MAN gas engines enable hydrogen use in power plants at up to 25% by volume
05 November 2021
MAN Energy Solutions a{announced} that its gas-powered, four-stroke engines are “H2-ready” and operable in stationary mode with a hydrogen content of up to 25% by volume in a gas-fuel mix. As such, within the power-plant segment, the company’s MAN 35/44G TS, 51/60G and 51/60G TS gas engines are now designated as H2-ready and capable of exploiting hydrogen to further reduce CO2 emissions.
This hydrogen-combusting capability enables MAN gas engines to meet Level B requirements of the European Engine Power Plants Association’s (EUGINE) H2-readiness standard. With Power-to-X fuels such as synthetic natural gas (SNG), MAN engines can already be operated in a completely climate-neutral way.
Flexible and decentralized, gas-fired power plants will play a decisive role for a secure power-supply on the pathway towards 100% renewable energy. The CO2 emissions of these power plants can be further reduced by mixing the fuel gas with hydrogen. Green hydrogen is still a scarce commodity and therefore our engines offer operators full flexibility within the scope of the admixture possible in the existing gas network. At the same time, we are working on future concepts that will enable hydrogen fuelling of up to 100% as soon as it becomes available in large quantities.
—Dr Gunnar Stiesch, Head of Engineering Engines at MAN Energy Solutions
The adaptive combustion control (ACC) of the MAN engines reacts fully automatically to varying hydrogen contents in the natural gas and enables operation without loss of efficiency, even with fluctuating hydrogen content. Gas engines already in operation can be retrofitted for hydrogen blend-in by upgrading the automation and adding additional ACC sensors.
We are focusing our R&D efforts on offering our customers maximum operational flexibility and future-proofness. The development of a hydrogen economy will take several years, during which time the infrastructure will be upgraded and the production of green hydrogen ramped up. In the German natural-gas grid, for example, a maximum admixture of up to 10% is currently possible; in the future, 20% will be feasible. With our engines, power-plant operators are optimally positioned for this situation.
—Dr Gunnar Stiesch
I suppose it can help if you have green H2, but if it is from methane reforming, why not just use the methane as is.
But maybe a little green pixie dust is what they want.
Posted by: mahonj | 05 November 2021 at 09:06 AM
25% H2 by volume in methane is roughly 10% by energy. It's certainly a good way to use byproduct H2 that might otherwise go to waste, but it doesn't look like a game-changer.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 05 November 2021 at 01:01 PM
@EP, that is disappointing.
So it is really just greenwashing.
The problem remains - what is the best way to mop up excess renewable energy?
- Batteries: efficient, but capacity constrained
- H2: not efficient, but large capacity
- Pumped hydro - efficient, capacity constrained
- Heat storage - efficient but it is a shame to convert electricity to heat.
- Compressed air ?
- Storage in EV batteries - sounds like a plan - needs some organisation and pricing models.
Posted by: mahonj | 06 November 2021 at 05:11 AM
I like the idea of using excess carbon-free electricity from any source (after charging all available batteries) to heat a salt bath to 550°C and use it to pyrolize waste organic matter like garbage. If you submerge it deep enough, all of the tars break down on the way through the liquid and you're left with a gas consisting only of steam (LOTS of steam), hydrogen, carbon monoxide, methane and a touch of CO2.
You can process the H2, CO and CO2 straight to methanol over a copper catalyst; this leaves you with a room-temperature liquid fuel, excess hydrogen and methane. The char can be burned or landfilled, it's not biodegradable so won't produce methane emissions. Methane and hydrogen we already know what to do with.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 06 November 2021 at 05:23 AM