Hydrogen storage method and system
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of storing and supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen pipeline comprising:
- compressing a feed stream of the hydrogen to produce a compressed hydrogen feed stream;
injecting the compressed hydrogen feed stream into a salt cavern to produce stored hydrogen within the salt cavern through at least one conduit and withdrawing a stored hydrogen stream, composed of the stored hydrogen, from the salt cavern through the at least one conduit, the salt cavern having a residual brine layer located at a bottom region of the salt cavern and side regions extending upwardly from the bottom region of the salt cavern and the at least one conduit having at least one lower end located in an interior region of the salt cavern and spaced above the brine layer and from the side regions of the salt cavern;
introducing the stored hydrogen stream after having been withdrawn from the salt cavern into the pipeline;
maintaining at least a minimum quantity of the stored hydrogen within the salt cavern before, during, and between times at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected and at which the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn; and
limiting the flow rates and the velocities at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected into the salt cavern such that, as measured at the at least one lower end of the at least one conduit, the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected at an injection ratio equal to an injection flow rate of the compressed hydrogen feed stream to the actual cavern volume of no greater than 7.5 scfd/cf and at an injection velocity of the compressed hydrogen feed stream of no greater than 100 feet per second and the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn at a withdrawal ratio equal to the withdrawal flow rate of the stored hydrogen stream to the actual cavern volume of no greater than 10.0 scfd/cf and at a withdrawal velocity of the stored hydrogen stream of no greater than 150 feet per second such that the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn from the salt cavern.
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Abstract
A method and system for storing and supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen pipeline in which a compressed hydrogen feed stream is introduced into a salt cavern for storage and a stored hydrogen stream is retrieved from the salt cavern and reintroduced into the hydrogen pipeline. A minimum quantity of stored hydrogen is maintained in the salt cavern to produce a stagnant layer having a carbon dioxide content along the cavern wall and the top of a residual brine layer located within the salt cavern. The compressed hydrogen feed stream is introduced into the salt cavern and the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn without disturbing the stagnant layer to prevent carbon dioxide contamination from being drawn into the stored hydrogen stream being reintroduced into the hydrogen pipeline. This allows the stored hydrogen stream to be reintroduced into the hydrogen pipeline without carbon dioxide removal.
48 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of storing and supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen pipeline comprising:
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compressing a feed stream of the hydrogen to produce a compressed hydrogen feed stream; injecting the compressed hydrogen feed stream into a salt cavern to produce stored hydrogen within the salt cavern through at least one conduit and withdrawing a stored hydrogen stream, composed of the stored hydrogen, from the salt cavern through the at least one conduit, the salt cavern having a residual brine layer located at a bottom region of the salt cavern and side regions extending upwardly from the bottom region of the salt cavern and the at least one conduit having at least one lower end located in an interior region of the salt cavern and spaced above the brine layer and from the side regions of the salt cavern; introducing the stored hydrogen stream after having been withdrawn from the salt cavern into the pipeline; maintaining at least a minimum quantity of the stored hydrogen within the salt cavern before, during, and between times at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected and at which the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn; and limiting the flow rates and the velocities at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected into the salt cavern such that, as measured at the at least one lower end of the at least one conduit, the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected at an injection ratio equal to an injection flow rate of the compressed hydrogen feed stream to the actual cavern volume of no greater than 7.5 scfd/cf and at an injection velocity of the compressed hydrogen feed stream of no greater than 100 feet per second and the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn at a withdrawal ratio equal to the withdrawal flow rate of the stored hydrogen stream to the actual cavern volume of no greater than 10.0 scfd/cf and at a withdrawal velocity of the stored hydrogen stream of no greater than 150 feet per second such that the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn from the salt cavern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of storing and supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen pipeline comprising:
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compressing a feed stream of the hydrogen to produce a compressed hydrogen feed stream; injecting the compressed hydrogen feed stream into a salt cavern to produce stored hydrogen within the salt cavern through at least one conduit and withdrawing a stored hydrogen stream, composed of the stored hydrogen, from the salt cavern through the at least one conduit, the salt cavern having a residual brine layer located at a bottom region of the salt cavern and side regions extending upwardly from the bottom region of the salt cavern; introducing the stored hydrogen stream after having been withdrawn from the salt cavern into the pipeline within the stored hydrogen stream; maintaining at least a minimum quantity of the stored hydrogen within the salt cavern before, during, and between times at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected and at which the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn; and limiting the flow rates at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected into the salt cavern such that, as measured at the at least one lower end of the at least one conduit, the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected at an injection ratio equal to an injection flow rate of the compressed hydrogen feed stream to the actual cavern volume of no greater than 7.5 scfd/cf and the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn at a withdrawal ratio equal to the withdrawal flow rate of the stored hydrogen stream to the actual cavern volume of no greater than 10.0 scfd/cf.
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12. A method of storing and supplying hydrogen to a hydrogen pipeline comprising:
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compressing a feed stream of the hydrogen to produce a compressed hydrogen feed stream; injecting the compressed hydrogen feed stream into a salt cavern to produce stored hydrogen within the salt cavern through at least one conduit and, the salt cavern having a residual brine layer located at a bottom region of the salt cavern and side regions extending upwardly from the bottom region of the salt cavern and the at least one conduit; introducing the stored hydrogen stream after having been withdrawn from the salt cavern into the pipeline within the stored hydrogen stream; maintaining at least a minimum quantity of the stored hydrogen within the salt cavern before, during, and between times at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected and at which the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn; and limiting the velocities at which the compressed hydrogen feed stream is injected into the salt cavern such that, as measured at the at least one lower end of the at least one conduit, at an injection velocity of the compressed hydrogen feed stream of no greater than 100 feet per second and the stored hydrogen stream is withdrawn at a velocity of the stored hydrogen stream of no greater than 150 feet per second.
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13. A method for storing hydrogen in a salt cavern connected to a hydrogen pipeline and supplying the stored hydrogen to the hydrogen pipeline comprising:
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drawing a hydrogen feed stream from the pipeline; compressing the feed stream to produce a compressed hydrogen feed stream; feeding the compressed hydrogen feed stream into an annular space within the salt cavern at a limited predetermined flow rate and velocity wherein the limited flow rate is such that an injection ratio exists that is equal to the injection flow rate divided by the actual cavern volume of the salt cavern that is no greater than 7.5 scfd/cf of salt cavern volume and the injection velocity of the compressed hydrogen feed stream is not greater than 100 feet per second and forming stored hydrogen within the salt cavern; withdrawing the stored hydrogen from the salt cavern at a predetermined limited flow rate and velocity wherein the limited flow rate is such that a withdrawal ratio of the withdrawal flow rate to the salt cavern volume is no greater than 10.0 scfd/cf and at a velocity is not greater than 150 feet per second; returning the stored hydrogen to the hydrogen pipeline; and maintaining the pressure within the salt cavern within a maximum pressure and a minimum pressure such that the structural integrity of the salt cavern is not substantially compromised.
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Specification