Hydrogen Flow Origin Certification via Stable Isotope Tagging
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for certifying the origin of hydrogen and oxygen-based flows lack transparency and reliability, making it difficult to distinguish between different types of hydrogen (Green, Low Carbon, and Gray) and oxygen, which is crucial for establishing a credible hydrogen trading market.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the generation of hydrogen or oxygen flows through water electrolysis or natural gas reforming, tagging with stable isotopes (deuterium, tritium, 18O, or 17O), measuring the isotope ratios, and associating these ratios with unique identifiers to create identification information for authentication, ensuring traceability and quality preservation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital certification methods are used to track green hydrogen, then certification can be issued following regular audits, but transparency and reliability are not fully guaranteed
Solution Approach 1:
Stable isotopes serve as intermediary tracers that physically link the production process to the final hydrogen product. The isotopic signature acts as a mediator that carries information about the origin and production method, enabling reliable tracking without compromising transparency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces digital certification systems with a physical/chemical tracing system based on isotopic analysis. This substitution provides more reliable and transparent certification by using inherent physical properties of the hydrogen molecules themselves rather than external digital records.
2Reliability
If stable isotopes are added to tag hydrogen flows, then origin authentication becomes reliable and transparent, but the complexity of the process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stable isotope tagging is performed at the beginning of the production process, during the electrolysis or reforming stage. This preliminary action ensures that the isotopic signature is embedded in the hydrogen from the source, simplifying subsequent authentication by eliminating the need for complex tracking systems throughout the supply chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the isotopic composition parameter of the hydrogen by introducing stable isotopes during production. This parameter change creates a unique fingerprint that simplifies authentication, as the isotopic ratio becomes a direct indicator of origin without requiring complex external verification systems.
3Loss of information
If stable isotopes are used for tagging, then traceability and origin determination are improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces localized variations in isotopic composition at the production source, creating distinct isotopic signatures for different production methods and locations. This local quality differentiation enables easy traceability, as each source has a unique isotopic fingerprint that can be detected without complex measurements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides a reliable and transparent certification of hydrogen and oxygen flows, enabling accurate determination of their origin, suitable for decentralized production and distribution, and facilitates regulatory control, while maintaining the quality of these flows for applications like fuel cells.
Implementation Method 1
Generating, notably by water electrolysis or natural gas reforming, a produced flow of dihydrogen and/or dihydrogen derivatives, respectively a produced flow of dioxygen, from an initial flow
Implementation Method 2
Tagging at least one of the initial flow and/or of the produced flow by adding a determined amount of stable isotope chosen between deuterium, tritium, 18O, or 17O
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for certifying origin of a hydrogen-based flow or of an oxygen-based flow, comprising the following steps: (i) Generating a produced flow of dihydrogen (23) and/or dihydrogen derivatives, respectively a produced flow of dioxygen, from an initial flow (22); (ii) Tagging at least one of the initial flow (22) and/or of the produced flow (23) by adding a determined amount of stable isotope chosen between deuterium, tritium, 18O and 17O; (iii) Measuring the concentration of said isotope in the initial flow (22) and/or the produced flow (23) to obtain a primary isotope ratio ; (iv) Associating said primary isotope ratio with a unique identifier to form identification information and storing the identification information in a distant server.