Underground hydrogen storage
Encyclopedia
Underground hydrogen storage is the practice of hydrogen storage
in underground cavern
s, salt dome
s and depleted oil
/gas fields. Large quantities of gaseous hydrogen
have been stored in underground caverns by ICI
for many years without any difficulties. The storage of large quantities of hydrogen underground in solution-mined salt dome
s, aquifer
s or excavated rock caverns or mines
can function as grid energy storage
which is essential for the hydrogen economy
. By using a turboexpander
the electricity needs for compressed storage on 200 bar amounts to 2.1% of the energy content.
Hydrogen storage
Hydrogen storage describes the methods for storing H2 for subsequent use. The methods span many approaches, including high pressures, cryogenics, and chemical compounds that reversibly release H2 upon heating...
in underground cavern
Cave
A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
s, salt dome
Salt dome
A salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when a thick bed of evaporite minerals found at depth intrudes vertically into surrounding rock strata, forming a diapir....
s and depleted oil
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
/gas fields. Large quantities of gaseous hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
have been stored in underground caverns by ICI
Imperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
for many years without any difficulties. The storage of large quantities of hydrogen underground in solution-mined salt dome
Salt dome
A salt dome is a type of structural dome formed when a thick bed of evaporite minerals found at depth intrudes vertically into surrounding rock strata, forming a diapir....
s, aquifer
Aquifer
An aquifer is a wet underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
s or excavated rock caverns or mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
can function as grid energy storage
Grid energy storage
Grid energy storage refers to the methods used to store electricity on a large scale within an electrical power grid. Electrical energy is stored during times when production exceeds consumption and the stores are used at times when consumption exceeds production...
which is essential for the hydrogen economy
Hydrogen economy
The hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen. The term hydrogen economy was coined by John Bockris during a talk he gave in 1970 at General Motors Technical Center....
. By using a turboexpander
Turboexpander
A turboexpander, also referred to as a turbo-expander or an expansion turbine, is a centrifugal or axial flow turbine through which a high pressure gas is expanded to produce work that is often used to drive a compressor....
the electricity needs for compressed storage on 200 bar amounts to 2.1% of the energy content.
ConocoPhillips Clemens Terminal
The ConocoPhillips Clemens Terminal in Texas has stored hydrogen since the 1980s in a solution-mined salt cavern. The cavern roof is about 2800 feet (853.4 m) underground. The cavern is a cylinder with a diameter of 160 feet (48.8 m), a height of 1000 feet (304.8 m) and a usable hydrogen capacity of 1066 Mcuft, or 2520 metric tons (2,480.2 LT).See also
- Grid energy storageGrid energy storageGrid energy storage refers to the methods used to store electricity on a large scale within an electrical power grid. Electrical energy is stored during times when production exceeds consumption and the stores are used at times when consumption exceeds production...
- Hydrogen infrastructureHydrogen infrastructureA hydrogen infrastructure is the infrastructure of pipes and stations for distribution and sale of hydrogen fuel.-Hydrogen pipeline transport:Hydrogen pipeline transport is a transportation of hydrogen through a pipe as part of the hydrogen infrastructure...
- Hydrogen economyHydrogen economyThe hydrogen economy is a proposed system of delivering energy using hydrogen. The term hydrogen economy was coined by John Bockris during a talk he gave in 1970 at General Motors Technical Center....
- Hydrogen turboexpander-generatorHydrogen turboexpander-generatorA hydrogen turboexpander-generator or generator loaded expander for hydrogen gas is an axial flow turbine or radial expander for energy recovery through which a high pressure hydrogen gas is expanded to produce work that is used to drive a electrical generator...