Megawatt scale co-electrolysis as syngas generation for e-fuels synthesis

Project Information

MegaSyn

Grant agreement ID: 101007108

DOI

10.3030/101007108

Project terminated on 14 September 2023

EC signature date 2 March 2021

Start date 1 April 2021

End date 31 March 2025

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 7 785 793,75

EU contribution

€ 4 999 449,39

Coordinated by

DANMARKS TEKNISKE UNIVERSITET
Denmark

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MegaSyn (Megawatt scale co-electrolysis as syngas generation for e-fuels synthesis)

Reporting period: 2022-10-01 to 2024-03-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

PtX is the most important approach to enable the transformation of the fossil fuel-based economy into a competitive, low-carbon economy. It further provides a means to store electrical energy in chemical energy carriers, such as e.g. hydrogen or syngas (CO+H2), and e-fuels like kerosene or diesel, which are easily transportable. The core element of the PtX scheme addressed in MegaSyn is the high temperature solid oxide electrolyser (SOEC). The key challenge remains to demonstrate the syngas production via SOEC at a sufficiently high reliability and industrially relevant scale, with competitive costs.
MegaSyn aims at the installation and integration of the world’s first co-electrolyser system in the megawatt-scale (MW scale) at the Schwechat Refinery, Austria. The project will upscale Sunfire's well-proven SOEC technology comprising an electrolysis system with a syngas production capacity of ≥ 80 kgsyngas/h using an electrical input of 0.7 MWel,AC. Detailed degradation studies will pave the way for determining the “safe operating window” for co-electrolyser systems for which degradation below 1.2 %/kh and a system availability above 95 % can be ensured – both essential targets for demonstrating the reliability of the co-SOEC technology. With Sunfire’s modular co-electrolyser concept and the planned integration scheme using steam and CO2 from the refinery, and potentially using recycle gases, the system is far simpler than competing PtX processes. Furthermore, the operation costs are low due to the high electrical efficiency of the SOEC. If succeeded, the MegaSyn project will thus demonstrate an up-scalable and integrable solution for refineries for substituting fossil based routes for fuel production. The concept of the MegaSyn project and its product – syngas – will likewise be valuable and possible to integrate in the (petro-) chemical industry. The project will strongly benefit the competitive position of key European industries in the emerging and rapidly growing world market for green energy technology. Providing the targeted industrial landmark will likely further improve societal acceptance and give additional momentum to the energy transition.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Objective 1: Identify life-time dictating degradation mechanisms and safe operation conditions.
A number of short- and long-term single cell tests have been conducted, with the longest one exceeding 2300 h. Detailed analysis in the measured impedance spectra points to the Ni-CGO fuel electrode as the main source of the degradation. Post-mortem SEM analyses of tested cells confirmed Si poisoning of the Ni-CGO electrode could be one of the main causes for cell degradation. Plans to avoid Si contamination and hence reduce cell degradation are currently under investigation.
Objective 2: Identify feed streams, purification methods, influence of contaminants on degradation and criteria for design of pre-reformer.
Potential feed streams (steam, CO2 and recycle gas) within the Schwechat refinery were analyzed. A literature survey on potential contaminants has further identified potentially hazardous elements and emphasized the assessment of silicon (Si) and sulfur (S) concentrations. Based on the assessment, low-pressure steam as supplied by the OMV power plant was identified to be the most suitable steam source. For CO2 streams, PSA-off gas from a steam methane reformer within the refinery would be particularly promising for the MegaSyn project. Suitable cleaning and prevention measures have been derived.
Objective 3: Designing and manufacturing an efficient MW-scale co-electrolyser system and demonstrating how to lower future CAPEX and operation and maintenance cost.
The basic engineering work for system integration into the refinery environment is to a large extent completed. Further optimization of the MegaSyn system is still on-going. A scheme that maximizes robustness of operation was developed, and a maintenance concept for the electrolyser system was agreed upon between the industrial project partners. Synchronization of the latter with other plant maintenance tasks was explored to maximize overall planned runtime. An outline of the different operating modes for the Gen2.1.2 modules and a spare part list has been provided.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

DTU Expected Results: Detailed degradation analysis and the identification of measures to lower the degradation in the future.
Results in P1+P2: Degradation of the Ni-CGO fuel electrode accounts for a large part of the overall cell degradation and this degradation is most likely caused by the interaction between the Ni-CGO electrode and Si-containing impurities from various sources. The susceptibility of 3YSZ electrolytes in Sunfire cells to the hydrothermal degradation does not occur to a significant extent in the cells when operated at >800 oC.
Sunfire and OMV Expected Results: Feed streams, purification methods, influence of contaminants. Maintenance and operation in industrial environments. Safety incorporation into design.
Results in P1+P2: Potential feed streams (steam, CO2 and recycle gas) within the Schwechat refinery were analyzed. Handling of these compositions and composition variations were incorporated into the overall Co-SOEC control scheme philosophy. Besides focusing on sulfur and silicon compounds as the most critical contaminants, further potentially hazardous elements were identified. Suitable cleaning measures have been derived. A design basis with various operating regimes suitable for refinery conditions was developed. The knowledge of these regimes as well as a design with flexibility for maintenance was implemented to the technology to improve robustness in industrial conditions. Finally, major focus on safety integrity was applied during this period, to ensure safe conditions for those within the working vicinity of the technology and overall system.
TUG Expected Results: Detailed analysis of catalysts performance and degradation behaviour, design of optimal operating environment. Using the knowledge gained on the single-cell level and degradation prevention during the SOE operation.
Results in P1+P2: Completely new reformer reactor was designed and manufactured. Numerous experiments performed while varying operating temperature, gas composition, GHSV, etc. supported by gas analysis, spatially-resolved temperature measurements enabled to design a basis for operating matrix and determination of optimal operating conditions. Higher temperatures were identified to significantly enhance reforming reactions, while temperatures lower than 700°C are rather disadvantageous. High GHSV are also seen as disadvantageous, since they inhibit reforming reactions leading to higher fuel losses.
PW Expected results: Integration of the Co-SOEC into the industrial environment of a refinery.
Results in P1+P2: Together with the other partners (OMV and Sunfire) the necessary requirements for the integration of such a prototype equipment have been defined. Especially safety & environment related aspects were taken into special consideration in order to receive the acceptance from refinery and administration with the target of trouble-free operation.

megasyn-logo.png