【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】2014–2024: Joint efforts to develop a dynamic combined simulation system for electricity, hydrogen, and ammonia

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Happy New Year 2024 **********************【A Decade of Rapid Development in Chemical Processing Equipment】Ongoing updates and summaries are available; feel free to join the discussions at https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html (Source: Haichuan Chemical Industry Forum) ***************** The integrated optimization project that covers the entire process from green electricity to green hydrogen and then to green ammonia – namely the Electric-Hydrogen-Ammonia Dynamic Combined Simulation Project – has made new progress. This project, located in Damao Banner, Baotou City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is a demonstration project for carbon-free fuel production through hydrogen generation, combined with wind and solar power generation; it has been under construction for nearly a year now. On March 6, the investor of this project, Shuimu Mingtuo Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shuimu Mingtuo”), signed a cooperation agreement with Schneider Electric. Based on this project, the two parties will work together to develop an optimized end-to-end service that covers the conversion of green electricity into green hydrogen and then into green ammonia – namely, the Electro-Hydrogen-Ammonia Dynamic Joint Simulation Project. The International Hydrogen Metallurgy and Chemical Industry Demonstration Zone project will be funded by Shuimu Mingtuo with an investment of 40 billion yuan, to build facilities capable of producing 300,000 tons per year of hydrogen for new energy applications, 1.2 million tons per year of green ammonia, 1.1 million tons per year of iron produced via direct hydrogen reduction, along with wind power generation capacity of 5 million kilowatts. The first phase of the pilot project will have an annual production capacity of 1,800 tons of green ammonia; the investment required is estimated to be 10 billion yuan, with completion expected between 2025 and 2026. For the integrated electric hydrogen ammonia project, why is dynamic joint simulation necessary? Currently, the green hydrogen industry is experiencing rapid growth amid the goals of achieving carbon neutrality. There is a close relationship between green electricity and green hydrogen in terms of production and application, and hydrogen, particularly green hydrogen technology, is gradually becoming the preferred energy source for global decarbonization. However, this industrial system that converts green electricity into green hydrogen and then into synthetic ammonia faces various challenges, including the volatility of green electricity, the economic viability of green hydrogen, as well as safety and reliability issues; therefore, innovative approaches are needed to overcome these technical barriers. “An era of a new industrial system centered on new energy is approaching. The widespread use of new energy and its hydrogen-based carriers in industrial systems can effectively address the challenges related to the efficient utilization of new energy and the decarbonization of heavy industry. However, their development also faces global technical challenges such as fluctuations in energy supply and dynamic changes in load patterns caused by new energy in industrial systems. ” Fu Xiaolong, deputy director of the Beijing Tsinghua Industrial Development Research Institute and general manager of Shuimu Mingtuo, provided further explanation. Fu Xiaolong said that, under current conditions of volatility, the integrated dynamic operation of new energy power systems and the chemical industry remains an unexplored area in this sector. Based on this, Shuimu Mingtuo has chosen to collaborate with Schneider Electric to develop a dynamic simulation project for electric hydrogen and ammonia production, aiming to leverage digital technologies related to the integration of power systems and industrial processes in order to overcome the technical challenges associated with the integrated dynamic operation of new energy sources and the chemical industry. It is understood that, as agreed upon by both parties, Schneider Electric will utilize the combined simulation capabilities of the ETAP electrical system digital twin platform and the AVEVA process simulation software, as well as the analysis services provided by its engineering experts, to ensure coordination between power processes and industrial processes. This will assist Shuimu Mingtuo in planning reasonable system configurations, including those for energy storage (battery and hydrogen storage), as well as appropriate control strategies, thereby enhancing the safety, stability, and economic efficiency of the systems. **The \"Medium- and Long-Term Plan for the Development of the Hydrogen Energy Industry (2021–2035)\\", jointly issued in 2022 by the National Development and Reform Commission and the **Energy Administration, clearly states the need to continuously improve the economic viability of hydrogen energy use, and to expand the scope of its application as a clean, low-carbon alternative in the chemical industry. Develop and apply hydrogen metallurgy technology using hydrogen as a reducing agent. Explore the use of hydrogen energy as a high-quality heat source in industrial production. Expand the scale of hydrogen’s use as a substitute for fossil fuels in the industrial sector, actively guide industries such as synthetic ammonia production, synthetic methanol production, petrochemical processing, and coal-to-oil and gas conversion to shift from high-carbon processes to low-carbon ones, and promote the green and low-carbon development of energy-intensive industries. Given the development prospects of the hydrogen energy industry, Xiong Yi, Senior Vice President at Schneider Electric, Head of Strategy and Business Development for China, and Director of the Business Value Research Institute, said that Schneider Electric will collaborate with Shuimu Mingtuo’s technical capabilities as well as Mingtuo Hydrogen Energy Group’s expertise in hydrogen energy to carry out thorough cooperation in developing projects and pursuing overseas investment opportunities, thereby contributing to the growth of the green hydrogen industry in China and around the world.