Dynamic integration of proton conducting systems in an intermittent energy landscape

The focus in DYNAPRO has been to achieve high energy efficiency and production of hydrogen in ceramic membrane reactors under dynamic and cost effective conditions. The core technology is based on high temperature proton conducting ceramic electrochemical cells which separate hydrogen from hydrogen containing molecules. The project has been working on the hydrogen carriers methane, ammonia and steam. When the hydrogen containing molecule enters the electrochemical cell, hydrogen is separated electrochemically. Using electricity enables circumventing thermodynamic constraints. When methane is used as hydrogen source this also leads to production of a CO2 side stream ready for storage. Electrochemical separation generates heat, when this heat is used to supply heat for endothermic dehydrogenation reactions (e.g. steam methane reforming), a high energy efficiency can be achieved for the overall system. This has been analysed in the project using computational models based on e.g. fluid dynamic calculations. A main part of the projects has been to evaluate experimentally critical components of the electrochemical cell. This has led to an increased understanding and improved generations. Specifically the electrodes have been studied, where it was observed that the microstructure and composition was critical for decreasing the resistance especially at high hydrogen recovery rates. Project partners have been CoorsTek Membrane Sciences (project leader), University of Oslo (researcher and PhD student) and CSIC-ITQ, Spain (supervision and access to advanced analytics).

The DYNAPRO project, with project partners University of Oslo and CSIC-ITQ, Spain and project leader CoorsTek Membrane Sciences, has led to increased understanding of the operational principles of proton conducting technologies for hydrogen generation. Specifically the project has contributed to scaling the technology to stacked systems and identification of optimal operating conditions with respect to energy use and efficiency, addressing potential utilization in a dynamic energy landscape. The results have contributed to a publication in Science magazine in 2022. The overall work has increased the technology readiness level of the proton conducting technologies, enabling pre-commercial demonstrations being next steps in the development. At UiO one PhD candidate has been educated with supervision from both CoorsTek Membrane Sciences and CSIC-ITQ in Spain.

Renewables are diffusing rapidly into electrical grids, thereby generating major changes for existing technologies, organizations and infrastructures. Renewable energies are intermittent (e.g. solar, wind) with electricity generation cycles that do not follow the demand cycles, energy storage solutions are therefore needed. High temperature proton conductors are currently being used in applications such as the protonic membrane reformer (PMR) where compressed hydrogen is produced directly from steam methane reforming, and in steam electrolysis (PCEC). Both the PMR and PCEC technology has reached a sufficient maturity level to attract industrial interest. To ensure that these technologies can be the choice as a future energy-conversion technology we will in the present project apply the concept of using proton-conducting systems as flexible operating energy-converters. The present project gathers world-leading industry (CoorsTek) and academic institutions (UiO ELCHEM) and (CSIC-ITQ, Spain) to study the effects of cycling operating, especially with respect to thermal management and degradation of the nanostructure of the ceramic proton conducting membranes under intermittent conditions, resembling the periods where a surplus of renewable energy is available. The project will create a computational model of both the PMR and PCEC reactor from which e.g. thermal profiles will be extracted. Results from modelling will be fed to an experimental matrix. A high throughput experimental approach will be to used, which will enable to screen a large range of conditions to sufficiently understand both PMR and PCEC performance and facilitate materials improvements. The project runs for 3 years, trains 1 PhD and 1 research fellow at the University of Oslo, fosters international collaboration with CSIC-ITQ in Spain, aims to establish new intellectual properties in various fields and will disseminate the results of the project in high impact journals and international conferences.