Methods and systems for hydrogen storage
The method and system efficiently store hydrogen in undersea tanks by generating it at source pressure and bypassing the compressor, reducing energy consumption and wear, and managing distribution to meet regulatory and environmental challenges.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- FMC KONGSBERG SUBSEA AS
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-28
AI Technical Summary
The challenge of efficiently storing hydrogen in undersea storage tanks is complicated by high energy consumption for compression, compressor wear, and the harsh marine environment, which includes high pressure, water flow, darkness, and maintenance difficulties, while also needing to comply with oil and gas industry regulations.
A method and system utilizing an electrolytic cell source to generate hydrogen at source pressure, with an option to bypass the compressor via a bypass line directly to storage facilities, allowing storage at lower pressures, reducing energy consumption and compressor wear, and using a controller to manage hydrogen distribution based on energy availability.
This approach reduces energy usage, extends compressor lifespan, and simplifies maintenance by enabling efficient hydrogen storage at varying pressures, accommodating a wider range of renewable energy sources and complying with industry standards.
Smart Images
Figure 2026513604000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for storing hydrogen in a plurality of undersea storage tanks within a system and a system for storing hydrogen in a plurality of undersea storage tanks. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to undersea storage of hydrogen and a method for efficiently achieving such storage.
Background Art
[0002] Power in the form of electricity can be generated by wind turbines, wave energy, etc. The amount of power generated may vary because the power is derived from natural resources. Sometimes the power may be excessive, and sometimes the power may be insufficient. The electricity is used to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis. The hydrogen is then stored for future use and can, for example, be converted back into electricity as needed.
[0003] It is a problem to effectively store hydrogen considering energy and cost. Although hydrogen is compressed and stored in a tank, the problem is that energy is required for compressing hydrogen. Since a compressor uses electrical energy, it is desirable to keep the consumption of this electrical energy as low as possible. It is also desirable to reduce the wear of the compressor and extend its life.
[0004] A further problem is that the storage of hydrogen is carried out at the seabed, sometimes at a depth of several hundred meters, and it is also necessary to withstand external pressure. This gives rise to further problems such as high pressure, water flow, darkness, the presence of water, and difficulty or impossibility of on-site maintenance. Therefore, the environment is severe from a maintenance perspective. The storage tank also needs to comply with the regulations and standards considered in the oil and gas industry. A further problem for an undersea hydrogen storage tank is that it needs to be able to hold the pressurized hydrogen acting inside the storage tank or, as an alternative, withstand the external pressure due to being at the seabed.
[0005] Further technical challenges include the requirement that any hydrogen storage component function reliably, meet technical and legal requirements, and be easy to use. Any solution should be simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and highly reliable. Furthermore, avoiding complex configurations that are costly to manufacture or assemble is another technical challenge. [Overview of the Initiative]
[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for storing hydrogen in multiple subsea storage facilities within a system and a system for storing hydrogen in multiple subsea storage facilities. This object is achieved by the features defined in the independent claims. Further improvements are characterized by the dependent claims. The present invention is defined by the claims.
[0007] According to one embodiment, a method for storing hydrogen in a plurality of subsea storage facilities within a system is disclosed. The system comprises an electrolytic cell source 100 for generating hydrogen at source pressure, a downstream compressor 200 for compressing the hydrogen from source pressure to compression pressure, and a plurality of storage facilities 300, each located on the seabed and each storing compressed hydrogen at compression pressure. The method includes two alternative sets of steps for storing hydrogen. The first set of steps includes generating hydrogen 1000 at source pressure using the electrolytic cell source 100, sending the hydrogen 2000 to the plurality of storage facilities 300 via bypass lines 210 around the compressor 200, and storing the hydrogen 3000 in at least one of the plurality of storage facilities 300 at a first pressure lower than the compression pressure. The second set of steps includes generating hydrogen 1000 at source pressure using an electrolytic cell source 100, compressing the hydrogen 4000 to a storage pressure lower than the compression pressure using a compressor 200, and storing the generated and compressed hydrogen 5000 in at least one of a plurality of storage chambers 300 at a storage pressure lower than the compression pressure. Further improvements are characterized by the dependent claims.
