Hydrogen

«SRC-Vertical», Ltd. in cooperation with several Russian and foreign partners has started the development of the integrated energy systems on the base of Wind Turbines of two types: Small (personal) 1…50 kW Wind Turbines, and big (industrial) 200…1000 kW.

The system is intended for high efficient production of hydrogen (and oxygen) with further delivery to consumer in the form of:
— gases compressed in gas-cylinders or accumulated in special reservoirs,
— electric energy generated in current generators (fuel cells, combustion engines) using these gases.

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION OF WIND POWERED HYDROGEN MODULE WITH NO-BREAK POWER SUPPLY
When there is enough wind, Wind Turbine generates electric energy in the form of 48 VDC (voltage of direct current). This energy is converted by inverter into 220/110 VAC (voltage of alternating current) of 50/60 Hz frequency suitable for ordinary consumer. Simultaneously the energy is used for electrolyser which separates water on hydrogen and oxygen being stored in the appropriate reservoirs.

When there is no or not enough wind the electronic system automatically switches the mode of operation to gas usage. Fuel cells (combustion engine) start generating power using hydrogen. 48 VDC is further converted by inverter to 220/110 VAC of 50/60 Hz.
During the past several years SRC-Vertical had got a lot of experience of development of Wind Turbines, laboratory prototypes of hydrogen generation, rocket launchers on cryogenic liquid components of rocket fuel and much more.

TENDENCY OF DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROGEN TECHNOLOGIES
Prospective methods of hydrogen generation in the volumes acceptable by industrial requirements, are on the stage of laboratory research and prototyping.
Several prototypes of equipment which use the new high efficient technologies, had been fabricated recently. Methane and natural sulfur gases are the source for hydrogen generation using the plasmic-membrane technology. Neither catalyst nor traditional liquid systems of gas separation are used in this approach.

The cycle of scientific and design works are accomplished for high efficient electrolysers on the base of cation-permeable membranes MF-4SK. The family of electrolysers with improved parameters we prtototyped on the base of Russian technology. The maximum productivity of the designed devices is 20 m3/hour of hydrogen. More productive modules (up to 100 m3/hour), are on the design stage. The existing analogs on the market have the productivity of 50 m3/hour on the base of «Nafion» membrane.
Electrochemical 10–20 kW generators which use hydrogen mixture, have the efficiency up to 75%. They are also designed on the base of the same membrane. These systems emit just pure water with no toxic components at all.

The basic scientific research if fuel cells are intended for design of two types of cells: with solid polymer electrolyte (PEM FC — proton exchange membrane fuel cell) and high temperature cells with solid oxide electrolyte (SOFC — solid oxide fuel cell).

High temperature fuel cells with molten carbonate electrolyte (MCFC — molten carbonate fuel cells) are being studied on the base of fundamental research.
Solid polymer elements are closed to commercialization level. However the high cost (about $100/kW) restrain this process. Many companies forecast 10 times reduction of PEM FC energy system cost in mass production.

USE OF HYDROGEN
Hydrogen in the form of compressed gas can be used for the following purposes:
— storage in reservoirs for further use as a fuel during no wind, in wind powered uninterrupted supply systems
— fuel for automobiles with hydrogen combustion engine
— industrial technical needs

The use of hydrogen is attractive not only because this gas is considered as a fuel, but also it is just working medium of heat pump where the internal energy of medium can be used both for household needs and for generating of electric energy in the amounts exceeding what had been spent while generating the hydrogen in electrolyse process.
Still the great problem is low efficiency of industrial generating of hydrogen. Thus it’s necessary to analyse the process as closed thermodynamic cycle of electrolysis and further burning of hydrogen. On the base of this approach the costs could be reduced a lot.
Theoretical and experimental research results show that the most likely source of inexpensive hydrogen generated from water, could be a plasmic electrolysis.

THE GOAL OF WIND-HYDROGEN SYTEM DEVELOPMENT
The following goals are pursued:
— design of efficient wind powered system on the base of 3, 5, 30 kW Wind Turbines with hydrogen production in the amount of 0.3 m3 per 1 kW-hour,
— development of storage, transportation and use of hydrogen in industry and household.

Wind powered system should be used for generating and storage of gases (hydrogen and oxygen), filling the cylinders or balloons for local use, filling the transportation tanks for shipping and the tanks of personal and industrial automobiles, machines and aggregates.

Due to the great number of technologies of conversion of electric energy to chemical and vise versa, the commercialization of the wind powered technology will be developed in the near future.
The logistic of the system should meet the local market needs for the produced energy carriers (hydrogen, oxygen, electric power).

SKETCHY DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPMENT
The system includes Wind Turbine, electrolyser, VDC stabilizer, commutation and control system, water treatment module, compressors, cylinders for storage of compressed gases, metal hydride reservoirs.

Basic system is shown on the diagram:

Further development of the system is possible on the base of the electrochemical generators of current.

Output voltage of Wind Turbine alternator should be connected with electrolyser via simple VDC stabilizer. Electrolysers with 85% efficiency providing high purity of gases, are available on the market.

Electrolysers of new generation provide the high purity hydrogen consuming 1.5 times less power comparing with the traditional.
The membrane type electrolyser should provide the hydrogen generating in the amount of 0.3 m3/hour per 1 kW of Wind Turbine power. It should produce gases under 3 MPa pressure. Another types of electrolysers (plasmic-chemical, pulse voltage Meyer cell, gravitational, Tallman type, Stuart effect, etc.) are also being studied.

The basic goal of anaysis is to determine the optimal electrolyser cost and productivity from the wide spectrum of these devices.
Control system provides the co-ordination of power produced by Wind Turbine with the power consumed by electrolyser(s) and other devices of the system.
The gases generated in electrolyser (hydrogen and oxygen) purified from suspensions, should be pumped into the intake reservoirs which should be designed in accordance with the further use of gases. New technologies are approached in this design.
In particular the scientists of SRC-Vertical develop high pressure titanium cylinders covered with strong fiber tape fabricated on the base of organic and coal plastic. They also study metal hydride systems and the possibility of practical use of hydrogen storage in nano-structures (fullerenes and nano-pipes).

Further development of the system should include the improvement of modules converting chemical energy of gases produced by electrolysers, into electric energy of required voltage and frequency. The following converters can be considered for this development: electrochemical generators, gas-turbine plant, Stirling cycle modules, etc.

Different variants of design on the base of the described system should provide:
— optimal combination of aggregates and devices used;
— use of Wind Turbine of different electric power;
— optimizing of system depending on the ratio of consumption of produced energy carriers (H2, O2, electric power).

The system of integrated energy modules on the base of wind powered hydrogen production units will allow to generate power which exceeds the one produced by Wind Turbine due to the specific principle of storage of gases O2 and H2 in special reservoirs and the use of electrochemical generators.