Impact of H2-admission to natural gas on gas engines

Abstract

The increasing amount of renewable energies, to be specific solar and wind power, will lead to a further increasing difference between the production and consumption of electrical energy. One possible solution to handle this discrepancy is to store the excess electrical energy in form of chemical energy. In this particular case storing energy in form of hydrogen in the natural gas grid will be considered in more detail. The target of the literature survey is to identify the possible amount of hydrogen addition into the gas network and the consequences for the operation of combustion engines. Therefor the possible future scenarios of the energy supply were investigated. Then a closer look was taken at the natural gas infrastructure to derive limits for the hydrogen concentration. In addition current technologies to store energy and their future development were considered. Afterwards the impacts of the hydrogen admixture on the operation of combustion engines were examined in the scientific research. To summarize, the natural gas grid is not the limiting factor for the hydrogen concentration in natural gas. And thereby it is not possible to predict exactly the future limitations, because it will be a compromise between the three parties politics, gas suppliers and customers. The principal effects of hydrogen/natural gas-mixtures on the combustion process and operation of engines were identified in the literature survey.