[0008] According to one embodiment, a system for storing hydrogen in a plurality of subsea storage facilities is disclosed. The system comprises an electrolytic cell source 100 for generating hydrogen at source pressure, a downstream compressor 200 for compressing the hydrogen from source pressure to compression pressure, a plurality of storage facilities 300, each located on the seabed and each storing compressed hydrogen at compression pressure, and a controller 400 for controlling the electrolytic cell source 100, the downstream compressor 200, and valves 310 to the plurality of storage facilities 300. The controller 400 is configured to control the system in at least two alternative methods A) and B). A) is to send the hydrogen generated at source pressure by the electrolytic cell source 100 to the compressor 200, compress the hydrogen to compression pressure in the compressor 200, and send the hydrogen at compression pressure from the compressor 200 to at least one of the plurality of subsea storage facilities 300. B) is to send the hydrogen produced by the electrolytic cell source 100 at source pressure to at least one of a plurality of storage cells 300 at a first pressure lower than the compression pressure via a bypass line 210 around the compressor 200. Further improvements are characterized by the dependent claims.
[0009] At least one of the embodiments described above provides one or more solutions to problems and disadvantages in the background art. Other technical advantages of the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims. Each embodiment of the application may obtain only some of the advantages described. None of the advantages are essential to the embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0010] The accompanying drawings illustrate current exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrate the principles of the present disclosure by example. [Figure 1] This is a schematic and general diagram of a system according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of a system according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of a method according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram of a method according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0011] Figures 1-3 show exemplary embodiments of methods and systems for storing hydrogen. The first two figures represent largely identical systems, differing only in the method of bypassing compressor 200. The last figure is a flowchart of a method for storing hydrogen in multiple underwater storage facilities.
[0012] First, looking at Figure 3, a flowchart shows a method for storing hydrogen in multiple subsea storage facilities within the system. The system comprises an electrolytic cell source 100 for generating hydrogen at source pressure, a downstream compressor 200 for compressing hydrogen from source pressure to compression pressure, and multiple storage facilities 300, each located on the seabed and each storing compressed hydrogen at compression pressure. The system is described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 and further described herein. The present method efficiently stores hydrogen in multiple subsea storage facilities 300 using the system described herein. The method includes at least the steps of generating hydrogen 1000 at source pressure using the electrolytic cell source 100, sending the hydrogen 2000 to the multiple storage facilities 300 via bypass lines 210 around the compressor 200, and storing the hydrogen 3000 in at least one of the multiple storage facilities 300 at a first pressure lower than the compression pressure.
[0013] The electrolytic cell source 100 generates hydrogen at source pressure. The electrolytic cell source 100 can use electrical energy from the electrical energy generator 500. The amount of hydrogen produced by the electrolytic cell source 100 may be proportional to the electrical energy produced by the energy generator 500. The electrolytic cell 100 is highly efficient at low loads, while the compressor 200 is less efficient at low loads.
[0014] This system uses a compressor 200 to compress hydrogen for storage. For example, when electrical energy production is low, or when there is or is an imminent demand for hydrogen, hydrogen can be stored without further compression at the time it is discharged from the electrolytic cell 100. Hydrogen may be stored for future use, such as being converted back into electricity as needed. Since the hydrogen produced in the electrolytic cell source 100 is not always compressed before storage, the hydrogen is stored efficiently in terms of energy and cost. The electrical energy used by the compressor is reduced, compressor wear is reduced, and its lifespan is extended. The bypass line 210 will be described later.
[0015] Hydrogen compression accounts for 5-10% of the energy required to produce hydrogen, for example, at 35 MPa (350 bar). By utilizing electrochemical compression (e.g., 3 MPa (30 bar)) in the electrolytic cell source 100, subsequent hydrogen compression to multiple storage cells 300 can be omitted, improving efficiency. That is, the system for subsequent hydrogen compression to multiple storage cells 300 can be bypassed until the limits of electrochemical compression are reached. This also reduces compressor wear and extends the system life. At low hydrogen flow rates, if a recycling valve is required in the compressor, the relative energy consumption may be much higher. Compressor power is mainly determined by the size of the compressor and does not depend much on the flow rate. When renewable energy is little available, compression can account for a large portion of the energy demand. This method and system avoid this.
