Hydrogen-Production Plant Simulation with Simcenter Amesim

Why Simulate Hydrogen Plants?

For engineering service and contractor companies tasked with designing and building hydrogen production plants, achieving optimal energy efficiency and cost efficiency is critical. These companies must select, integrate, and evaluate subsystems like green energy sources (wind, sun, sea..), electrolyzers, compressors, and storage systems to deliver high-performing plants tailored to their clients’ needs.

Key challenges they face include:

Solving These Challenges with Simcenter Amesim

Simcenter Amesim provides a virtual environment where engineers can predict the complex interactions between different physical domains involved in a H2 production plant in order to:

• Compare performances of multiple layouts and configurations without physical prototypes,
• Simulate system behavior under real-world conditions, including variable power inputs and transient loads.
• Identify the best combination of components to reduce energy consumption and operational costs.

Let’s look into the simulation model of a plant, where the electric power is generated by renewable energy sources, and is used to power an electrolyzer generating hydrogen. The hydrogen is finally compressed in order to store it in high pressure tanks, ready to be used, refuel vehicles or to be transported.

Fig. 1

1. Renewable Energy Sources

We consider 3 different types of renewable energy sources in our Amesim model: wind turbines, solar panels, wave converters; all facing challenges related to load variability and system coupling.

Wind Turbines :

The wind turbine model is considering the number of wind turbines we want to use, the parameters which describes the fan geometry (fan diameter, pitch angle…) and the performance of the generator, mechanical subcomponents losses and the fan pitch control.

Fig. 2 Wind turbine model

Thanks to this model, we are able to predict the electric power and the mechanical power of the turbine, these depending on the instantaneous wind speed.

Fig. 3 Wind speed result

Solar panels:

The solar panel model is taking into account the number and the geometry of cells and panels, the transient operating conditions, i.e. considering the evolution of the sun position and the impact of clouds.

Fig. 4: Solar panels model

It makes it possible to predict the electric power delivered by the solar panel, depending on the transient solar irradiation power on the cells.

Fig. 5: Solar panels model results

Wave generator:

To predict the performances of a wave generator, we first built a quite detailed multiphysics model. This model reproduces the detailed architecture of the system, consisting of: pistons, valves, hydraulic motors and generators, accumulators, pipes, and so on…

The model can then be used to predict the electric power generated by the wave generator, depending on the variable wave frequency and amplitude.

Fig. 6: Wave generator model inputs (left) and results (right)

2. Electrolyzer

Electrolyzers convert water into hydrogen and oxygen using electrical energy provided by the sources described above. Simcenter Amesim supports:

• Performance evaluation: Predict the instantaneous hydrogen production and the absorbed current, once that the polarization curve, the number of cells and the active area are provided as parameters
• Thermal Management: Evaluate heat generation during electrolysis and optimize cooling systems to enhance reliability and durability
• Load Sensitivity Analysis: Test how different electrical inputs (from variable renewable sources) affect hydrogen output and energy efficiency.

Fig. 7: Electrolyzer model

In our example, the electrolyzer produces approximately 9 Kg of hydrogen per day.

We can also identify that with the sizing of our subsystems, the wave converter produces 88.4% of the electric power, the solar panels 4.4% and the wind turbine 7.2%.

Fig. 8: Electrolyzer model results

3. Hydrogen Compression and Storage

Storing hydrogen efficiently and safely requires compression systems and storage tanks that can withstand high pressures and manage thermal dynamics. With Simcenter Amesim, engineers can:

• Model Pressure Dynamics: Simulate pressure changes during compression and storage cycles.
• Thermal Analysis: Estimate the thermal exchanges which occur in pipes and tanks.
• Energy Efficiency Optimization: Reduce energy consumption in compression systems by refining design parameters.

This model is based on pipes, a compressor with its control, valves and three tanks. The valves control allows the 1st tank to fill until the pressure reaches 750 bars. The 2nd tank is filled next and finally the 3rd. The simulation stopped when the pressure had reached 750 bars in each of the 3 tanks.

Fig. 9: Hydrogen storage system model

Fig. 10: Hydrogen storage system model results

Advantages of Simcenter Amesim for Hydrogen Plants