Optimizing Underground Hydrogen Storage in Aquifers: The Impact of Cushion Gas Type

Motaz Saeed, Prashant Jadhawar* (Corresponding Author)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)
2 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of cushion gas type and presence on the performance of underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in an offshore North Sea aquifer. Using numerical simulation, the relationship between cushion gas type and UHS performance was comprehensively evaluated, providing valuable insights for designing an efficient UHS project delivery.
Results indicated that cushion gas type can significantly impact the process’s recovery efficiency and hydrogen purity. CO2 was found to have the highest storage capacity, while lighter gases like N2 and CH4 exhibited better recovery efficiency. Utilising CH4 as a cushion gas can lead to a higher recovery efficiency of 80%. It was also determined that utilising either of these cushion gases was always more beneficial than hydrogen storage alone, leading to an incremental hydrogen recovery up to 7%. Additionally, hydrogen purity degraded as each cycle progressed, but improved over time. This study contributes to a better understanding of factors affecting UHS performance and can inform the selection of cushion gas type and optimal operational strategies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1537-1549
Number of pages13
JournalInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume52
Issue numberPart A
Early online date13 Sept 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2 Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding support by the Net Zero Technology Centre, UK to accomplish this work under the Hydrogen Innovation Grant scheme. We also thank valuable support from the Computer Modelling Group (CMG) Limited in this study.

Keywords

  • Underground Hydrogen Storage
  • Hydrogen storage
  • Cushion gas
  • Renewable energy
  • Energy Storage

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Optimizing Underground Hydrogen Storage in Aquifers: The Impact of Cushion Gas Type'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this