[0016] By enabling hydrogen production and storage with less energy, a wider range of renewable energy sources can be stored as hydrogen, thereby improving plant efficiency and economic viability. As described herein, this can be achieved, for example, by keeping a portion of the available storage units 300 at a low pressure, e.g., below 3 MPa (30 bar). While each of the multiple storage units 300 is intended for storing hydrogen at compressed high pressure, the relative energy required for hydrogen storage is reduced by using some of these storage units 300 to store hydrogen at a low pressure, e.g., a pressure lower than the pressure generated by the compressor 200, or at the pressure generated by the electrolytic cell source 100, i.e., the source pressure. When the multiple storage units have available storage capacity, subsequent compression can be omitted by supplying hydrogen from the electrolytic cell source 100 to the multiple storage units 300 via bypass lines 210 around the compressor 200.
[0017] One of the many advantages of this is that if one or more of the storage units 300 are filled with low-pressure hydrogen, one or more of the storage units 300 can be easily converted to high-pressure storage simply by storing hydrogen at compressed high pressure. As more and more hydrogen storage is needed, tanks 302 in storage units 300 that have low-pressure hydrogen, for example, hydrogen at source pressure, can be converted to tanks 302 in storage units 300 that have high-pressure hydrogen as needed until all tanks in storage units 300 are filled with compressed high-pressure hydrogen, and this method does not reduce the overall storage capacity. This is especially significant when existing storage systems can be modified to operate more efficiently. A further advantage is that only one type of pressure tank 302 is needed to store compressed hydrogen at compressed high pressure. Therefore, there is no need to have two different tanks, a high-pressure tank and a low-pressure tank.
[0018] The table below shows efficiency calculated using fixed efficiency and without considering the possibility of compressor recycling, based on the data example below. If the compressor requires recycling, the compressor efficiency becomes very low, and the apparent mass flow rate becomes much larger than the effective work.
Table 1
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a system for storing hydrogen in a plurality of undersea storage tanks is schematically shown. The system includes an electrolyzer source 100 for generating hydrogen at a source pressure, a downstream compressor 200 for compressing the hydrogen from the source pressure to a compressed high pressure, a plurality of storage tanks 300 each storing compressed hydrogen at the compressed high pressure and each being located undersea, and a controller 400 for controlling the electrolyzer source 100, controlling the downstream compressor 200, and controlling valves 310 to the plurality of storage tanks 300.
[0020] The controller 400 is configured to control the system in at least two alternative and different ways A) and B). Thus, the controller 400 can control the system either in A) or B) depending on the choice made, but it is important that the controller is configured for both A) and B).
[0021] Alternative A) is to send the hydrogen generated at the source pressure by the electrolyzer source 100 to the compressor 200, compress the hydrogen to the compressed high pressure by the compressor 200, and send the hydrogen from the compressor 200 at the compressed high pressure to at least one of the plurality of undersea storage tanks 300.
[0022] Alternative B) is to send the hydrogen generated at the source pressure by the electrolytic cell source 100 to at least one of the plurality of storage tanks 300 at a first pressure lower than the compressed high pressure via a bypass line 210 around the compressor 200. The first pressure is preferably the source pressure generated by the electrolytic cell source 100.
[0023] A system is provided where the controller 400 can control the system to store hydrogen according to Alternative A) and Alternative B), enabling efficient storage of hydrogen. For example, when the production of electrical energy is low, or when there is an existing or impending demand for hydrogen, hydrogen can be stored according to Alternative B). However, when the production of electrical energy is high and exceeds the required amount, hydrogen can be stored according to Alternative A). By storing hydrogen according to Alternative B) when energy production is low instead of always storing it according to Alternative A), hydrogen is effectively stored considering energy and cost. The electrical energy used by the compressor is reduced, wear of the compressor is minimized, and its lifespan is extended.
[0024] The plurality of storage tanks 300 on the seabed include a plurality of tanks 302, i.e., units in parallel, and have a plurality of lines 320 leading to the topside, for example, four lines 320, enabling purging and maintenance of the tanks 302. One of the plurality of lines 320 can be specialized for low-pressure hydrogen, for example, the first pressure or the source pressure. The specialized line can be separated from the high-pressure portion that stores hydrogen at the compressed high pressure.
