Techno-economic evaluation of solar-driven ceria thermochemical water-splitting for hydrogen production in a fluidized bed reactor

Adetunji Onigbajumo; Priyanka Swarnkar; Geoffrey Will; Thirumalachari Sundararajan; Alireza Taghipour; Sara Couperthwaite; Ted Steinberg; Thomas Rainey

doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133303

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Techno-economic evaluation of solar-driven ceria thermochemical water-splitting for hydrogen production in a fluidized bed reactor

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Techno-economic evaluation of solar-driven ceria thermochemical water-splitting for hydrogen production in a fluidized bed reactor

Adetunji Onigbajumo, Priyanka Swarnkar, Geoffrey Will, Thirumalachari Sundararajan, Alireza Taghipour, Sara Couperthwaite, Ted Steinberg and Thomas Rainey

Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.371, pp.1-17

2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133303

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Abstract

Aspen modelling

Ceria

Co-generation

Concentrated solar power

Fluidized bed reactor

Hydrogen

Techno-economics

Thermochemical water splitting

Thermochemical water splitting (TCWS) is an attractive and promising approach for hydrogen fuel production to replace fossil fuels and address climate change. The novel approach used in this study is the indirect irradiation of the ceria particle with solar-heated nitrogen in a fluidized bed reactor which improved the ceria thermo-reduction and increased hydrogen yield. The TCWS plant featured additional units for oxygen co-production, and excess heat recovery to generate electricity and reduce the saleable hydrogen price. Two fluidized bed reactors for ceria thermo-reduction and oxidation using steam were modelled in Aspen Plus for hydrogen production at a 70% capacity factor. A photovoltaic (PV)-battery module in addition to the solar parabolic dish collector (PDC) was then used to deliver operation-round electricity supply and drive mechanical and control systems, reducing overall plant energy cost. Three minimum selling prices of hydrogen were considered based on the achievable products of the TCWS plant: (i) pricing based on no co-products, (ii) pricing including oxygen revenue, and (iii) pricing including oxygen and electricity revenue. The TCWS plant achieved a minimum selling price (MSP) of 3.92 USD/kg H2 (including oxygen and electricity revenue) at a 10% discount rate which is the lowest for solar-driven TCWS hydrogen compared with other similar studies. Sensitivity analyses showed that discount rate, steam Rankine cycle, power block, cost of ceria and hydrogen storage, and price of oxygen, respectively, had the highest impact on the MSP of the TCWS hydrogen plant. The switch value analysis (SVA) was used to determine the potential of achieving the global target hydrogen price of 2 USD/kg based on a single parameter assessment. The TCWS plant proposed in this work provides a promising approach toward achieving future hydrogen prices below 2 USD/kg when a lower discount rate of 5% is utilised. It was established that the choice and size of concentrated solar power (CSP) technology integration, co-generation, and heat recovery are critical to the system efficiency and economic viability of a solar-driven TCWS hydrogen production. This work demonstrated the use of ceria as a metal oxide feed suitable for solar TCWS hydrogen production with a promising economic potential for a global target price of less than 2 USD/kg H2 based on the choice of process-CSP configuration.

Details

Title: Techno-economic evaluation of solar-driven ceria thermochemical water-splitting for hydrogen production in a fluidized bed reactor
Authors: Adetunji Onigbajumo (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Priyanka Swarnkar (Author) - Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Geoffrey Will (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Thirumalachari Sundararajan (Author) - Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Alireza Taghipour (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Sara Couperthwaite (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Ted Steinberg (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Thomas Rainey (Corresponding Author) - Queensland University of Technology
Publication details: Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.371, pp.1-17
Publisher: Elsevier BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133303
ISSN: 1879-1786
Organisation Unit: School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99737876102621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

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