Abstract
Purpose
This cradle-to-gate LCA study aims to examine the environmental burdens of the six-step thermochemical Cu-Cl cycle developed as the ICT-OEC process for producing green hydrogen and compare it with other nuclear-based Cu-Cl cycles, viz. three-, four-, and five-step Cu-Cl cycles.
Method
The focus of the present work was on performing simulations using Aspen Plus and comparing theoretical data with simulated ones, along with its life cycle assessment using GaBi 8 of the six-step thermochemical Cu-Cl cycle, which evaluates the impacts using the CML 2001 method. As the environmental profiles of the system rely entirely on the nature of the energy provided, different sources of energy, such as photovoltaic systems, solar thermal energy, nuclear energy, and hydropower, were explored to achieve H2 production by the ICT-OEC Cu-Cl cycle. The six-step Cu-Cl cycle was later compared with other nuclear-based three-, four-, and five-step Cu-Cl cycles.
Results
The electricity grid mix greatly influenced the environmental load of the six-step ICT-OEC Cu-Cl cycle. It was found that the GWP value of the electrical grid was as high as 86.1 kg CO2 eq. for 1 kg H2 produced by the ICT-OEC Cu-Cl cycle. The results showed lower environmental impacts when electric power was provided from nuclear energy (0.37 kg CO2 eq.). Later, after comparing the results of the nuclear-based six-step cycle with other Cu-Cl cycles, the four-step Cu-Cl cycle showed less environmental burdens due to its lesser energy requirements. The simulations were performed using Aspen Plus for the H2 system, and the LCA outcomes were successfully validated to the LCA findings acquired by theoretical calculations.
Conclusions
The energy source plays a very pivotal role in the impacts on the environment for hydrogen production. As the present study is part of research and development, it will directly improve the processes in the domain, such as the nature of energy for the production, which will help to reduce the environmental burdens in the whole life cycle of the hydrogen production plant.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
The data will be made available on request.
Abbreviations
- ADP:
-
Abiotic resource Depletion Potential
- AP:
-
Acidification Potential
- CML:
-
The Center of Environmental Science of Leiden University
- EP:
-
Eutrophication Potential
- GHG:
-
Green House Gas
- GOI:
-
Government of India
- GWP:
-
Global Warming Potential
- ICT-OEC:
-
Institute of Chemical Technology-ONGC Energy Centre
- IRENA:
-
International Renewable Energy Agency
- IEA:
-
International Energy Agency
- LCA:
-
Life Cycle Assessment
- LCI:
-
Life Cycle Inventory
- LCIA:
-
Life Cycle Impact Assessment
- NHM:
-
National Hydrogen Energy Mission
- ODP:
-
Ozone Depletion Potential
- POCP:
-
Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential
- TERI:
-
The Energy and Resource Institute
References
Amran U, Ahmad A, Othman MR (2017) Life cycle assessment of simulated hydrogen production by methane steam reforming. Aust J Basic Appl Sci 11(3):43–50
Chukwu C (2008) Process analysis and aspen plus simulation of nuclear-based hydrogen production with a copper-chlorine cycle. Diss Univ Ontario Inst Technol
Desideri U, Zepparelli F, Morettini V et al (2013) Comparative analysis of concentrating solar power and photovoltaic technologies: technical and environmental evaluations. Appl Energy 102:765–784. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2012.08.033
Farsi A, Dincer I, Naterer GF (2020) Review and evaluation of clean hydrogen production by the copper–chlorine thermochemical cycle. J Clean Prod 276:123833. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123833
Ferrandon MS, Lewis MA, Alvarez F et al (2010) Hydrolysis of CuCl2 in the Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production: experimental studies using a spray reactor with an ultrasonic atomizer. Int J Hydrog Energy 35(5):1895–1904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.12.034
Gielen D, Taibi E, Miranda R (2019) Hydrogen: a renewable energy perspective. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). ISBN: 978-92-9260-151-5. www.irena.org/publications
Hajjaji N (2014) Thermodynamic investigation and environment impact assessment of hydrogen production from steam reforming of poultry tallow. Energy Convers Manag 79:171–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2013.12.018