[0025] Depending on the type of storage tank used, multiple storage units 300 do not need to be configured to withstand under-pressure conditions, even at the seabed, because their minimum internal pressure is equal to the surrounding pressure. For example, if the electrolytic cell source 100 generates a source pressure of 3 MPa (30 bar), this would limit the use of this option to a depth equal to 30 bar, or 300 meters below sea level. For example, if the electrolytic cell source 100 generates a source pressure of 4 MPa (40 bar), the multiple storage units 300 may be located at a depth of 400 meters. This option allows the use of inexpensive and simple seabed storage tanks 300, as long as the source pressure of the electrolytic cell 100 is at least equal to the water pressure at the seabed where the storage tanks 300 are located. As an alternative to this option, the multiple storage units 300 can also be configured to withstand external pressure when there is no internal pressure from hydrogen.
[0026] The bypass line 210 surrounding the compressor 200 may be a line in parallel with the compressor. The bypass line 210 can directly lead hydrogen at source pressure from the electrolytic cell source 100 to the multiple storage units 300. The bypass line 210 is a hose, conduit, tube, etc. for transporting hydrogen, having a valve 110 as shown in Figure 1, or having valves 230, 240 at both ends of the line 210, and can be opened and closed to directly transport hydrogen at source pressure from the electrolytic cell source 100 to the multiple storage units 300. The bypass line 210 may start directly from the electrolytic cell source 100 or on the line between the electrolytic cell source 100 and the compressor 200. The bypass line 210 may end directly at the multiple storage units 300 or on the line between the compressor 200 and the multiple storage units 300. Preferably, the compressor 200 may have separate valves 230 and 240 before and after it to isolate it from the hydrogen flow. A valve 205 may be provided on the line between the electrolytic cell source 100 and the compressor 200. A valve 310 may be provided on the line between the compressor 200 and the multiple storage units 300. All of these valves 110, 205, 230, 240, and 310 can be controlled by a controller 400.
[0027] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the electrolytic cell source 100 receives electricity from an energy generator 500 (e.g., solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, ocean energy, or bioenergy). The energy generator 500 may include a generator that produces electricity, i.e., power. The electrolytic cell source 100 produces hydrogen at source pressure. The electrolytic cell source 100 may use power from the energy generator 500 or a battery. A downstream compressor 200 compresses the hydrogen from source pressure to compressed high pressure. The compressor 200 is located downstream of the electrolytic cell 100 and may use power from the energy generator 500 or a battery. Multiple storage units 300 each store compressed hydrogen at compressed high pressure, and each of the storage units is located on the seabed. The electrolytic cell source 100 and / or the compressor 200 may be located on the seabed, offshore, or on land. The controller 400 controls valves 310 to the electrolytic cell source 100, the downstream compressor 200, and the multiple storage units 300. The controller 400 may also control additional valves 205 and 110. By closing valve 110 and opening valves 205 and 310, hydrogen from the electrolytic cell source 100 can be directed to the compressor 200 and, consequently, to the multiple storage units 300. This corresponds to alternative A) as described herein. By closing valve 205 and opening valves 110 and 310, hydrogen from the electrolytic cell source 100 can be directed to the multiple storage units 300. This corresponds to alternative B) as described herein. Thus, the controller 400 is configured to control the system to direct hydrogen from the electrolytic cell 100 to the multiple storage units 300 in at least these two alternative ways.
[0028] Multiple storage facilities 300 comprise multiple tanks 302. Each tank 302 is for storing compressed hydrogen at a high compression pressure. Each tank 302 is located on the seabed. Figure 1 schematically shows nine tanks 302, but the number of tanks 302 may be more or less. The tanks 302 may be connected in series or in parallel, but preferably in parallel. The controller 400 can lead hydrogen to each tank 302 independently of the other tanks 302. The controller 400 can also lead hydrogen from each tank 302 independently of the other tanks 302. This can be done using one of four lines 320 that lead to the topside to allow purging and maintenance of the tanks 302. One of these four lines may be specialized for low-pressure hydrogen, for example, first pressure or source pressure. That specialized line may be separated from the high-pressure section that stores hydrogen at a high compression pressure.
[0029] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the controller 400 and / or compressor 200 may be located above sea level, i.e., on the topside. This facilitates access to the controller 400 and / or compressor 200. Four lines 320 lead to the topside where the controller 400 and / or compressor 200 are located, enabling purging and maintenance of the tank 302. The controller 400 and / or compressor 200 may instead be located on the seabed.
