Tubular Solid Oxide Electrolysis
R&D Focus Areas:
Electrolysis
Lead Organisation:
Hadean Energy (CSIRO is project lead)
Partners:
Bluescope
Status:
Active
Start date:
September 2024 (start of Bluescope trial)
Completion date:
December 2024
Key contacts:
Sarb Giddey: Sarb.Giddey@csiro.au
Gurpreet Kaur: Gurpreet.Kaur@csiro.au
Funding:
CSIRO – Science and Industry Endowment Fund
Project total cost:
AUD$3.8 million
Project summary description:
The most common types of electrolysers for green hydrogen production are alkaline, anion exchange membrane (AEM), proton exchange membrane (PEM) and solid oxide electrolysis (SOE).
Alkaline and AEM electrolysers use a liquid electrolyte, PEM electrolysers use a polymer electrolyte, and SOE electrolysers use a solid-state ceramic electrolyte.
SOE operates at temperatures close to 800oC, so part of the energy cost is heating up the water used for the hydrogen electrolysis reaction. Heavy industries often have waste heat or low-cost heat as part of their processes. By utilising this waste heat, SOE systems can require 30 per cent less electricity compared to PEM and alkaline electrolyser systems. This suggests SOE as the most efficient type of electrolysis for many industrial applications, especially where hydrogen can be used as a feedstock in the process itself.
The CSIRO has developed tubular solid oxide electrolysis (tSOE) technology made from ceramic tubes.
Steam runs inside the tubes, and when an electric current is applied, the steam splits into hydrogen and oxide ions. Ceramic membranes are oxide ion conductors and separate oxide ions (as oxygen) from hydrogen, under applied potentials. The resulting output is pure hydrogen.
kW class electrolyser has been constructed with balance of plant with support from the Science and Endowment fund https://sief.org.au/csiro-gift/what-has-been-funded/what-has-been-funded-experimental-development-program/tubular-solid-oxide-electrolysis/ which will be trialled at BlueScope’s Port Kembla Steelworks to demonstrate the equipment at pilot scale in an industrial environment.
The trial with BlueScope (at kilowatt-scale) will commence in September 2024 for a planned period of approximately four months. Integration aspects and other findings from the trial will help to demonstrate the technology at a higher scale and confirm the technical robustness of the equipment.
Related publications and key links:
New CSIRO company pursues hydrogen game changer for heavy industry – CSIRO
New hydrogen electrolyser tech can help to decarbonise industry – CSIRO
Tubular solid oxide electrolysis (tSOE) – CSIRO
CSIRO spins out new hydrogen tech that uses 30 pct less wind and solar | RenewEconomy
Review of experimental and modelling investigations for solid oxide electrolysis technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2024.05.312
A Review on Critical Metals Used in Solid Oxide Cells for Power ↔ X Applications and Materials Recyclability. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c07934
Higher degree studies supported:
A Postdoctoral researcher is involved.
Reviewed: August 2024