Why Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Power?
Transcript of Why Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Power?
Why Hydrogen Productionfrom Nuclear Power?
(Is Nuclear Energy Compatible with Hydrogen Production?)
Charles Forsberg K. Lee PeddicordOak Ridge National Laboratory Texas A&M University
P.O. Box 2008 Rm 151, John B. Connally Bldg.., 301 Tarrow Dr.Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6179 College Station, TX 77840-7896
Tel: (865) 574-6783 Tel: (978) 458-6920 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]
Session 139: Hydrogen and Nuclear PowerAmerican Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Spring Meeting
American Institute of Chemical EngineeringNew Orleans, LAMarch 12, 2002
The submitted manuscript has been authored by a contractor of the U.S. Government under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725. Accordingly, the U.S. Government retains a nonexclusive, royalty-free license to publish or reproduce the published form of this contribution, or allow others to do so, for U.S. Government purposes. File name: Hydrogen.AIChE.2002
Outline
• Hydrogen (H2) Demand• Incentives for H2 Production Using
Nuclear Energy• Compatibility of Nuclear Energy for H2
Production• Generation of H2 from Nuclear Energy• Conclusions
Hydrogen Demand
Current and Future Demand Is Sufficient To Support Nuclear-Generated Hydrogen—If
the Technology Can Be Developed
Hydrogen Demand Is Large and Growing Rapidly
• World consumes 50 million tons of H2/year− ~80% intentionally produced; remainder, by-product H2− 200 GW(th) if the H2 is burned− 4 to 10% growth per year
• Within 10 to 20 years, the energy to produce H2 in the U.S. may exceed current energy production from nuclear power
• Hydrogen has multiple uses− Fertilizer− Chemical plants− Liquid fuels production (gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel)
Liquid Fuels Production Is Rapidly Becoming the Major Market for Hydrogen
LightSweet
Crude Oil
Input Refinery Transport Fuel
Past Dirty (sulfur, etc.):(CH )1.5+ n
Hydrogen PlantNatural Gas
Nonfossil Hydrogen
CurrentTransition
NearFuture
Future
(CH )1.5+ n
HeavySour
Crude Oil(CH )0.8 n Clean: (CH )2+ n
Clean: (CH )2 nHeavySour
Crude Oil(CH )0.8 n
ORNL DWG 2001-107R2
Hydrogen Can Increase Liquid Fuel Yield per Barrel of Oil by ~15%
• Refineries add H2 to crude oil to produce clean (gasoline, diesel, jet) fuels
• Variable quantities of H2 can be added• If economic nonfossil H2 were available, the
energy value (and volume) of the fuel could be increased by 15% with addition of more H2(carbon-saver fuels)− Equivalent reduction in crude oil demand− Equivalent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions− Smoother transition to a future H2 economy
The Growing Hydrogen Demand Creates a Bridge to the Hydrogen Economy—With a Future Hydrogen Energy
Demand That May Exceed That for Electricity
Economics of Scale
Experience
Today Hydrogen FueledFuture
TechnologyDevelopment
Inf
sr
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r
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DistributedPowerTransport
FuelRefinery andChemical Demand
ORNL DWG 2001-108
Incentives for HydrogenUsing Nuclear Energy
Strategic Incentives Include National Security, Potential Climatic Impacts,
and the Problem of the Commons
Oil Dependence Is a National Security Issue
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01-030
A Hydrogen/Nuclear Economy May Better Internalize Costs
• External costs, defined by economists as the problem of the commons, are costs of a product imposed on third parties (not the producer or consumer)
• External costs of energy (greenhouse impacts, health impacts, building corrosion, national defense, etc.) are large
• Hydrogen minimizes external costs generated by the user (vehicle, building)
• Nuclear externality costs are easier to control
Hydrogen from Nuclear Energy May Reducethe Problem of the Commons (Third-Party Costs)
ClimateChange
Air PollutionHealth Effects
ImportedOil
AtmosphericCorrosion
02-003
Compatibility of Nuclear Energy for Hydrogen Production
