Heating applications tested with hydrogen blends
Hydrogen – which can be produced using renewable energy or via processes with low gas emissions – could play a crucial role in the energy transition. For example, hydrogen could significantly replace fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas, for residential and commercial heating purposes. At the moment however, there is a large gap between hydrogen production and the infrastructure needed to deliver the gas to consumers. “Introducing hydrogen is a long-term strategy,” explains THyGA project coordinator Patrick Milin from ENGIE in France. “In the meantime, blending hydrogen with natural gas, and using existing gas infrastructure, could be a step forward. Blending is also a way of ensuring that excess hydrogen produced locally can be used by customers.”
Blending hydrogen with natural gas
The EU-funded THyGA project’s contribution to this transition was to develop a detailed understanding of how blending hydrogen with natural gas could impact end use applications. Two key areas of focus were safety and performance. “We focused on residential and commercial use gas applications for heating, for the co-production of heat and electricity, and for cooking,” says Milin. “We wanted to see if we reached a threshold for injecting hydrogen into the mix because of safety issues, or if we encountered any problems regarding efficiency or comfort.” The researchers tested around 100 residential and commercial gas appliances – such as boilers, cookers and air heaters – in various hydrogen concentration scenarios. Over 60 market subsegments were identified. The key aim was to develop a generic testing protocol that could be adapted for virtually any appliance. A great deal of data was gathered, from which the project team developed its recommendations. “It took us a year to finalise the test protocol,” adds Milin. Within the consortium, five labs then carried out tests on appliances, with one focusing on potential leakages. “In addition, we had two manufacturers in the project,” notes Milin. “This was very important, as it ensured that the tests we proposed, and what we analysed, was relevant for the market.”
Common test protocol for blended gas
An important project success was developing a common test protocol that can be used across the different market segments. This means that manufacturers of boilers, radiators and cooking hobs can apply the protocol to their specific products, to study if they can safely and efficiently use blended gas. “This test protocol can be adapted depending on the product,” Milin explains. “The protocol lays steps for measuring appliance efficiency, when using different blends. If you are measuring a boiler or a cooking hob, there will be different elements to measure.” The project’s work on standardisation, as well as its recommendations for mitigation, have been made freely available to industry. All technical reports have also been made public.
Safety and efficacy of gas appliances
Milin hopes that manufacturers and technical committee members will read these reports, and come back to the consortium if they have questions that might help them in developing product standards. “These would provide consumers with assurances of the safety and efficacy of the gas appliances they use,” he says. “An important commercial element is demonstrating that there is no decrease in safety conditions of use.” For commercial purposes, such as the production of heat for district heating or operation of boiler rooms for commercial buildings, the test protocol could also provide assurances regarding safety and cost.
Keywords
THyGA, hydrogen, fossil fuels, gas, energy, heating, boilers, coal
