Rancor Hybrid Energy System Microworld

Abstract

Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources will require a diverse energy portfolio to ensure a reliable and resilient electrical grid. Renewable sources are proliferating but are intermittent and low periods of low production must be offset by other energy generators. When renewable demand is high baseload generators must scale back or utilize energy for other sources such as hydrogen production. Hybrid energy systems such as nuclear thermolysis hydrogen production could play a critical role for our energy future. Hydrogen is critical for manufacturing fertilizer as well as other industrial processes. Here we describe the development of a human system interface for a micro-reactor thermal storage hydrogen production system. The development of the interface parallels the engineering of a physical test-loop known as the Thermal Energy Delivery System (TEDS) at Idaho National Laboratory.