Performance Analysis of a Power-to-Gas Storage System based on r-SOC

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Abstract Power-To-Power (P2P) systems represent a promising technology to store the overgeneration from renewables generating a synthetic gas (mostly hydrogen or methane) and to convert the chemical carrier back into electricity during periods of energy demand peaks. In this context, the aim of this work is to propose, model and analyse an innovative P2P system that includes, as key components, a reversible Solid Oxide Cell (r-SOC) device and a reversible chemical reactor (RCR) working both as methanator and reformer. In the synthetic fuel production phase, water and electricity are converted into hydrogen by the r-SOC, which operates as an electrolyzer. Then, the hydrogen is in turn converted into synthetic methane by the RCR, operating as a methanator. During the discharge phase, instead, the RCR device operates as a reformer, fed by methane and water, and the r-SOC operates as a fuel cell, feeding the electricity production into the grid. The whole reversible P2P is modelled in Aspen HYSYS environment allowing to simulate both the design and off-design operation of the system. In addition, to increase the whole system’s performance, a heat recovery section is included in the model and optimized. Finally, a preliminary analysis to reproduce the behaviour of the system on varying the input available electric power will be analyzed and discussed, introducing and evaluating the key performance parameters for the system.