Review on the design and optimization of hydrogen liquefaction processes

doi:10.1007/s11708-019-0657-4

Front. Energy

2020, Vol. 14

Issue (3) : 530-544 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-019-0657-4

REVIEW ARTICLE

Review on the design and optimization of hydrogen liquefaction processes

Liang YIN, Yonglin JU(

)

Institute of Refrigeration and Cryogenics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

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Abstract

The key technologies of liquefied hydrogen have been developing rapidly due to its prospective energy exchange effectiveness, zero emissions, and long distance and economic transportation. However, hydrogen liquefaction is one of the most energy-intensive industrial processes. A small reduction in energy consumption and an improvement in efficiency may decrease the operating cost of the entire process. In this paper, the detailed progress of design and optimization for hydrogen liquefaction in recent years are summarized. Then, based on the refrigeration cycles, the hydrogen liquefaction processes are divided into two parts, namely precooled liquefaction process and cascade liquefaction process. Among the existing technologies, the SEC of most hydrogen liquefaction processes is limited in the range of 5–8 kWh/ $k g L H 2$ : liquid hydrogen). The exergy efficiencies of processes are around 40% to 60%. Finally, several future improvements for hydrogen liquefaction process design and optimization are proposed. The mixed refrigerants (MRs) as the working fluids of the process and the combination of the traditional hydrogen liquefaction process with the renewable energy technology will be the great prospects for development in near future.

Keywords hydrogen liquefaction energy consumption efficiency optimization

Corresponding Author(s): Yonglin JU

Online First Date: 24 December 2019 Issue Date: 14 September 2020

Cite this article:

Liang YIN,Yonglin JU. Review on the design and optimization of hydrogen liquefaction processes[J]. Front. Energy, 2020, 14(3): 530-544.

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https://academic.hep.com.cn/fie/EN/10.1007/s11708-019-0657-4
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fie/EN/Y2020/V14/I3/530

Tab.1 Number of hydrogen refueling stations in the world in the near future

Fig.1 Spin isomers of molecular hydrogen: ortho hydrogen and para hydrogen.

Fig.2 Design of a simple Claude cycle.

Fig.3 Design of a Kapitza cycle.

Fig.4 Design of an LN₂ pre-cooled Linde-Hampson cycle.

Basic hydrogen liquefaction cycle	Liquid yield/%	SEC/( $k W h / k g L H 2$ ^?1)	EXE/%
Simple Claude [24]	8	22.1	18.1
Precooled Linde-Hampson [25]	12–17	72.8–79.8	4.5–5.0
Precooled dual-pressure Linde-Hampson [26]	41	12.14	27
Precooled simple Claude [25]	16–20	28–39.2	9.2–13
Precooled dual pressure Claude [24]	—	12.26	—
Helium-precooled Claude [25]	100	33.6–56	6.5–11

Tab.2 Comparison of basic hydrogen liquefaction cycles

Fig.5 Process flow diagram of completed system (reprinted with permission from Ref. [31].)

Fig.6 Schematic diagram of super-critical hydrogen liquefaction process (reprinted with permission from Ref. [15].)

Fig.7 Overall flow diagram (reprinted with permission from Ref. [35].)

Fig.8 Flowsheet for large-scale 100 TPD LH₂ plant utilizing MR and four H₂ J-B refrigeration cycles (reprinted with permission from Ref. [38].)

Fig.9 Flowsheet of proposed process for liquefaction of hydrogen (reprinted with permission from Ref. [39].)

Fig.10 Process flow diagram of proposed liquefaction cycle (reprinted with permission from Ref. [44].)

Fig.11 Proposed framework for evaluating economic and environmental impacts of a selected hydrogen liquefaction process (reprinted with permission from Ref. [44].)

Fig.12 A hybrid of MR hydrogen liquefaction system, MR cascade J-B refrigeration cycle, and an absorption refrigeration cycle (Reprinted with permission from Ref. [45].)

