Evaluation of hydrogen production system with high temperature gas-cooled reactor

The present paper describes hydrogen demand, energy flux of various energies, thermal efficiencies and costs in hydrogen production systems such as an existing methane steam reforming process with fossil fuel, electrolysis process with wind and solar power, thermochemical IS process with a High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) to evaluate a HTGR systems for hydrogen production. It is found that higher temperature of heat energy makes higher theoretical efficiency in hydrogen production methods, and a hydrogen production system with HTGR is ne of the most promising systems for stable and mass production of hydrogen with little emission of carbon dioxide to the environment. In addition, a realization procedure for hydrogen production systems so as to decrease social and economical loads is considered from the viewpoint of social infrastructure such as storage, transportation, and supply of hydrogen. In the HTTR (High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor) project, research and development are being carried out mainly on three technologies; reactor technologies, connection technologies of heat application process to the reactor, and hydrogen production technologies on thermochemical IS process. A research and development plan with the HTTR is proposed aiming at deployment of a commercial HTGR plant for hydrogen production expected in around 2020. (author)