[0030] Figures 1 and 2 schematically show a plurality of storage units 300. The plurality of storage units 300 may comprise a plurality of tanks 302 for storing hydrogen at compressed pressure. The plurality of storage units 300, i.e., the plurality of tanks 302, are connected in series or in parallel. Preferably, the tanks 302 are connected in parallel. The plurality of storage units 300 may further comprise controllable valves for individually filling or individually emptying each of the plurality of storage units 300, i.e., the tanks 302. The controllable valves may be controlled by a controller 400.
[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the system may further include an electrical energy generator 500. The electrical energy generator 500 may be one or a combination of, for example, solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power, ocean energy, or bioenergy. The energy generator 500 may include a generator that produces electricity, i.e., power. The controller 400 may be further configured to control the electrical energy generator 500.
[0032] In the case of multiple storage facilities 300, each of the multiple storage facilities 300, i.e., each tank 302, may be configured to be constantly pressurized at a pressure (kPa) equal to 10 times the seabed depth (meters) of the multiple storage facilities 300. This allows the use of storage tanks 302 that are not designed for pressurized conditions, but they must be pressurized at a pressure equal to or greater than the depth (meters) at which they are installed on the seabed. For example, if the multiple storage facilities 300 are 300 meters below sea level, they must have a pressure of 3000 kPa or more.
[0033] The electrolytic cell source 100 may be configured to generate hydrogen at a source pressure (kPa) higher than 10 times the seabed depth (meters) of the multiple storage tanks 300. As described above, this allows the use of storage tanks 302 that are not designed for pressurized conditions, but they must be pressurized to a pressure equal to or greater than the depth (meters) at which they are installed on the seabed. For example, if the multiple storage tanks 300 are 300 meters below sea level, they must have a pressure of 3000 kPa or more.
[0034] The system may further include four conduits 320 leading from multiple storage tanks 300 to the sea surface or a topside above sea surface, enabling purging and maintenance of the multiple storage tanks 300. One of the four conduits 320 may be dedicated to supplying hydrogen at a first pressure. As described above, the subsea storage tank 300 may comprise multiple units 302 in parallel and have four lines leading to the topside to enable purging and maintenance of the tanks 302. One of these lines 302 may be dedicated to low-pressure hydrogen, i.e., hydrogen at source pressure, and separated from the high-pressure section, i.e., the compressed high-pressure section.
[0035] The first pressure may be the source pressure. This ensures that hydrogen is stored in at least one of the multiple storage units 300 at a source pressure from the electrolytic cell 100, which is lower than the compression pressure. The first pressure may be lower than the source pressure. This ensures that hydrogen is stored in at least one of the multiple storage units 300 at a pressure lower than the source pressure from the electrolytic cell 100, which is lower than the compression pressure. The first pressure may be higher than the source pressure and lower than the compression pressure. This ensures that hydrogen is stored in at least one of the multiple storage units 300 at a pressure higher than the source pressure from the electrolytic cell 100, but lower than the compression pressure.
[0036] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, particularly Figures 3 and 4, the method described above may further include the following steps as an alternative to the two steps of supplying hydrogen 2000 through a bypass line 210 around the compressor 200 and storing hydrogen 3000 in at least one of the multiple storage tanks 300 at a first pressure lower than the compression high pressure: compressing hydrogen 4000 in the compressor 200 to a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure, and storing the generated and compressed hydrogen 5000 in at least one of the multiple storage tanks 300 at a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure. In this way, some energy is still saved as the compressor 200 is not fully utilized. Alternatively, a second compressor 200 may be used to pressurize the hydrogen to a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure.
[0037] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, particularly Figures 3 and 4, the method described above may further include a controller 400 configured to control the electrolytic cell source 100, the compressor 200, and valves 310 to the multiple storage containers 300. The valves 310 may be any valves for the hydrogen line between the electrolytic cell source 100 and the multiple storage containers 300. This may be one embodiment of the controller 400 configured for A) and B) as described above. The method may further include the controller 400 alternately performing the following two steps: On the one hand, if the amount of hydrogen produced is less than a predetermined amount, the hydrogen 2000 is sent to the multiple storage containers 300 via a bypass line 210 around the compressor 200, and the hydrogen 3000 is stored in at least one of the multiple storage containers 300 at a first pressure lower than the compression high pressure. On the other hand, if the amount of hydrogen produced is greater than a predetermined amount, the compressor 200 compresses the hydrogen 4000 to a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure, and the produced and compressed hydrogen 5000 is stored in at least one of the multiple storage chambers 300 at a storage pressure lower than a predetermined pressure. The predetermined amount of hydrogen produced may be the amount produced by the electrolytic cell using the electrical energy generated by the electrical energy generator 500. The amount of hydrogen produced may be proportional to the electrical energy generated by the electrical energy generator 500. Therefore, on the one hand, if, for example, electrical energy production is low, or if there is or is an imminent demand for hydrogen, hydrogen can be stored according to alternative B). On the other hand, if, for example, electrical energy production is high and exceeds the required amount, hydrogen can be stored according to alternative A).