Proposed hydrogen liquefaction cycle		Capacity/TPD	Liquid yield/%	SEC/( $k W h / k g L H 2$ ^?1)	EXE/%	Remarks
Nitrogen precooled cycles	Baker and Shaner [28]	250	100	10.85	36.0	H₂ expander and compressor isentropic efficiency (eff.) = 0.79, liquefier max p = 4137 kPa
	Bracha et al. [12]	4.4	100	13.58		Lngolstadt by Linde
	WE-NET project [29]	300	100			Process efficiency>0.40, liquid pressure= 105 kPa
	Kuzmenk et al. [30]	5.4	100	12.7	34.6	H₂ compressor isothermal eff. = 0.6, He compressor isothermal eff. = 0.53, N₂compressor isothermal eff. = 0.53, N₂ expanders isothermal eff. = 0.73–0.75, He expanders isothermal eff. = 0.85
	Tang [14]	50	100		40.17	H₂ compressor isothermal eff. = 0.6, He compressor isothermal eff. = 0.8, He expanders isothermal eff. = 0.85, wet expanders isothermal eff. = 0.80, liquefier max p = 2100 kPa
	Hammad and Dincer [32]				11.58	liquefier max p = 2000 kPa
Helium precooled cycles	Shimko and Gardiner [13]	50	100	8.73	44.6	expander isentropic eff. = 0.83–0.86, wet expander isentropic eff. = 0.90, He and H₂ compressor eff. = 0.8
	Staats et al. [33]	50	100		35.6	expander isentropic eff. = 0.83–0.86, wet expander isentropic eff. = 0.90, He compressor isothermal eff. = 0.80, H₂ compressor isothermal eff. = 0.60
	Yuksel et al. [15]	50	100		57.13	He and H₂ compressors isentropic eff. = 0.80, He expanders eff. = 0.85
J-B precooled cycles	Matsuda and Nagamei [34]	300	100	8.49	47.1	expanders isentropic eff. = 0.85 compressor isentropic eff. = 0.80, liquefier max p ≈ 5000 kPa
	Quack [35]	173	100	5–7	60.7	expanders isentropic eff. = 0.85–0.90, compressor isentropic eff. = 0.85, liquefier max p ≈ 8000 kPa
	Valenti [36]	864	100	5.04	47.7	He expanders isothermal eff. = 0.88–0.93, He compressors polytrophic eff. = 0.92, H₂ expander polytrophic eff. = 0.85, J-B cycle max p = 4000 kPa
MR precooled cycles	Stang et al. [37]		100	7.0	60.0	—
	Krasae-in et al. [16]	100	100	5.35	54.0	Ten-component mixture, compressors and expanders isentropic eff. = 0.80
	Krasae-in [38]	100	100	5.91	48.9	Five-component mixture, J-B cycles max p = 4000 kPa, MR cycle max p = 1800 kPa
	Sadaghiani and Mehrpooya [39]	300	100	4.41	55.47	Expanders adiabatic eff. = 0.85, compressor isentropic eff. = 0.90, J-B cycles max p = 1000 kPa, MR cycle max p = 1600 kPa
	Asadnia and Mehrpooya [40]	100	100	7.69	39.5	Expander and compressor isentropic eff. = 0.80, J-B cycles max p = 3000 kPa, MR cycle max p = 1805 kPa
	Cardella et al. [41]	100	100	6	—	Expanders isentropic eff. = 0.78–0.88, compressor isentropic eff. = 0.76–0.86
LNG precooled cycles	Kuendig et al. [42]	50	100	4	—	—
Cascade cycles	Ansarinasab et al. [17]	100	—	—	—	Expanders isentropic eff. = 0.80, compressor isentropic eff. = 0.90, MR cycle max p = 1800 kPa
	Ansarinasab et al. [44] (2019)	300	100	1.102	55.47	H₂ cycle max p = 2100 kPa, MR cycle max p = 1600 kPa
	Aasadnia and Mehrpooya [45]	90	100	6.47	45.5	Expander and compressor isentropic eff. = 0.80, H₂ cycle max p = 2100 kPa, MR cycle max p = 1805 kPa

Tab.3 Differences between proposed hydrogen liquefaction cycles

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