Analysis of the hydrogen production system using a polymer membrane electrolyzer and its transfer to the natural gas pipeline

Abstract

One of the methods for producing hydrogen is using a polymer membrane electrolyzer with photovoltaic panels. To avoid hydrogen storage and achieve decarbonization, injecting hydrogen into the urban gas pipeline is an effective solution. This study examines the injection of hydrogen into the urban gas pipeline and determines that to keep the injected hydrogen flow rate below 10% of the gas flow rate, a production of 20.69mole/s of hydrogen is required. According to mathematical modeling, to produce the necessary hydrogen, 3,230 cells with an area of 2,500cm2 should be used. The injection pressure of hydrogen is 17.23 bar. To achieve this pressure, an electrochemical compressor with 1,600 cells and an area of 2,500cm2 is used. The power consumption of the electrolyzer and compressor for injecting 9.5% hydrogen during maximum solar radiation, accounting for losses, is 6.64MW. To generate this power with a photovoltaic system, 12,991 STP550S-C72/Vmh panels are needed. Considering the electrolyzer pressure of 17.23 bar, the compressor can be eliminated, allowing the use of a high-pressure electrolyzer. © 2025, Amirkabir University of Technology. All rights reserved.