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Hydrogen production and transport
Hydrogen could, in the long term, provide an alternative to fossil fuels in the transport sector. However, a number of significant scientific, technological and economic hurdles need to be overcome first.
IFP is contributing to progress in this new field. In particular, its teams are working on the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels and CO2 capture and storage.
Producing hydrogen from fossil fuels
Centralized hydrogen production processes
IFP participates in the European Cachet project. Its researchers are developing:
- a compact and extremely energy-efficient large-capacity natural gas steam reforming process,
- advanced purification processes combined with CO2 recovery.
The three-year project brings together 29 partners from 18 different countries and has a total budget of €13.5 million.
Decentralized hydrogen production processes
IFP is also working to perfect decentralized processes to produce hydrogen from gasoline, gas oil and, above all, bioethanol. These will mainly be used to power fuel cells.
Phase 2 of the Biopac project was launched in 2006. The goal is to demonstrate that bioethanol, converted into hydrogen, can be used as an alternative fuel source for fuel cells. The demonstration will cover both technical and financial aspects and will be applied to stationary applications.
IFP is developing a process chain that will use bioethanol to produce electricity and heat. The costs and the electrical and thermal yields of this process chain need to be optimized.
Liquid feed autothermal reforming technology
IFP is working with HyRadix to develop a liquid feed autothermal reforming technology.
A pilot generator has been defined and is under construction. The process is highly integrated from an energy standpoint and produces limited CO2 emissions. The product is also aimed at the industrial hydrogen market and could be used to power fuel cells for decentralized electricity production.
Transporting hydrogen
Perfecting innovative tests for pipeline steel
One way of reducing the cost of transporting gas, particularly hydrogen, would be to increase the service pressure in pipelines.
To do this, steel with a high yield stress is required. IFP is working to perfect qualification tests that could replace the Charpy test, which is no longer adequate given the major changes in these materials.
Studying the effects of dihydrogen on pipeline steel
The damaging effects of hydrogen on steel can be controlled but the impact of dihydrogen is less clearly understood. IFP is investigating whether this molecule is able to penetrate steel through surface imperfections. IFP’s researchers are also studying what effect this penetration would have on the mechanical resistance of the steel.
Reducing friction in pipelines
Charge losses in pipelines are mainly the result of friction on the pipe’s walls.
The application of an ultra-smooth polymer coating is one way to reduce these frictional forces. A more efficient option is to structure the coating so as to create perfectly aligned strips which channel the turbulence.
The Nathuralhy project (supported by the European Union) and Ready (an initiative of the National Research Agency) are:
- studying the behaviour of these coatings in hydrogen environments,
- developing technologies to implement and structure these coatings.
+ Industrial development > IFP's offer in hydrogen production
+ Further information on the Cachet European project:
Cachet : New european research program on capture and geological storage of CO2
(Press release - 12 October 2006)
+ Further information on the cooperation between IFP and HyRadix :
HyRadix and IFP Partner To Reform Liquid Feeds To Hydrogen
(Press release - 28 February 2006)