Electrolyzer heating system for integrated power plants
AssigneeMitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
InventorTodd Eric Carlson
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Abstract
A power plant comprises a steam system, a first electrolyzer, a heat storage system, and a heat exchanger configured to exchange thermal energy between the steam system, the first electrolyzer and the heat storage system. A method of operating an electrolyzer in a combined cycle power plant comprises operating a steam system to convert water to steam, operating an electrolyzer in a standby mode, the electrolyzer configured to convert water and electricity to hydrogen and oxygen when the electrolyzer is in an operating mode, circulating water from the steam system through a heat exchanger, circulating a first heat transfer medium between the electrolyzer and the heat exchanger, and circulating a second heat transfer medium between the heat exchanger and a thermal storage container.
Claims20
A combined-cycle power plant comprising:
- a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor configured to produce compressed gas;
- a combustor configured to produce combustion gas from the compressed gas and a fuel;
- and
- a turbine configured to receive the combustion gas to produce rotational shaft power;
- a steam system configured to generate steam from water using heat from the combustion gas generated by the gas turbine engine;
- a first electrolyzer configured to convert water into a hydrogen gas and an oxygen gas, wherein the gas turbine engine is configured to receive at least a portion of the hydrogen gas for combustion;
- a heat exchange system configured to obtain heat from the steam system and provide heat to the first electrolyzer to maintain the first electrolyzer in a standby state when not operating, wherein the heat exchange system comprises a heat storage system configured to retain thermal energy of one or both of the steam system and the first electrolyzer for use at a later time;
- and
- a controller for operating the heat exchange system, the controller configured to operate the heat storage system to:
- provide heat to the heat storage system when the first electrolyzer is operating;
- and
- provide heat to the first electrolyzer when the first electrolyzer is not operating.
A method of operating a combined-cycle power plant and an electrolyzer, the method comprising:
- operating a gas turbine engine to produce combustion gas and rotational shaft power;
- generating steam from water with a steam system using heat from the combustion gas as a heating source;
- storing heat from the steam or water in a heat storage system for a period of time when the electrolyzer is operating;
- heating the electrolyzer with heat from the water or steam from the steam system after the heat has been stored in the heat storage system for the period of time to maintain the electrolyzer in a standby mode when not operating;
- operating the electrolyzer to output hydrogen gas and oxygen gas;
- and
- providing at least a portion of the hydrogen gas to the gas turbine engine as fuel.
A combined-cycle power plant comprising:
- a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor configured to produce compressed gas;
- a combustor configured to produce combustion gas from the compressed gas and a fuel;
- and
- a turbine configured to receive the combustion gas to produce rotational shaft power;
- a steam system configured to generate steam from water using heat from the combustion gas generated by the gas turbine engine;
- a first electrolyzer configured to convert water into a hydrogen gas and an oxygen gas, wherein the gas turbine engine is configured to receive at least a portion of the hydrogen gas for combustion;
- and
- a heat exchange system configured to obtain heat from the steam system and provide heat to the first electrolyzer to maintain the first electrolyzer in a standby state when not operating, wherein the heat exchange system comprises a heat storage system configured to retain thermal energy of one or both of the steam system and the first electrolyzer for use at a later time, the heat exchange system comprising:
- a first heat exchange circuit fluidly connected to the first electrolyzer to circulate a first heat transfer medium between the first electrolyzer and the heat exchange system;
- a second heat exchange circuit fluidly connected to the steam system to circulate water or steam between the steam system and the heat exchange system;
- and
- a third heat exchange circuit fluidly connected to the heat storage system to circulate a second heat transfer medium between the heat storage system and the heat exchange system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.