HYDROGIN - innovative hydrogen installation project. Safety analysis for the Institute of Power Engineering.

The HYDROGIN project - a two-way hydrogen installation construction

The authors and contractors of the project

The HYDROGIN research project, involving a two-way hydrogen production installation, started in April 2020. The project is carried out by the Energa Group Research and Development Center and the Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The Institute of Power Engineering is the subcontractor for the project. The EKO-KONSULT company joined the work on the project by carrying out analyses in the field of process, explosion and fire safety, which improved the handling of the technological process.

The HYDROGIN system - characteristics and benefits

The aim of the project is to design and build a power-to-gas (P2G) system producing hydrogen using process steam, based on a solid oxide cells stack (SOC) operating in electrolysis mode (SOE), prepared for operation in reversible mode as well. Such a plant is used for storing energy, i.e. producing hydrogen using power from the grid.

The system will improve the flexibility of a conventional biomass or coal unit operation. Solid oxide electrolyzers offer a series of advantages over low-temperature alkaline and PEM electrolyzers.

A prototype system is to be built by 2024. It will be producing hydrogen and electric energy, increasing the flexibility of power plant operation and the use of renewable energy sources in the Energa Group. If the project meets the assumptions made by the scientists, such installations will be built in other plants as well.

The role of EKO-KONSULT in the HYDROGIN project - carrying out specialized security analyses

As part of the HYDROGIN project, the following, above all, has been done:

• a HAZOP hazard analysis with emergency scenarios occurrence risk analysis and identification of independent protection layers, including those related with functional safety;
• an analysis of the specification of requirements for safety integrity (SIL) for the designed instrumented safety functions;
• fire safety analysis,
• explosion safety analysis (#ATEX).

Safety issues in the HYDROGIN project are especially complex. All of those works, however, have been completed on time and produced very good results.

Hydrogen technologies in Eko-Konsult

Why is so much analysis required for hydrogen projects? In order to ensure the safety of the project: it is required by the specific properties of hydrogen, high process parameters and legal requirements. Eko-Konsult, based on the experience gained in the hydrogen installations sector, offers a number of specialised services dedicated to investors, design offices and general contractors. You can find our full offer here.