Optimisation of Electrolyser Operation: Integrating External Heat

TL;DR

This paper develops advanced models for electrolyser operation that incorporate external heat sources, analyzing their impact on efficiency and profitability in hydrogen production.

Contribution

It introduces a novel endogenized startup cost model and heat integration approach based on electrochemical equations, enhancing operational optimization.

Findings

Heat integration improves electrolyser efficiency.

High-temperature heat increases profitability.

Modeling startup costs endogenously enhances accuracy.

Abstract

Integrating external heat into electrolysers can reduce the electrical power demand for carbon-neutral hydrogen production. Efficient operation requires detailed models that incorporate heat availability and its effect on startup costs. This paper advances existing operational models by endogenously modelling startup costs and direct heat integration, based on a piecewise linear approximation of the electrochemical equations. We analyse the impact of low- and high-temperature heat integration on the efficiency and profitability of hydrogen production for solid oxide and proton exchange membrane electrolysis technologies.