Liquid hydrogen is characterized by several important limitations restricting its current use. Main problems are the Cryogenic boiling losses which can consume up to 40% of its available combustion energy and change the allotropic composition of the dihydrogen. Molecular hydrogen exists in two allotropic forms, ortho-hydrogen and para-hydrogen, differentiated by the nuclear spin state of the protons in each hydrogen atom. For a given temperature, the equilibrium ratio of ortho to para can be calculated. However, without a suitable catalyst, conversion kinetics may require days or weeks to reach equilibrium. A lack of accurate portable mean to characterize chemical nuclear spin composition of the cooled hydrogen is currently deplored. To make up for this lack, we aim to develop a portable sensor to characterize this nuclear spin composition. The ortho-para ratio affects the magnetic, optical, volumetric and thermal properties of dihydrogen. Possible sensor’s transducer element should, then, be based on the measurement of such properties. In the project, we will exploit the difference of thermal conductivity of ortho and para hydrogen to estimate the ortho/para ratio. To reach this goal, we chose a multidisciplinary approach linking areas like thermal transfers, metrology & instrumentation, measurement statistics and regulation. To identify the fluid characteristics, a source of heating is used and the way the heat propagates through the fluid is linked to its thermal conductivity. Compared to literature data, in this project the aims will be to develop a sensing portable solution but also to develop an optimized measurement methodology that will combine specific heat transfer models, “regulation” system identification and results of tests performed in different conditions. Potential applications of the project are the ones requiring the use of liquid hydrogen. Targeted sectors are nuclear facilities, aerospatial, storage in “Power to X”, chemical engineering.

Current fossil-fuel power plants have been designed to operate in base-load conditions, i.e to provide a constant power output. However, their role is changing, due to the growing share of renewables, both in and outside the EU. Fossil-fuel plants will increasingly be expected to provide fluctuating back-up power, to foster the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources and to provide stability to the grid. However, these plants are not fit to undergo power output fluctuations. In this context, sCO2-Flex consortium addressees this challenge by developing and validating (at simulation level the global cycle and at relevant environment boiler, heat exchanger(HX) and turbomachinery) the scalable/modular design of a 25MWe Brayton cycle using supercritical CO2, able to increase the operational flexibility and the efficiency of existing and future coal and lignite power plants. sCO2-Flex will develop and optimize the design of a 25MWe sCO2 Brayton cycle and of its main components (boiler, HX, turbomachinery, instrumentation and control strategies) able to meet long-term flexibility requirements, enabling entire load range optimization with fast load changes, fast start-ups and shut-downs, while reducing environmental impacts and focusing on cost-effectiveness. The project, bringing the sCO2 cycle to TRL6, will pave the way to future demonstration projects (from 2020) and to commercialization of the technology (from 2025). Ambitious exploitation and dissemination activities will be set up to ensure proper market uptake. Consortium brings together ten partners, i.e academics (experts in thermodynamic cycle/control/simulation, heat exchanging, thermoelectric power, materials), technology providers (HX, Turbomachinery) and power plant operator (EDF-coordinator) covering the whole value chain, constituting an interdisciplinary group of experienced partners, each of them providing its specific expertise and contributing to the achievement of the project’s objectives.

The main aim of the sCO2-4-NPP is to bring an innovative technology based on supercritical CO2 (sCO2) for heat removal in nuclear power plants (NPPs) closer to the market. sCO2-4-NPP builds on results of the previous H2020 sCO2-HeRo project, where the technology was first developed and brought to TRL3. The sCO2-4-NPP technology will be a backup cooling system, attached to the principal steam-based cooling system, which will considerably delay or eliminate the need for human intervention (>72 hours) in case of accidents such as StationBlackOuts, thus replying to the need for increased safety in NPPs. Thanks to the compact size and modularity of the system, it can be retrofitted into existing NPPs but also included in future NPPs under development. Through a close collaboration between major industrial actors and highly-skilled academic institutions, the sCO2-4-NPP partners will bring the full system to TRL5 and parts of it to TRL7 by carrying out experiments, simulations, design, upscaling and validation of the technology in a real NPP PWR simulator. Regulatory requirements will be considered in the conceptual design of components and the system architecture to increase the chances of acceptance by European nuclear safety authorities and speed up the road to the market. Detailed technical, regulatory, financial and marketing roadmaps will be developed for bringing the technology to industrial use (TRL 9) after the project. The sCO2-4-NPP technology will increase NPP safety, decrease the plant overall environmental footprint and potentially lower costs for energy consumption, thus increasing the competitiveness of European NPP operators.

HyLICAL will contribute to reaching an energy demand of 8 kWh/kg and a liquefaction cost of 20% for small liquefaction volumes of 5 TPD; ii) Reduced capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenses (OPEX) by at least 20% in addition to the targeted energy savings; iii) Decentralized (local) production of liquid hydrogen (LH2), thus reducing the need for distribution and transport across long distances; iv) Coupling of the MCHL technology to hydrogen production from renewables (green hydrogen) for off-grid configurations; v) Integration into conventional liquefaction plants to increase their overall energy efficiency; vi) Application of the process for the liquefaction of hydrogen and for boil-off management of LH2 tanks. The MCHL technology will enable the decentralized production of green LH2, in competition with LH2 from fossil sources, and will furthermore reduce the need to transport LH2 over large distances if there is a local green energy source available (e.g., bio-based or electricity from renewables). We will drive the Technology Relevance Level for MCHL technology from initially TRL 3 to TRL 5 at project end. This will be achieved by significantly increasing the liquefaction capacity of the demonstrator from the current SoA (<1 kg/day) to close to 100 kg/day. We will demonstrate that there are no intrinsic limitations that prevent the MCHL technology from being scaled up to suit flowrates above 100 TPD, as highlighted in the call, thus satisfying the need for large-scale production capacities needed in the heavy-duty mobility sector and elsewhere.