Intrinsic Characteristics of Different Technologies Determine the Viability of
Combining Technologies
Nuclear Facilities Have Remote Siting
• Pipelines are used today to deliver H2• Hydrogen plants are often not colocated
with H2 customers• Pipelines have large capacities compared
with nuclear plant output• Remote siting is acceptable
For Hydrogen from Nuclear Energy, the Scale Of the Technologies Must Match
• The economics of nuclear reactors implies energy outputs of 600 to 4500 MW(th)
• Growth in H2 demand growth has resulted in H2 plant sizes similar in energy output to nuclear power plants [600-1200 MW(th)]
• Hydrogen pipeline sizes allow much larger plants
Economics Demands Nuclear Reactors Operating at Full Load
• Economic characteristics of nuclear reactors− High capital costs− Low operating costs
• Hydrogen consumption− Current applications: steady demand− Future applications: variable demand
• Pipelines allow storage—separate demand from production− Pipeline packing (variable pressure)− Cavern storage (used for natural gas)
The Intrinsic Characteristics of Nuclear PowerAre Compatible with Hydrogen Production
(Remote Siting, Scale of Operations, and Full-Load Operations)
Oxygen
High CapacityPipeline (Existing)
Hydrogen FueledFuture
Oil Refinery
Time of Day/MonthH Storage2
Nuclear Reactor(Remote Siting)
2H O22H + O2 2
Heat
DistributedPower
Transport Fuel
02-002
Generation of Hydrogen from Nuclear Power
Several Technologies Available To Produce Hydrogen Using Nuclear Energy—All Impose
Serious Requirements on the Reactor
Hydrogen from Steam Reforming
• Heat + methane (CH4) + water (H2O) hydrogen (H2) + carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Endothermic process− Natural gas option (current practice) uses CH4
to provide heat (combustion) and reduced H2− Nuclear option (future) replaces some of the
natural-gas heat source but not the reduced H2from CH4
• Heat input to 900°C
Hydrogen from Steam Reforming Of Natural Gas Requires High-Temperature Heat (to 900oC) from a Nuclear Reactor
Carbon Dioxide
HydrogenPipeline
Nuclear Reactor
HighTemperature
Heat
CH + 24 H O2CO2 + 4H4
02-004
Hydrogen from Hot Electrolysis
• Heat + water (H2O) + electricity hydrogen (H2) + oxygen (O2)
• Heat replaces some of the electric demand• Heat input at 700 to 900°C
Hydrogen from Hot Electrolysis Requires Heat (700 to 900°C) and Electricity
Electricity
Oxygen
HydrogenPipeline
Nuclear Reactor 2H O22H + O2 2
Heat700-900 Co
02-001
Hydrogen from Thermochemical Cycles Requires High-Temperature (750°C) Heat
• Heat + water (H2O) hydrogen (H2) + oxygen (O2)
• Heat input >750°C• Characteristics of thermochemical H2
− Projected thermochemical efficiencies of >50%− Thermochemical H2 production costs estimated to
be 60% those of cold electrolysis• Electrolysis: heat to electricity to chemical energy• Thermochemical: heat to chemical energy
Thermochemical Processes Convert High-Temperature Heat and Water to H2 and Oxygen
(Example [leading candidate]: Iodine–Sulfur Process)
I + SO2 2 2+ 2H OH SO 2 4
Heat
Oxygen Hydrogen
Water
800-1000 Co
2H O2H2
2HI + H2 4SOH2 2 2O + SO + ½OH2 2 + I
I2SO2
O2
2HI
H2 4SO HI
ORNL DWG 2001-102
Possible High-Temperature Reactors for Hydrogen Production
• High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR)− Japan High-Temperature Engineering Test Reactor
(HTTR)• Advanced High-Temperature Reactor
− Coated-particle fuel similar to HTGR fuel− Liquid molten-salt coolant
• Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor
Economics
Nuclear Power Is Potentially Cost Competitive—But Serious Development
Work Is Required
Three Factors Determine the Economics of Hydrogen from
Nuclear Power
• Technology• Pricing of the commons (externalities)• Cost of natural gas (current production
method)
Conclusions• The demand for H2 is large and growing• The intrinsic characteristics of nuclear
energy and H2 production match− Scale of operations− Demand versus time (better than electricity)− Siting
• H2 production requires high temperatures• Several nuclear reactor concepts have to
potential to match H2 requirements• Major R&D is required