IAEA activities on Nuclear

Hydrogen Production

Ibrahim Khamis

Technical Meeting to

17–19 July 2017

Department of Nuclear Energy

Examine the Role of Nuclear Hydrogen Production in the Context of the Hydrogen Economy

Contents IAEA & Project on nuclear hydrogen production

Nuclear H2 Production

Major H2 production processes

Insights on H2 production and status of HTR

Main issues & Challenges for Nuclear H2 Production

Summary

Role of the IAEA

• Involves ALL countries

• Special focus on: Training developing countries Sharing information Catalyse research, development and innovation

• Means to achieve goals Training workshops and technical meetings Collaborative research activities CRPs Produce technical reports/documents

IAEA Project on Non-Electric Applications

1.1.6 Support for Non-electrical Applications of

Nuclear Power I. Khamis

Website: http://www.iaea.org/NuclearPower/NEA/

Support to Near-Term

Deployment

+

DEEP • Identification of cost

options for desalted water and/or power

DE-TOP • Identification of

coupling configurations and analysis of heat extraction and power production

Desalination Toolkit • Contains hyperlinks

to sources on nuclear desalination.

IAEA tools in support of non-electric applications

WAMP • Identification of

water needs in NPPs, and comparative assessment of various cooling systems)

HEEP • Identification of cost

options for hydrogen production, distribution and storage

Hydrogen Toolkit • Contains hyperlinks

to sources on nuclear hydrogen production

IAEA tools in support of non-electric applications

The Need for Nuclear Hydrogen Production

Promising Still under R&D Safety of coupling

• 96% of current annual hydrogen production is by steam reforming

• Future Hydrogen production needs high temperatures

• Nuclear hydrogen can be generated during off-peak or cogeneration

• Nuclear hydrogen is more benign to Environment

Characteristics

Electricity

Hydrogen

- -

Heat

Routes of Nuclear H2 Production

Future nuclear reactors:

- High-temperature electrolysis, efficiency ~ 95%

- Thermochemical/hybrid thermochemical cycles, efficiency (up to 95%) Sulfur- Iodine cycle. Sulfur-Bromine hybrid Cycle cycle Copper Chlorine cycle …. etc

For Current nuclear reactors: - Low-temperature electrolysis,

efficiency ~ 75%

- Off-peak power or intermittent

Major hydrogen production processes

Electrolysis Ideal for remote and decentralized

H2 production

Off-peak electricity from NPP (if share of nuclear among power plants is large)

Use of nuclear outside base-load is more attractive, as fossil fuels become more expensive.

Plant for 200 m3/h

Major hydrogen production processes

High Temperature Steam Electrolysis Higher efficiency; Reduced electricity needs; Capitalize from SOFC efforts. (SOFC= Solid Oxide Fuel Cell )

Suitable for integration with HTGR, VHTR and SCWR

HTGR= high temperature Gas cooled reactors VHTR= Very high Tempertaure Reactors SCWR= Supercritical Water Reactors

Major hydrogen production processes:

Nuclear HeatNuclear HeatHydrogenHydrogen OxygenOxygen

H2O22

1

900 C400 C

Rejected Heat 100 C

Rejected Heat 100 C

S (Sulfur)Circulation

SO2+H2O+O22

1H2SO4

SO2+

H2OH2O

H2

I2+ 2HI

H2SO4

SO2+H2OH2O

+

+ +

I (Iodine)Circulation

2H I

I2

I2

WaterWater

Nuclear HeatNuclear HeatHydrogenHydrogen OxygenOxygen

H2O22

1 O22121

900 C400 C

Rejected Heat 100 C

Rejected Heat 100 C

S (Sulfur)Circulation

SO2+H2O+O22

1H2SO4

SO2+

H2OH2O

H2

I2+ 2HI

H2SO4

SO2+H2OH2O

+

+ +

I (Iodine)Circulation

2H I

I2

I2

WaterWater

–Sulphur-Iodine (S-I) Process Need Very High Temperature Reactor

(VHTR)

–Hybrid Sulphur (Hyb-S) Process Need Very High Temperature Reactor

(VHTR)

–Copper Chlorine Process Ideal for Supercritical Water Reactor (SCWR)

Thermochemical Cycles

Global status on high temp reactors

Increasing interest in electrolysis Low temperature has potential – but the economics?

High temperature is 10 to 20 years away!!

Major efforts in China, US, Canada, Japan, India…

Chemical processes of interest, Yet…

Which reactors – monolithic, pebble bed, molten salt??

Insights from Member States

China developing HTR – start up imminent (SI & HTSE)

USA proceeding on NGNP Japan is very active with VHTR (SI) France VHTR was a breeder option

(HTSE) Canada is more focus on SCWR

(HTSE & CuCl) India looking at molten salt option

(SI & HTSE) Rep. of Korea HTR (SI & HTSE) South Africa suspends PBMR

effort Russian Federation (HTR)

Main Issues of Consideration for Nuclear H2 Plants

Coupling

Public Acceptance

Project Management Siting

Safety

Flexibility

Reliability Environment

etc…

Licensing

Business Plan/ Vendors

Feasibility/ Economics

Technology Materials selection for long term operation

(corrosive, high temperature environment) Process system design, control and integration Demonstration of production processes at large

scale Development of storage systems (e.g. 350-700 bar)

due to H2 low energy density

Safety Coupling of H2 production plant with NPP Preventing H2 migration Preventing H2 combustion

Challenges for Large Scale Nuclear H2 Production

Economics Demonstrating low H2 production costs on an

industrial scale Exploiting today’s needs to move toward a large

future market Building and operating a very large number of NPPs

with low energy generation costs Public acceptance Both H2 and NPPs

Challenges for Large Scale Nuclear H2 Production

Cost of hydrogen can be reduced by:

Sell electricity to grid during periods of high demand/high price

Use electricity for hydrogen production during periods of low demand/low price

Economics of Nuclear H2 Intermittent Production

Specific Safety Consideration Nuclear power reactors should:

Have inherent/passive safety features

Constructed with separate containment

Build underground

Arranged with a safe distance from the hydrogen plant

Separation distance between the nuclear reactor and the H2 production system is a key element.

Factors affecting safety distance between the nuclear reactor and the hydrogen production plant: – Air shock wave impact; – Capital costs; – Heat losses; – Coolant pumping power requirements.

Environmental Impact of Nuclear H2 Production

• Replacement of CO2 emitting fossil fuels

Coal

Oil

Natural Gas

Nuclear Solar thermal PV Wind

Small hydro Large

hydro

Geothermal

Biomass 0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

CO

2 Em

issi

ons

(kg

CO

2/kg

H2)

• Securing energy supply by reducing dependency on foreign oil uncertainties

• Saving of resources by 30-40%

Carbon footprint of nuclear hydrogen is almost 0

Summary

• Nuclear hydrogen production will be an important dimension of the hydrogen economy

• All power cooled reactors can be used for hydrogen production

• Nuclear hydrogen production faces challenges

Thank you!