Renewable energy integration with natural-gas based combined hydrogen and electricity production (CHEP) system and method
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsThang Pham, Minseok Bae, Sai P. Katikaneni, Aqil Jamal, Kunho Lee
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Abstract
A method and a system for integrating renewable power with a natural gas hydrogen production plant are provided. An exemplary method include generating electricity and a reformed hydrogen stream in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack, and providing the electricity to an electrolyzer to generate an electrolysis hydrogen stream. A second stream of electricity is generated in a renewable energy facility, when available, and providing the second stream of electricity to the electrolyzer to increase the generation of the electrolysis hydrogen stream.
Claims21
A method for integrating renewable power with a natural gas hydrogen production plant, comprising:
- generating electricity and a reformed hydrogen stream in a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack;
- providing the electricity from the SOFC stack to an electrolyzer to generate an electrolysis hydrogen stream;
- generating a second stream of electricity in a renewable energy facility, when available;
- providing the second stream of electricity to the electrolyzer to increase the generation of the electrolysis hydrogen stream;
- when excess electricity from the second stream of electricity is available:
- operating a portion of the SOFC stack as a solid oxide electrolytic cell (SOEC) stack;
- providing the excess electricity from the second stream of electricity to the SOEC stack;
- and
- generating hydrogen with the SOEC stack while a remainder of the SOFC stack continues to generate the reformed hydrogen stream and electricity.
An integrated hydrogen production system, comprising:
- a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) configured to generate electricity and a reformed hydrogen stream, wherein a portion of the SOFC can be operated as a solid oxide electrolytic cell (SOEC);
- an electrolyzer electrically coupled to a power line from the SOFC, wherein the electrolyzer is configured to receive the electricity from the SOFC to generate an electrolysis hydrogen stream;
- a carbon dioxide capture system fluidically coupled to an exhaust line from the SOFC,
- a steam source fluidically coupled to the SOFC;
- a hydrocarbon source fluidically coupled to the SOFC to provide a gaseous hydrocarbon feed to the SOFC;
- a renewable energy source, wherein the electrolyzer is coupled to a power line from the renewable energy source and the renewable energy source is configured to generate a second stream of electricity and provide the second stream of electricity to the electrolyzer to increase the generation of the electrolysis hydrogen stream;
- a power line from the renewable energy source to the portion of the SOFC that can be operated as an SOEC;
- wherein, the integrated hydrogen production system is configured to:
- operate a portion of the SOFC as an SOEC when excess electricity from the second stream of electricity is available;
- provide the excess electricity from the second stream of electricity to the SOEC;
- and
- generate hydrogen with the SOEC while a remainder of the SOFC generates the reformed hydrogen stream and electricity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.