Heat transfer problems for the production of hydrogen from geothermal energy

• Published in: Energy Conversion and Management
• Main Authors: Sigurvinsson, J., Mansilla Pellen, C., Arnasson, B., Bontemps, André, Maréchal, Alain, Sigfusson, T., Werkoff, F.
• Other Authors: CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire) (CEA-DES (ex-DEN)), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA), University of Iceland Reykjavik, Laboratoire des Écoulements Géophysiques et Industriels Grenoble (LEGI), Université Joseph Fourier - Grenoble 1 (UJF)-Institut polytechnique de Grenoble - Grenoble Institute of Technology (Grenoble INP )-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2005
• Subjects: [PHYS.MECA.MEFL]Physics [physics]/Mechanics [physics]/Fluid mechanics [physics.class-ph]; [SPI.MECA.MEFL]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Mechanics [physics.med-ph]/Fluids mechanics [physics.class-ph]; Iceland
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00200551; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2006.03.012

Electrolysis at low temperature is currently used to produce Hydrogen. From a thermodynamic point of view, it is possible to improve the performance of electrolysis while functioning at high temperature (high temperature electrolysis: HTE). That makes it possible to reduce energy consumption but requires a part of the energy necessary for the dissociation of water to be in the form of thermal energy.A collaboration between France and Iceland aims at studying and then validating the possibilities of producing hydrogen with HTE coupled with a geothermal source. The influence of the exit temperature on the cost of energy consumption of the drilling well is detailed.To vaporize the water to the electrolyser, it should be possible to use the same technology currently used in the Icelandic geothermal context for producing electricity by using a steam turbine cycle. For heating the steam up to the temperature needed at the entrance of the electrolyser three kinds of heat exchangers could be used, according to specific temperature intervals.