Rodriguez-Pastor D.A. , Garcia-Guzman A. , Marqués-Valderrama I. , ORTIZ DOMÍNGUEZ, CARLOS, Carvajal E. , Becerra J.A. , Soltero V.M. , Chacartegui R.
No
Appl. Energy
Article
Científica
10.1
2.82
03/12/2023
001134089900001
2-s2.0-85178104552
This study introduces an innovative solution to address the challenges arising from the volatile natural gas market and the growing integration of renewable energy sources within the industrial sector. The research strives to confront this challenge by including renewable methanol (CH3OH) and converting it into methane (CH4), with an intermediate step involving synthesis gas (CO/H2) by using concentrating solar power. This approach provides a sustainable and adaptable solution to reduce dependence on natural gas. The process entails a methanol decomposition reaction at moderate temperatures (<350 °C). Subsequently, the synthesis gas is compressed to 40 bar, stored, and discharged through a methanation process that can be conducted at high temperatures (>500 °C). The resulting methane is used as fuel for gas turbines and can also serve as feedstock in the chemical industry. The simulations were conducted in ASPEN HYSYS and yielded overall system efficiencies exceeding 29% and roundtrip efficiencies of 44%. Through techno-economic optimisation of the reaction conditions, competitive levelized fuel costs (LCOF) of €172/MWh and future LCOE values of €145/MWh were achieved. These findings present an innovative strategy for integrating gas turbine cycles and additional conversion pathways for green methanol. © 2023
Chemical industry; Combustion; Energy storage; Gas turbines; Methanol; Natural gas; Solar energy; Synthesis gas; Synthesis gas manufacture; CSP; Innovative solutions; Integration of renewable energies; Natural gas markets; Power production; Solar; Storage systems; Syn gas; Thermochemical energy storage; Turbine power; Methane; alternative energy; energy storage; methane; methanol; natural gas; storage structure; thermochemistry; turbine