered residential hydrogen fueling station", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 36, No. 20, (2011), 13132–13137.

7. Su, Z., Ding, S., Gan, Z. and Yang, X., "Optimization and sensitivity analysis of a photovoltaic-electrolyser direct-coupling system in Beijing", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 39, No. 14, (2014), 7202-7215.

8. Akyuz, E., Coskun, C., Oktay, Z. and Dincer, I., "Hydrogen production probability distributions for a PV-electrolyser system", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 36, No. 17, (2011), 11292-11299.

9. Gorgun, H., "Dynamic modeling of a proton exchangemembrane (PEM) electrolyzer", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 31, No. 1, (2006), 29-38.

10. Dale, N.V., Mann, M.D. and Salehfar, H., "Semiempirical model based on thermodynamic principles for determining 6 kW proton exchange membrane electrolyzer stack characterstics", Journal of Power Sources, Vol. 185, No. 2, (2008), 1348-1353.

11. Santarelli, M., Medina, P. and Cali, M., "Fitting regression model and experimental validation for a high pressure PEM electrolyzer", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 34, No. 6, (2009), 2519–2530.

12. Marangio, F., Santarelli, M. and Cali, M., "Theoretical model and experimental analysis of a high pressure PEM water electrolyzer for hydrogen production", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 34, No. 3, (2009), 2519–2530.

13. Awasthi, A., Scott, K. and Basu, S., "Dynamic modeling and simulation of a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer for hydrogen production", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 36, No. 22, (2011), 14779–14786.

14. Lee, B. Park, K. and Man Kim, H., "Dynamic Simulation of PEM Water Electrolysis and Comparison with Experiments", International journal of electrochemical science, Vol. 8, No. 1, (2013), 235-248.

15. Ainscough, C., Peterson, D. and Miller, E. "Hydrogen Production Cost From PEM Electrolysis", DOE USA., (2014), 14004.

16. Genevieve, S., "Wind-To-Hydrogen Project: Electrolyzer Capital Cost Study", DOE USA, (2008), NREL/TP-550-44103.

17. Meratizamana, M., Monadizadeh, S. and Amidpour, M., "Simulation, economic and environmental evaluations of green solar parking (refueling station) for fuel cell vehicle", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 39, No. 5, (2014), 2359–2373.

18. Gökçek, M., "Hydrogen generation from small-scale wind-powered electrolysis system in different power matching modes", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 35, No. 19, (2010), 10050-10059.

19. Liu, Z., Qiu, Z., Luo, Y., Mao, Z. and Wang, C., "Operation of first solar-hydrogen system in China", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 35, No. 7, (2008), 2762–2766.

20. Bertola, V., "Modelling and Experimentation in Two-Phase Flow", Springer-Verlag Wien GmbH, New York, (2003).

21. Bird, R.B., Stewart, W.E. and Lightfoot, E.N.,"Transport Phenomena", 2end edition, John Wiley & Sons, New York, (2007).

22. Medina, P. and Santarelli, M., "Analysis of water transport in a high pressure PEM electrolyzer", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 35, No. 11, (2010), 5173-5186.

23. Larminie, J. and Dicks, A. ,"Fuel cell systems explained", John Wiley & Sons, (2003).

24. Versteeg, H.K., and Malalasekera,l ‎W.,"Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics: The Finite Volume Method", Pearson Education Limited, (2007).

25. Rheinboldt, W.C., "Methods for Solving Systems of Nonlinear Equations", 2end edition, SIAM, (1998).

26. Abbaspour, M., Chapman, K.S. and Glasgow, L., "Transient modeling of non-isothermal, dispersed two-phase flow in natural gas pipelines", Applied Mathematical Modelling, Vol. 34, No. 2, (2010), 495-507.

27. Jafarkazemi, F., Saadabadi, A., Pasdarshahri, H., "The optimum tilt angle for flat-plate solar collectors in Iran", Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Vol. 4, No. 1, (2012), 13118.

28. Chenni, R., Makhlouf, M., Kerbache, T. and Bouzid, A., "A detailed modeling method for photovoltaic cells", Energy, Vol. 32, No. 9, (2007), 1724-1730.

29. Ahmadi, P., Dincer, I. and Rosen, M.A., "Transient thermal performance assessment of a hybrid solar-fuel cell system in Toronto Canada", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 40, No. 24, (2015), 7846-7854.

30. Eschenbach, T.G., "Engineering economy applying theory to practice", Oxford University Press, New York, (2003).

31. Bezmalinovi, D., Barbir, F. and Tolj, I., "Techno-economic analysis of PEM fuel cells role in photovoltaic-based systems for the remote base stations", International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol. 38, No. 1, (2013), 417-425.

Journal of Renewable Energy and Environment

One-Dimensional Electrolyzer Modeling and System Sizing for Solar Hydrogen Production: an Economic Approach

References

References

Volume 3, Issue 3
August 2016
Pages 31-43

One-Dimensional Electrolyzer Modeling and System Sizing for Solar Hydrogen Production: an Economic Approach

References

References

Volume 3, Issue 3August 2016Pages 31-43

Volume 3, Issue 3
August 2016
Pages 31-43