8 - Nuclear hydrogen

Abstract

Today, 48% of the global production of hydrogen is produced by steam reforming of methane. Steam reforming of methane is an advantageous way to produce hydrogen, although it requires high temperatures, around 820–850°C. This chapter considers the possibility of obtaining hydrogen using medium-temperature steam, around 500°C, and electrical power from a sodium fast reactor BN-600 type. It is proposed to use medium-temperature water vapor from the output of one of the steam generators of the BN-600, send it to the on-site chemical reactor-converter, mix the steam with methane (natural gas) supplied from outside, and carry out the subsequent additional heating of the vapor-gas mixture to the required temperature using electrical energy from the same reactor. To fulfill the needs of the Russian industry for hydrogen, 20,000 tons of hydrogen each year must be produced at the BN-600 site. Calculations show that the emission of 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere can be prevented in this way. Another possibility of obtaining hydrogen is investigated in the methane reforming scheme when the on-site chemical converter reactor is fed only with gas and electric power from the nuclear power plant. Such a scheme for producing hydrogen can be carried out in a fast reactor that generates electricity in the base mode, some of which is not required at night, days off, and during the summer. The annual production of hydrogen at night (from midnight to 5a.m.) in 280 effective days of operation of the BN-600 power unit of the Beloyarskaya NPP will be 17,640 tons H2, which is approximately equal to the annual global hydrogen production to fulfill the needs of the Russian industry with hydrogen. In this case, carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere in the amount of about 40,000 tons per year will be occur. This reduces the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere associated with the combustion of natural gas to produce high temperatures.