Hall W, Spencer T, Renjith G et al (2020) The potential role of hydrogen in india: a pathway for scaling-up low carbon hydrogen across the economy. New Delhi Energy Res Inst (TERI). https://www.teriin.org/publications
ISO 14040 (2006a) Environmental management-life cycle assessment-principles and framework. European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
ISO 14044 (2006b) Environmental management-life cycle assessment requirements and guidelines. European Committee for Standardization (CEN)
Kubo S, Kasahara S, Okuda H et al (2004) A pilot test plan of the thermochemical water-splitting iodine-sulfur process. Nucl Eng Des 233(1–3):355–362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2004.08.018
Nagarajan D, Dong C, Chen C et al (2021) Biohydrogen production from microalgae—major bottlenecks and future research perspectives. Biotech J 16(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/biot.202000124
Naterer G, Supiah S, Lewis M et al (2009) Recent Canadian advances in nuclear-based hydrogen production and the thermochemical Cu-Cl cycle. Int J Hydrog Energy 34(7):2901–2917. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.01.090
Ozbilen A, Dincer I, Rosen MA (2011) A comparative life cycle analysis of hydrogen production via thermochemical water splitting using a Cu-Cl cycle. Int J Hydrog Energy 36(17):11321–11327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.12.035
Ozbilen A, Dincer I, Rosen MA (2012) Life cycle assessment of hydrogen production via thermochemical water splitting using multi-step Cu-Cl cycles. J Clean Prod 33:202–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.03.035
Ozbilen A, Dincer I, Rosen MA (2014) Development of new heat exchanger network designs for a four-step Cu-Cl cycle for hydrogen production. Energy 77:338–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2014.08.051
Sakurai M, Nakajima H, Amir R et al (2000) Experimental study on side-reaction occurrence condition in the iodine-sulfur thermochemical hydrogen production process. Int J Hydrog Energy 25(7):613–619. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0360-3199(99)00074-9
Sitharaman N (2021) Finance Minister, Government of India, Finance Budget 2021–2022. https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/
Susmozas A, Iribarren D, Dufour J (2013) Life-cycle performance of indirect biomass gasification as a green alternative to steam methane reforming for hydrogen production. Int J Hydrog Energy 38(24):9961–9972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.06.012
Wang ZL, Naterer GF, Gabriel KS et al (2009) New Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production with reduced excess steam requirements. Int J Green Energy 6(6):616–626. https://doi.org/10.1080/15435070903364731
Wang ZL, Naterer GF, Gabriel KS et al (2010) Comparison of sulfur-iodine and copper-chlorine thermochemical hydrogen production cycles. Int J Hydrog Energy 35(10):4820–4830. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2009.09.006
Yadav GD, Parhad P, Nirukhe AB, Parvatalu D et al (2015) Hydrogen production method by multi-step copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle. US10059586B2. https://patents.google.com/patent/US10059586B2/en
Acknowledgements
Financial assistance provided by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Energy Centre, New Delhi, India, is gratefully acknowledged. Discussions with Dr. D. Parvatalu and Dr. Ashwini Nirukhe from OEC were helpful. Poonam Sutar and Ramdas Kadam received funding from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)/DST, Government of India (GOI), and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) for the Prime Minister’s Fellowship. Ganapati D. Yadav acknowledges support as R.T. Mody Distinguished Professor and Tata Chemicals Darbari Distinguished Professor of Leadership and Innovation, J. C. Bose National Fellow and National Science Chair from SERB/DST-GOI.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Communicated by Peter Rudolf Saling.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Sutar, P., Kadam, R. & Yadav, G.D. Process simulation-based life cycle assessment of the six-step Cu-Cl Cycle of green hydrogen generation and comparative analysis with other Cu-Cl cycles. Int J Life Cycle Assess 28, 651–668 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-023-02156-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-023-02156-y