Projects
Projects: Projects for Investigator |
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| Reference Number | NIA_NGGD0020 | |
| Title | Pressure to Gas | |
| Status | Completed | |
| Energy Categories | Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electric power conversion) 25%; Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 75%; |
|
| Research Types | Applied Research and Development 100% | |
| Science and Technology Fields | ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 100% | |
| UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation | Not Cross-cutting 100% | |
| Principal Investigator |
Project Contact No email address given Cadent Gas |
|
| Award Type | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Funding Source | Ofgem | |
| Start Date | 01 January 2014 | |
| End Date | 01 September 2014 | |
| Duration | 8 months | |
| Total Grant Value | £124,667 | |
| Industrial Sectors | Technical Consultancy | |
| Region | London | |
| Programme | Network Innovation Allowance | |
| Investigators | Principal Investigator | Project Contact , Cadent Gas (100.000%) |
| Web Site | http://www.smarternetworks.org/project/NIA_NGGD0020 |
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| Objectives | This proof of concept will be divided into two main work streams. Technology review The objective of this work package is to understand what information is already available, how mature the technology is (TRL level) and to get an approximate feel for the cost of the equipment. Commercial and financial review The objective of this work package is to understand, given the costs and technical risks, how attractive is this technology, will the regulator support its introduction and what ownership models will work best for the network. Success of this project will be a report produced which outlines the technological, commercial and financial feasibility of use of the Pressure-To-Gas technology for use on the distribution network. This initial study, if the findings are positive, will be a precursor to carrying out some demonstration projects in the UK and potentially the programmed rollout of many such installations once the project is proven successful. | |
| Abstract | The UK gas industry is presently wasting significant amounts of potential energy during pressure reduction. Recovering this energy has been looked at in the past and there have been barriers to its adoption. Natural gas in the UK is inputted at high pressure into the National Transmission System (NTS) with the aid of compressors. It is then transported to major consumers and Local Distribution Zones (LDZs). Typically the gas passes through three pressure tiers, high, medium, and low pressure before it reduces from 60-80 bar down to household mbar pressure. It is estimated that within the grid, there are many MW of accessible mechanical energy from gas expansion. This energy is mainly lost at Pressure Reducing Stations and there is a potential for the energy to be recovered using turbines which generate electricity. This process has been established for many years; however, one of the remaining challenges is the effective utilisation of the electricity generated. ITM Power has developed a new concept that looks to overcome some of the barriers based on new high efficiency electrolysers. The concept is that the energy from the pressure reduction process is converted to electricity and immediately converted to hydrogen gas for reinjection into the gas grid. This is an elegant and self-contained solution, which could potentially be used in any gas network provided certain controls are in place. The proposed system is potentially a very efficient method with green credentials. The developed levels of injected hydrogen are relatively small considering the high gas flows and thought not to present a significant gas quality issue with the correct controls in place. All the component technologies required to build a Pressure-to-Gas plant are mature and therefore the combined technical risk is low. This concept does require validating. This feasibility project is the first step of that process and seeks to answer the high level technical and economic questions from a gas network operator’s perspective.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above | |
| Publications | (none) |
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| Final Report | (none) |
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| Added to Database | 26/10/18 | |
