Dynamic modelling of an alkaline water electrolysis system and optimization of its operating parameters for hydrogen production

This work aims at developing an approach for modelling and optimizing the operation of a reference alkaline electrolysis unit operating in transient state using orthogonal collocation on finite elements (OCFE). The main goal is to define the set of operating conditions that minimize the processing cost (associated to electricity cost) given a hydrogen yield. Three components of the electrolyzer are considered: the stack of electrolytic cells and two separators that single out the hydrogen and oxygen gas streams. The dynamic behavior is considered for the mass holdup in the separators as well as the energy accumulation for these three components. The associated mathematical model is derived in the paper. Its solving allows characterizing the influence of the transient operating parameters of the system on its working and associated final hydrogen production. Mathematical optimization aims at defining the ideal operating load in order to minimize costs associated to fluctuating price of electricity consumed by the stack given a defined hydrogen yield. The model has been validated according to experimental test runs and operating conditions have been optimized under a proof of concept scenario saving 17% of electricity costs if compared to constant plant capacity.     

Modelling of methane sorption enhanced reforming for blue hydrogen production in an adiabatic fixed bed reactor: unravelling the role of the reactor's thermal behavior

Methane sorption enhanced reforming (SER) is investigated in this work as a promising route for blue H₂ production. A 1-D dynamic heterogeneous model is developed to evaluate the thermal behavior of a fixed bed reactor under adiabatic conditions. The heterogeneous model allows to decouple the feed gas temperature from the initial solid one in order to investigate the behavior of the reforming step in a temperature swing reforming/regeneration process. The effects of the feed gas temperature, the initial bed temperature, and the bed thermal capacity are studied by evaluating the global impact of each parameter through a set of key performance indices (CH₄ conversion, H₂ yield and purity, carbon capture ratio) calculated as integrals over the duration of the reforming step. The results highlight the minor effect of the initial bed temperature on the process performances showing the potential of minimizing the extent of a cooling step between regeneration and reforming stages. Besides, due to the endothermic nature of the methane sorption enhanced reforming process at high temperatures, thermal energy must be provided to the SER process to achieve high CH₄ conversion and high carbon capture ratio. This can be made either in the form of high feed temperature or by utilizing the energy stored in the bed benefiting from the bed thermal capacity.     

生物轻质高强结构及其在吸能结构中的仿生应用

在长期进化过程中，自然界中的多种动物、植物形成了独特的轻质、高强结构，以此来抵抗外界的复杂冲击载荷，保护自身完整，满足生存需要。生物轻质高强结构的优越性，启发了科研和工程人员采用结构仿生学的方法来对管状和板状两大类吸能结构进行设计优化和改进。对竹子、茎秆/树干、羽轴、骨骼四类管状生物结构和甲虫鞘翅、贝壳、柚子皮、龟壳四类板状生物结构进行综述，阐述了分层、多孔、螺旋、中空等多种结构与轻质高强特性之间的关系。在此基础上，对比和分析了相应的结构元素在单胞管、多胞管、嵌套管、波纹管等管状吸能结构和蜂窝夹芯板、复合材料板、混合结构板等板状吸能机构中起到的作用。进一步对当前仿生吸能领域存在的结构复杂、质量大、缺乏普适性的机理和过渡“桥梁”等问题做出了分析；最后对仿生吸能技术的形式简单化、结构轻量化、理论通用化、“形神兼备”化发展趋势做出展望。