The progress of work packages 1, 2, and 3

In the initial year of the HyInHeat project, emphasis was placed on work packages 1, 2, and 3. This article will provide insights into the progress achieved during the past year.

Objectives work package 1

This work package will provide a detailed baseline and definition of the demonstrators in WP5/6 and provide essential work to allow modification and redesign in WP2. A main objective is to establish an understanding of the needs of the industrial users. Given the inter-disciplinary nature of HyInHeat, dedicated efforts are required to ensure a proper knowledge of the problems to be solved and the requirements to be optimised within the project

Progress so far of work package 1

WP1 was developed over the initial nine months of the project and has since been completed. With 27 partners involved, seamless collaboration was crucial. The tasks within WP1 were diverse, with a common focus on initiating data collection. Key accomplishments include establishing KPIs, gathering retrofitting requirements for demonstrators, creating a refractory database, and commencing thermochemical and thermodynamic calculations, along with lab trials.

Furthermore, WP1 encompassed summarising current EU energy landscape policies and legislation related to hydrogen. It also defined the scope and goals for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) inventory analysis, as well as the scope and concept for Multi-Layer plant-level Material Flow Analysis (ML-MFA). An assessment and literature overview of material and energy demands and prices were conducted. Parameters essential for developing and utilising measurement technologies were analysed, and NOx emission limits were defined.

Additional achievements involve developing a H2/O2 combustion kinetic mechanism, as well as radiation modeling and heat transfer for engineering (using RANS) and high-fidelity (using LES) simulations. All these efforts culminated in the creation of three deliverables within WP1.

Next steps work package 1

All the tasks initiated in WP1 will persist throughout the project. The KPIs outlined in WP1 will undergo subsequent evaluation and reporting in WP7. The retrofitting requirements gathered will inform the redesign principles for retrofitting H2 combustion technologies in WP2. Additionally, the refractory information will be utilised for further lab trials and post-mortem analyses, ultimately contributing to the conclusions regarding refractory corrosion in WP2.

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Multi-Layer plant-level Material Flow Analysis (ML-MFA) will be conducted throughout the project, with the final results presented in WP7. Investigation into measurement technologies will be extended in WP4, and the models developed in WP1 will be applied to simulations in WP2.

Objectives of work package 2

This work package aims to support the development of H2 heating processes on different critical paths. From a process level, the verification of product quality and resource efficiency is carried out. The redimensioning of offgas systems, modification of heating equipment for air and oxygen-enhanced combustion and the development of a framework for full furnace simulations provide mandatory input for the implementation of the demonstrators and the retrofit/greenfield studies in WP5/6.

Progress so far of work package 2

Investigations are ongoing on the effect of changing furnace atmosphere on refractory and product quality with respect to the fuel and oxidizer change. Retrofitting requirements for hydrogen combustion in different furnaces are clarified. Supporting with the theoretical point of view, basics of the CFD are set up. Material flow analysis and life cycle analysis requires a lot of input collected from the demonstrator sites, and this work also started.

Next steps of work package 2

The results of the refractory and product quality will be analyzed and quantified. More complex CFD simulations will be performed to be validated in tests. Direct and indirect heating applications will be tested for short term to give input to long term demonstrations. Material flow analysis and life cycle analysis will be performed for different demonstrators, which is an important step to determine the impact of the entire project.

Objective of work package 3

The main objective for this work package is producing the necessary engineering documentation about the preliminary design of a safe and efficient infrastructure comprising H2 as well as O2 production in the case of oxyfuel, their storage and their distribution systems to the point of use within the. This documentation will be used as the starting point for the preparation of the execution design documentation, in WP5/6, necessary for the procurement, realization and commissioning of the demonstrators.

Progress so far of work package 3

We have completed the definition of the on- and off-design conditions and run the simulations for all demonstrators in these conditions. The simulations allowed sizing the pipes and, more importantly, the valves that shall work properly under all conditions. This part is covered by Deliverable 3.1 that has been completed.

Next steps of work package 3

The design of the safety course for the demonstrator personnel is ongoing, as well as the preparation of the technical documentation for the construction of these demonstrators. Ultimately, the test rig for verifying the flow meter of hydrogen with impurities at RWTH is about to be completed!

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