Hydrogen has huge potential as a clear and plentiful vitality supply. Nonetheless, harnessing it on a big scale utilizing standard applied sciences and methods will not be easy. ABB’s Jon Davison, Product Supervisor – Temperature & Stress, explains how current developments in measurement applied sciences may also help to satisfy among the challenges concerned, and doubtlessly deliver a few new hydrogen revolution.
Hydrogen is probably the most plentiful chemical substance within the universe, constituting roughly 75 % of all regular matter. It’s colourless, odourless, tasteless, non-toxic, and extremely flamable. All of those components mix to make hydrogen a possible game-changer within the manufacturing of unpolluted vitality, if it may be produced safely and sustainably.
Transitioning from a fossil gas economic system to a renewable one undoubtedly presents challenges. Furthermore, there isn’t a “silver bullet” that may ship a zero carbon society in a single day. Nonetheless, by using applied sciences already established at the moment, hydrogen might unlock fast progress on the street to a extra sustainable future.
What’s driving the shift to hydrogen?
If society is to achieve web zero throughout the timeframe set out by the Paris Settlement, then this can require a serious shift in how we produce our vitality. Renewable vitality sources corresponding to wind and photo voltaic are a key a part of any future vitality combine, nevertheless these sources are by their very nature intermittent. While this may be mitigated towards up to some extent with subtle grid design and enough redundancy, it’s nonetheless prudent to have fixed sources of vitality to fall again on. Historically, this has meant coal, nuclear and pure fuel. Nonetheless, all three of those are to a minimum of some extent thought of problematic throughout the context of web zero.
Hydrogen then again is plentiful and comparatively accessible, in some circumstances utilising present infrastructure. As the consequences of local weather change grow to be extra seen and extra damaging, new options are more and more wanted to speed up the transition to wash and low carbon vitality. Vitality safety can also be a significant component driving a shift to extra sustainable vitality, with many nations searching for to grow to be more and more self-sufficient amid rising vitality costs and geopolitical volatility.
Hydrogen as a component is itself invisible. Nonetheless, when it’s purposed as an vitality supply, it’s labeled in response to its manufacturing technique, and every one has its personal color. Whereas naming conventions fluctuate from area to area, hydrogen may be gray, blue, inexperienced, black, brown, pink, yellow or turquoise relying on how it’s produced.
On the backside of the dimensions we now have black and brown hydrogen, that are probably the most environmentally damaging. In these processes, the CO2 and carbon monoxide generated through the hydrogen manufacturing course of aren’t recaptured. Gray hydrogen is at present the most typical type of hydrogen, and that is generated from pure fuel or methane by a course of known as steam reforming.
Blue hydrogen takes this a step additional, by capturing the carbon generated through the steam reforming course of, and storing it underground in a course of generally referred to as carbon seize and storage (CCS). This technique this can be a huge enchancment on black, brown and gray hydrogen by way of its environmental affect. Nonetheless, it can’t be thought of a totally carbon free gas supply, as not all of the carbon generated through the course of may be captured. Moreover, storing carbon within the floor is inherently unsustainable.
Inexperienced hydrogen is the holy grail of hydrogen manufacturing. That is the place hydrogen is produced by electrolysis to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. The electrical energy is offered from renewable sources and produces little to no carbon emissions. Inexperienced hydrogen is a clear burning gas, and produces solely water as its by-product. While inexperienced hydrogen has been demonstrated on a small scale, the know-how and processes haven’t but been developed to facilitate its manufacturing on bigger scales.
Stepping-stone strategy
Till we now have the know-how and infrastructure for widespread manufacturing of inexperienced hydrogen, blue hydrogen is the subsequent smartest thing. To that finish, while blue hydrogen is an imperfect answer in and of itself, it’s a important facilitating know-how or stepping stone in the direction of carbon-free vitality. Technological development within the fashionable age happens in increments reasonably than paradigm shifts, and it’s extensively thought of that giant scale inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing can’t be achieved with out first mastering manufacturing of blue hydrogen.