[0038] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, particularly Figures 3 and 4, the system described above may further include an electrical energy generator 500, and the controller 400 may be further configured to control the electrical energy generator 500. The method described above may further include the steps of generating electrical energy in the electrical energy generator 500 and directing at least a portion of the electrical energy to the electrolytic cell source 100 to produce hydrogen at source pressure. This allows the controller 400 to also control the energy input from the electrical energy generator 500 to the electrolytic cell source 100 and the compressor 200.
[0039] With respect to the methods described herein, the first pressure may be the source pressure. This results in hydrogen being stored in at least one of the multiple storage units 300 at a source pressure from the electrolytic cell 100, which is lower than the compression pressure. The first pressure may be lower than the source pressure. This results in hydrogen being stored in at least one of the multiple storage units 300 at a pressure lower than the source pressure from the electrolytic cell 100, which is lower than the compression pressure. The first pressure may be higher than the source pressure and lower than the compression pressure. This results in hydrogen being stored in at least one of the multiple storage units 300 at a pressure higher than the source pressure from the electrolytic cell 100, but lower than the compression pressure.
[0040] With respect to Figures 1 to 4, the method described herein may further include the step of configuring the electrolytic cell source 100 to produce hydrogen at a source pressure (kPa) equal to or higher than 10 times the seabed depth (meters) of the multiple storage units 300. For example, if the multiple storage units 300 are 300 meters below sea level, the electrolytic cell source 100 is configured to produce hydrogen at a source pressure of 3000 kPa or higher. This allows the use of storage tanks 302 that are not designed for pressurized conditions, but which need to be pressurized to a pressure equal to or greater than the depth (meters) at which they are installed on the seabed.
[0041] With respect to Figures 1 to 4, the method described herein may further include the step of continuously subtracting hydrogen from a predetermined single tank 302 or predetermined group of tanks 302 of a plurality of storage facilities 300 until the predetermined single tank 302 or predetermined group of tanks 302 reaches a first pressure. Thus, the method and system can provide a plurality of storage facilities 300 tanks 302 or group of tanks 302 used to store hydrogen at a first pressure lower than the compressed pressure, since each of the plurality of storage facilities stores compressed hydrogen at a compressed pressure and each is located on the seabed.
[0042] The description in this document uses examples to disclose the present invention, including the best mode, but is intended to enable a person skilled in the art to carry out the invention, including the manufacture and use of adapters and the carrying out of methods. The patentable scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, which may include other examples that a person skilled in the art can conceive of. Such other examples are intended to be included in the claims if they have structural elements that are not different from the language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are substantially not different from the language of the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0043] 100 Electrolytic Cell Sources 110 valve 200 Compressor 205 Valve 210 Bypass Line 300 Multiple storage facilities 302 Tank 310 Valve 320 Conduit 400 Controllers 500 Energy Generators 1000 hydrogen production 2000 Hydrogen Delivery 3000 hydrogen storage 4000 hydrogen compression 5000 Storage of generated and compressed hydrogen
Claims
1. A method for storing hydrogen in multiple underwater storage facilities within a system, wherein the system is An electrolytic cell source (100) for generating hydrogen at source pressure, A downstream compressor (200) for compressing hydrogen from the source pressure to a high compression pressure, Each of them stores compressed hydrogen at the aforementioned high compression pressure, and each of them has multiple storage facilities (300) located on the seabed. Equipped with, The method includes two alternative sets of steps for storing hydrogen: a first set of steps and a second set of steps. The first set of processes is, A step of generating hydrogen (1000) at the source pressure using the electrolytic cell source (100), A step of sending hydrogen (2000) to the plurality of storage units (300) via a bypass line (210) around the compressor (200), A step of storing hydrogen (3000) in at least one of the plurality of storage containers (300) at a first pressure lower than the aforementioned compression high pressure, and Includes, The second set of processes is, A step of generating hydrogen (1000) at the source pressure using the electrolytic cell source (100), The process involves compressing hydrogen (4000) in the compressor (200) to a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure, A step of storing the generated and compressed hydrogen (5000) in at least one of the plurality of storage chambers (300) at a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure, and Methods that include...
