[ software demonstration ]
Wind farm capacity factor (%)
90 % 80 % 70 % 60 % 50 % 40 % 30 % 20 % 10 % 0 %
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Month of the year
Fig . 5 . Variation in wind farm capacity factor throughout the year
and the limited surface water availability , a desalination plant is required .
Electrolyzers require pretreated , demineralized , and deionized water to prevent equipment damage from impurities . Considering the preliminary electrolyzer production capacity , the maximum water consumption is 121 ton / h of demineralized water for hydrogen production . For water treatment , the recommended process includes
chemical pretreatment for desalination ( screening , grit removal , chlorination , coagulation-flocculation , flotation , and filtration ) and demineralization using reverse osmosis and electro-deionization .
Technology selection Proton exchange membrane ( PEM ) technology is recommended due to the high variability of the power source . However , if SOEC electrolyzers reach commercial maturity at this scale , they could also be considered , as this rapidly evolving technology may offer better performance when combined with ammonia production .
The equipment used in the simulations is a virtual 4-MW model from the Southern Lights electrolyzer catalog , representing the standard characteristics of PEM alternatives in the current industry .
Cooling system Due to the environmental conditions and the scope of this study , a dry cooling system was considered for the electrolyzer and
Fig . 6 . Specifications and performance characteristics of a 4-MW PEM electrolyzer from the Southern Lights catalog
Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 19 | December 2024 35