Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Energy

By

Leon Walters and Dave Wade

November 12, 2002

Hydrogen..The Vision
Energy Security Environmental Compatibility

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Two Questions are Addressed

Is the hydrogen generation process of sufficient scale to meet the needs? Does the full cycle, from mining, to production, to distribution, to use, to cleanup, meet our environmental standards?

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Energy Utilization

33%

34%

Process Heat Nuclear Electricity Fossil Electricity Transportation

26%

7%

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Hydrogen Technologies
Steam Reforming Advanced Steam Reforming Electrolysis Thermo Chemical Processes

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Hydrogen Generation
Steam reforming of methane accounts for nearly all the 50 million tons of hydrogen used world-wide for ammonia based fertilizers and oil product enhancement. Electrolysis also is a mature technology and is used primarily for the production of high purity oxygen and hydrogen. Hydrogen produced by high temperature thermo-chemical processes has not been demonstrated on a commercial scale but promises high efficiency production in the future.
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Relative Costs
H2 produced by electrolysis $3.00/kg @ $0.06/kwh

H2 produced by methane reforming $0.80/kg

H2 expectations for nuclear & thermo chemical $1.30/kg

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Cost of Hydrogen by Electrolysis

3 kg H2 to drive 250 miles 12.5 gal gasoline to drive 250 miles at 20 miles /gal 152 kwh to generate 3 kg H2 152 kwh @ $0.06/kwh = $9.00 + service and equipment 12.5 gal of gasoline @ $1.50/gal = $18.75 Conclusion: Electrolysis H2 is competitive BP executive: At the refinery gate, hydrogens cost-mile driven is actually substantially less than conventional fuel because of the outstanding efficiency of the fuel-cell engine. Hydrogens current high cost can be attributed to the expense of transporting and dispersing it.
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Transportation: Annual Hydrogen/Energy Requirement

Fuel used From electrolysis Miles driven in U.S. in 1997 Requirements 0.013 kg H2/mile 0.66 kWh/mile 2.6 x 1012 miles 3.4 x 107 T H2 and 241 GWe

To provide the needed electricity: 241 OR 1,000 MWe electrical generating plants

640,000 1.5MW windmills 71,000 square miles

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EXTERN-E External Costs

/kWh Coal Gas Nuclear 3-10 1-4 0.2-0.5

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Deployment of Nuclear-Generated Hydrogen

Electrolysis Nuclear-Assisted Methane Cracking

1000 800
Electrolysis

Thermochemical Water Cracking

Temperature (C)

600 400 200

Electrolysis Current Reactor (water-cooled)

Nuclear-Assisted Methane Cracking Near-Term Advanced Reactors (sodiumcooled)

Longer-Term Advanced Reactors (helium- or lead-cooled)

Now

Mid-Term
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Long-Term
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Nuclear as a Link in the Energy Supply Chain

RESOURCE (U ORE) KEY INTERFACE COOLANT TEMPERATURE KEY INTERFACE CUS TOMER DEMANDS

KEY INTERFACE SUSTAINABILITY

REACTOR COOLANT

ELECTRICITY POWER PLANT

T LIG H

ENERGY CARRIER

MOTIVE FORCE
INFO R S TO R MATIO N AG E , E TC .
HE AT

ENERGY S ERVICES

1/3 OF MARKET

FUEL CYCLE

NON ELECTRIC ENERGY PRODUCTS KEY INTERFACE FUEL COMPOSITION

MOTIVE FORCE
WAT ER, E TC .

ENERGY S ERVICES

2/3 OF MARKET

WASTE (FISS ION PRODUCTS) (UNUSED ACTINIDES) S AFETYRELIABILITY GOALS

S USTAINABILITY GOALS

ECONOMIC GOALS

GENERATION 4 GOALS FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY S UPPLY

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Hydrogen Distribution
Extraction of hydrogen from fossil fuels by stationary or on board reformers is a near-term option for transportation or stationary uses. Distribution of hydrogen with personal and large central electrolyzers is a near term option. Use of existing methane pipelines to concurrently distribute hydrogen, with large centrally located generation plants is a longer-range option.

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Transition to Nuclear/Hydrogen Now

Off-peak nuclear power Distributed Electrolyzers Ubiquitous distribution - the electrical grid

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Chicken and Egg Problem

Large numbers of fuel-cell vehicles, without adequate fuel availability, are not possible. However, the required infrastructure will not be created unless there are significant numbers of fuel-cell vehicles. StuartThe first path-distributed electrolytic hydrogen at fleet sites or at the vehicle by Hydrogen Fuel Appliances. These use the existing electrical grid to transmit energy. Key issues that must be addressed include subsidy funding, incentives for developing refueling stations, creation of uniform standards, and general education about the topic.
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Nuclear Reactors of the World

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Energy for Tomorrow

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Sustainability
Optimistic growth rate for nuclear power without hydrogen generation is 2.5% per year The growth rate could double or triple should the market for hydrogen production from nuclear energy materialize The sustainability of the nuclear/hydrogen option would be questioned Fast breeder reactors would receive renewed attention

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Global Energy Outlook

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Conclusions
Hydrogen, when produced from fossil fuels, is no solution for energy independence or environmental compatibilty Wind, solar, and geothermal do not possess the energy density to generate sufficient hydrogen The transition to a nuclear/hydrogen economy can begin today with electrolysis Should the nuclear/hydrogen vision materialize then uranium resource depletion becomes important
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