Hydrogen Supply Allocation Control Under Carbon Intensity Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing regulatory frameworks and standards for low-carbon hydrogen production and delivery face challenges in managing variability and uncertainty of renewable electricity supply, allocating hydrogen consignments based on GHG emissions intensity, and harmonizing rules across different regions, leading to inefficiencies in ensuring compliance with carbon intensity constraints.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system for controlling a hydrogen supply network that includes carbon intensity determination, allocation mapping, and production control modules to manage production rates, delivery rates, and inventory management, using computational models and optimization processes to ensure compliance with carbon intensity requirements in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If real-time control is implemented to ensure carbon intensity compliance, then carbon intensity constraint compliance is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into multiple functional modules: carbon intensity determination module, allocation mapping module, and production control module. Each module handles specific tasks independently, making the overall complex system manageable and maintainable while achieving real-time carbon intensity compliance
Solution Approach 2:
An allocation mapping module serves as an intermediary between carbon intensity determination and production control. It translates carbon intensity data into production rate adjustments, mediating the complex interaction between environmental constraints and industrial production processes
2Reliability
If production rates are optimized to meet carbon intensity requirements, then carbon intensity compliance is improved, but productivity may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts production rates based on real-time carbon intensity conditions and delivery point requirements. Production facilities can operate at higher rates when carbon intensity is low and reduce rates when carbon intensity increases, maintaining compliance while maximizing overall productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (production rates, delivery rates) based on carbon intensity constraints and network conditions. By dynamically modifying these parameters, the system achieves carbon compliance without permanently reducing productivity capacity
3Reliability
If network flow optimization is performed to allocate hydrogen consignments, then carbon intensity compliance is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary network flow optimization calculations to establish allocation mappings before actual hydrogen delivery. This pre-computation allows real-time compliance checking without requiring complex calculations during active production and delivery operations
4Reliability
If real-time monitoring and control are implemented across the hydrogen supply network, then carbon intensity compliance is improved, but loss of time in data processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous real-time monitoring and control across the hydrogen supply network, with all modules operating continuously to track carbon intensity, optimize allocations, and adjust production rates without interruption, ensuring constant compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where carbon intensity determination results feed into allocation mapping, which in turn feeds into production control adjustments. This closed-loop feedback enables automatic real-time compliance maintenance without requiring extensive manual data processing time
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a hydrogen supply network responsive to carbon intensity (CI) requirements comprising: determining the CI for hydrogen produced at the hydrogen production facilities; determining a network flow solution for the hydrogen supply network, the network flow solution defining a network solution space specifying a range of values for production rates of the hydrogen production facilities and a range of values of delivery rates for the hydrogen delivery points which satisfy predefined operational constraints of the hydrogen supply network; allocating production rates from the hydrogen production facilities to each of the plurality of delivery points based on predetermined criteria associated with the delivery points to define an allocation mapping for the hydrogen supply network; generating control variables for controlling the production rates of each of the hydrogen production facilities; and controlling the hydrogen production facilities in accordance with the determined control variables.