Low-Cost Hydrogen Production... KIMS Achieves 3,000 Hours of Operation for High-Temperature Water Electrolysis Technology

Developed a 20 kW electrolysis system... "Hydrogen production cost of 3,000 won per kilogram possible"

20 kW (kilowatt) class Anode-Supported Solid Oxide Electrolyzer System [Provided by Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials. Reproduction and redistribution prohibited.] 

Technology to produce clean hydrogen at a low cost has been developed for the first time in Korea.

The Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMS) announced on the 29th that the research team led by Senior Researcher Kim Young-sang has developed the 20 kW class anode-supported solid oxide electrolysis system technology for the first time in Korea.

Anode-supported solid oxide electrolysis technology is a method of producing hydrogen using electricity and steam at high temperatures, around 700 degrees Celsius or higher.

When steam is supplied from an external source, the amount of electricity required for hydrogen production can be minimized. It is called high-temperature electrolysis because it operates at high temperatures.

The research team utilized waste heat from external sources at high temperatures to improve the electrical efficiency of the high-temperature electrolysis system.

This reduces the additional power consumption for steam generation and can drastically lower the cost of hydrogen production.

The 20 kW class anode-supported high-temperature electrolysis technology developed by KIMS achieves an electrical efficiency of 83% for hydrogen production when linked with an external heat source, based on the lower heating value (net heating value).

This level of production can generate 6 N㎥ (normal cubic meters) of hydrogen per hour, reducing power consumption by more than 15% compared to existing low-temperature electrolysis technologies.

The research team has succeeded in stably operating a 20 kW class high-temperature electrolysis system for over 3,000 hours for the first time in Korea.

It was confirmed that the system maintained high efficiency and operated stably even during various event situations such as unstable steam supply and power outages during long-term operation.

KIMS explained that this lays the foundation for ultimately achieving a hydrogen production cost of 3,000 won per kilogram.

By utilizing waste heat from industrial sites, nuclear power, and renewable energy, it is expected that hydrogen production costs can be reduced by more than 25% compared to using conventional industrial electricity.

Senior Researcher Kim Young-sang stated, "This is the first case in Korea where domestic anode-supported high-temperature electrolysis technology, which was mainly researched at the cell and stack levels, has been expanded and verified at the system level. We have secured the system design technology for high-temperature electrolysis that enables high-efficiency, low-cost clean hydrogen production." Yonhap News

Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials Research Team Develops Clean Hydrogen Production Technology [Provided by Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials. Reproduction and redistribution prohibited.]