CCS is subsequently additionally an necessary a part of the journey in the direction of zero emission vitality manufacturing. CCS is seen as controversial by some, nevertheless, it is very important keep in mind that it isn’t and shouldn’t be thought of an in a single day answer to web zero. Reasonably, it’s a stepping stone for the broader shift to inexperienced hydrogen and emissions-free vitality technology. In an excellent world we’d instantly transition to a carbon-free existence, nevertheless that is merely not sensible with out important societal disruption. Economies want time to adapt, applied sciences want time to evolve, and infrastructure tasks want time and funding earlier than they are often delivered to life. Blue hydrogen, and by extension CCS, can pave the best way for the cost-effective and fast scaling up of inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing sooner or later.
Correct measurement in hydrogen manufacturing
Manufacturing of each blue and inexperienced hydrogen, significantly on a big scale, will not be with out its challenges. Processes should be managed with a excessive diploma of precision to make sure efficient and protected operation, whereas attaining most productiveness, effectivity, and purity of the hydrogen fuel finish product. Efficient management of those variables requires efficient measurement.
When transferring a amount of hydrogen from one place to a different, it’s essential to know precisely how a lot product is concerned within the switch, not least for billing and taxation functions. That is usually achieved by stream measurement. Stress measurement can also be necessary to make sure that pipes and different infrastructure won’t burst or in any other case compromise the integrity of the method.
Compressing or decompressing hydrogen fuel will trigger it to generate or lose warmth. Producing an excessive amount of may cause it too ignite, and so temperature should even be measured for security functions. High quality can also be necessary. Most hydrogen bought available on the market will not be one hundred pc pure hydrogen, as components corresponding to nitrogen could also be added in small portions. Each purchaser and vendor subsequently have to know what the ratio is of pure hydrogen to components with the intention to decide the worth, and supply transparency for the broader market.
Measurement of hydrogen can produce its personal distinctive challenges. As an example, permeation is a particular drawback on stress devices. These have a skinny membrane inside, by which gases, vapours and fluids can penetrate. Over time this can ultimately trigger calibration shift, which could be a major problem when it dangers disrupting vital measurements. Choosing the proper measurement know-how for the precise utility is significant to make sure that processes stay efficient and protected always.
Crucially, while some measurements are extra necessary than others at sure phases, measurement of stream, stress, temperature and high quality are all required to a minimum of some extent. Doing so permits corporations to get an entire image of what’s going on all through the manufacturing, distribution and transportation phases.
Attaining web zero will essentially require a considerable cutting down of oil & fuel exploration and operations internationally. Nonetheless, oil & fuel is a really mature business, and lots of economies stay closely dependent it for revenue, commerce and vitality safety. This will subsequently characterize a serious barrier to progress on local weather targets.
Hydrogen can doubtlessly assist to smoothen the transition right here. In addition to changing standard fossil fuels as a tradeable commodity, a lot of the infrastructure, know-how and experience required for large-scale hydrogen manufacturing has already been developed and perfected for the oil & fuel industries. CCS is an instance of a way that may present advantages within the short-term for oil & fuel processes, with carbon injected into present wells to offer a larger yield.
Taking the subsequent steps in the direction of a hydrogen future
As a result of hydrogen manufacturing is a comparatively new business in comparison with oil & fuel, the regulatory framework surrounding it isn’t almost as subtle. Progress is required shortly to scale up this framework to make sure that it could actually maintain tempo with a simultaneous scaling up of hydrogen infrastructure. As an example, many requirements that apply to fuel meters, conversion gadgets and software program in oil & fuel functions aren’t relevant to hydrogen. This wants to vary, and the main stakeholders throughout the hydrogen panorama want to return collectively to determine and harmonise workable requirements for the broader business.
ABB is a serious provider of measurement options for each fossil fuels and the manufacturing of renewables, and is at present actively concerned in these discussions. It has additionally developed a variety of latest options geared particularly to the hydrogen business. These embody the “H-shield”, which is used on stress, degree and stream measurement merchandise as a superior and less expensive various to traditional gold plating, and offers extraordinarily excessive resistance towards hydrogen permeation.
ABB has additionally developed a variety of non-invasive options as an alternative choice to conventional thermowells, constructing upon the corporate’s huge expertise in oil & fuel measurement applied sciences. Digital instruments may also help to assist operators in making certain that their gadgets are correct and error-free always, and facilitate a shift to predictive upkeep and distant operation.
For extra details about ABB’s Measurement & Analytics hydrogen portfolio, go to: https://new.abb.com/merchandise/measurement-products/hydrogen
