Hydrogen Technologies

The system of storing surplus energy from photovoltaic panels into hydrogen in the ÚJV Řež area consists of a photovoltaic power plant, PEM (hydrogen - electricity), a compressed hydrogen storage tank, a PEM fuel cell (hydrogen - electricity) and a connection to the distribution network.

Scheme of interconnection of photovoltaic panels and hydrogen storage system:

Use:

• For small, medium and large businesses that need a backup power supply;
  • Suitable for applications without access to electricity and natural gas;
• For all who want to run buildings, island-mode businesses (independent of the power grid);
• For all who want to use and stabilize renewable energy more efficiently;
• For all who need an ecological source of high purity hydrogen;
• For all who want to produce heat and electricity based on micro/cogeneration units with high efficiency (suitable for households, residential buildings or commercial buildings and businesses).

Benefits of the system or individual components:

• Flexible and efficient heat and power generation from hydrogen / natural gas based on micro-cogeneration / cogeneration units;
• Low-emission equipment leads to the local improvement of air quality (reduction of emissions, dust, and noise);
• Reducing the cost of the primary energy source;
• Long-term storage of energy;
• Backup system in the event of a power failure;
• In the case of an “island system”, it is independent of the distribution grid;
• The possibility to co-finance the project from public sources

City bus with triple hybrid electric drive and hydrogen fuel cells + hydrogen fueling station in Neratovice

• Awarded the Gold Medal at the International Engineering Fair in Brno
• The bus has been successfully operated on the Neratovice city line for 5 years
• Continuation of the project is planned with an emphasis on sustainable local hydrogen production in relation to renewable energy sources. This means strengthening the overall non-emissive aspect of bus traffic.

Parameters:

• 12-metre two-axle bus
• Electric motor 120kW
• Fuel cell 48kW
• AccumulatorsLi-ion 28kWh
• Max speed 65km/h (reduced)
• Distance up to 300km
• Max peak performance 200kW

Benefits:

• High efficiency of operation
  
  • The vehicle fuel cell is used as an energy source for an electric motor that can handle energy much better than an internal combustion engine, a fuel cell drive is significantly more energy efficient than a diesel engine or compressed natural gas
• Ecology
  • In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, fuel-cell drives or fuel-cell power units save heat generators from other harmful emissions that arise regardless of the type of propulsion. These include, in particular, solid particles or nitrogen oxides which arise, for example, in the burning of “green” fuel, such as natural gas.

Power-box 180W

DC power source with hydrogen fuel cell

are portable DC power sources with a hydrogen fuel cell, designed and built by ÚJV Řež, a.s. in cooperation with the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague. The fuel cell serves as a source of electricity and the fluctuations in consumption are compensated by the use of accumulators. The hydrogen pressure cylinder is located next to the unit.

The Standard unit is designed to power medical devices for transporting wounded people or organs in case of long distance transplants, as a backup source for field hospitals, to power communication and monitoring devices and for charging caravan and yacht batteries. The device is suitable for rescuers, speleologists, workers in the energy sector as well as telecommunication services.

The Extreme unit is designed for rescue and safety services in emergency situations where the public distribution network cannot be used. It is used to power command stations, mobile laboratories and field units that require more than one hour of power supply. The unit is also suitable for power and telecom companies, for operation in closed spaces, including underground and mine areas.

Power-to-Gas technology uses electricity to convert energy into chemically bonded energy in the form of a gaseous medium, which, unlike electricity, is easier to store. Most commonly, this medium is hydrogen or methane. In the first case, hydrogen is produced from the surplus electricity by means of electrolytic decomposition of water (see above Project for the storage of surplus energy from photovoltaic panels to hydrogen).

With regard to the existing gas infrastructure in the form of a large transit and distribution network with considerable transport and storage capacity, the research focuses on so-called hydrogen methanization. By means of methanisation is meant the process of the catalytic chemical reaction of hydrogen with carbon dioxide according to the Sabatier reaction:

            4 H₂ + CO₂ -> CH₄ + 2H₂O

With the use of suitable catalysts and working conditions (temperature, pressure), a very high conversion can be achieved in one step to obtain a gas with a methane content of over 95 vol.%. When complying with normative and legislative regulations, this gas can subsequently be used as a so-called natural gas (SNG) and pushed directly into the gas pipeline. In this way, it is possible to accumulate surplus electricity and subsequently efficiently store and distribute it to end users. At the same time, there is a reduction in the dependence on natural gas imports.

The experimental equipment located at premises of ÚJV Řež, which enables the testing of various catalytic converters, operating parameters and variable outputs, depending on the unstable power source, has the following parameters: