System and method for stabilizing the operation of facilities using hydrogen produced by low carbon sources

A system for stabilizing hydrogen flow to a downstream process in a facility comprising a hydrogen storage unit and powered by a low carbon energy source, the system comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
• determine a hydrogen density and pressure profiles in the hydrogen storage unit for different target net hydrogen flows at different time intervals of a time horizon of a renewable power availability profile;
• determine a first target net hydrogen flow of a hydrogen feed to the downstream process for a given time interval within the time horizon, wherein the first target net hydrogen flow corresponds to a maximum time required for a pressure of the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage unit to breach high-pressure or low-pressure limit;
• determine a second target net hydrogen flow of a hydrogen feed to the downstream process for a given time interval within the time horizon, wherein the second target net hydrogen flow corresponds to a pressure profile of the hydrogen storage unit with the lowest deviation from a safety limit;
• set as operating target net hydrogen flow the greater of the first target net hydrogen flow and the second target net hydrogen flow;
• and
• apply the operating target net hydrogen flow to control operation of the downstream process.

A facility using a low carbon energy source, the facility comprising:

• a downstream production process unit;
• a low carbon energy source dependent upon at least one environmental parameter;
• a hydrogen source powered by the low carbon energy source;
• a hydrogen storage unit arranged to receive hydrogen from the hydrogen source;
• a hydrogen feed to the downstream production process unit and fluidly connected to the hydrogen storage unit;
• a system for stabilizing hydrogen flow to a downstream process;
• and
• a product output,
• wherein the system for stabilizing hydrogen flow is configured to:
• determine a hydrogen density and pressure profiles in the hydrogen storage unit for different target net hydrogen flows at different time intervals of a time horizon of a renewable power availability profile;
• determine a first target net hydrogen flow of a hydrogen feed to the downstream process for a given time interval within the time horizon, wherein the first target net hydrogen flow corresponds to a maximum time required for a pressure of the hydrogen in the hydrogen storage unit to breach high-pressure or low-pressure limit;
• determine a second target net hydrogen flow of a hydrogen feed to the downstream process for a given time interval within the time horizon, wherein the second target net hydrogen flow corresponds to a pressure profile of the hydrogen storage unit with the lowest deviation from a safety limit;
• set as operating target net hydrogen flow the greater of the first target net hydrogen flow and the second target net hydrogen flow;
• and
• apply the operating target net hydrogen flow to control operation of the downstream process.