2. The system further comprises a controller (400) configured to control the electrolytic cell source (100), the compressor (200), and valves (310) to the plurality of storage chambers (300). The aforementioned method, The aforementioned controller On the other hand, if the amount of hydrogen produced is less than a predetermined amount: Hydrogen (2000) is sent to the plurality of storage units (300) via a bypass line (210) surrounding the compressor (200). The hydrogen (3000) is stored in at least one of the plurality of storage chambers (300) at the first pressure, which is lower than the aforementioned compression pressure. On the other hand, if the amount of hydrogen produced is greater than a predetermined amount: The compressor (200) compresses the hydrogen (4000) to a storage pressure lower than the compression high pressure. The generated and compressed hydrogen (5000) is stored in at least one of the plurality of storage chambers (300) at a storage pressure lower than the compression pressure. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of performing the steps alternately.
3. The system further comprises an electrical energy generator (500), The controller (400) is further configured to control the electrical energy generator (500), The aforementioned method, The process of generating electrical energy in the aforementioned electrical energy generator (500), A step of directing at least a portion of the aforementioned electrical energy to the electrolytic cell source (100) for generating hydrogen at source pressure. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:
4. The first pressure is the source pressure, or The first pressure is lower than the source pressure, or The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first pressure is higher than the source pressure and lower than the compression pressure.
5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising the step of configuring the electrolytic cell source (100) to generate hydrogen at a source pressure (kPa) equal to or greater than 10 times the seabed depth (meters) of the plurality of storage facilities (300).
6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein hydrogen is subtracted from a predetermined single tank (302) or predetermined group of tanks (302) of the plurality of storage facilities (300) until the predetermined single tank (302) or predetermined group of tanks (302) reaches the first pressure.
7. A system for storing hydrogen in multiple underwater storage facilities, wherein the system is An electrolytic cell source (100) for generating hydrogen at source pressure, A downstream compressor (200) for compressing hydrogen from the source pressure to a high compression pressure, Each of the multiple storage facilities (300) located on the seabed stores compressed hydrogen at the aforementioned high compression pressure, A controller (400) for controlling the electrolytic cell source (100), the downstream compressor (200), and the valves (310) to the plurality of storage chambers (300) Equipped with, The controller (400) is A) Sending the hydrogen generated at the source pressure by the electrolytic cell source (100) to the compressor (200), compressing the hydrogen to a high compression pressure by the compressor (200), and sending the hydrogen at the high compression pressure from the compressor (200) to at least one of the plurality of subsea storage facilities (300), and B) Sending the hydrogen generated by the electrolytic cell source (100) at the source pressure to at least one of the plurality of storage containers (300) at a first pressure lower than the compression high pressure via a bypass line (210) around the compressor (200). A system configured to control the system in at least two alternative ways.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the controller (400) and the compressor (200) are located on the sea surface.
9. The system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the plurality of storage units (300) are connected in series or in parallel, and further comprising controllable valves for individually filling or individually emptying each of the plurality of storage units (300).
10. The system further comprises an electrical energy generator (500), The system according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the controller (400) is further configured to control the electrical energy generator (500).
11. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein each of the plurality of storage containers (300) is configured to be constantly pressurized at a pressure (kPa) equal to 10 times the seabed depth (meters) of the plurality of storage containers (300).
12. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the electrolytic cell source (100) is configured to generate hydrogen at a source pressure (kPa) that is 10 times the seabed depth (meters) of the plurality of storage units (300).
13. The system according to any one of claims 7 to 12, further comprising a plurality of conduits leading from the plurality of storage containers (300) to the sea surface or a topside above the sea surface for purging and maintenance of the plurality of storage containers (300), wherein one of the conduits is dedicated to supplying hydrogen at the first pressure.
14. The first pressure is the source pressure, or The first pressure is lower than the source pressure, or The system according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the first pressure is higher than the source pressure and lower than the compression pressure.