We have signed a licensing agreement for the hydrogen mitigation technology that was developed by the renowned U.S. Department of Energy’s NREL:
The system uses a palladium alloy membrane to separate and isolate hydrogen, which is then transferred via vacuum pumps into a catalytic oxidizer to be discharged as water vapor. A full-scale system was implemented at the Nevada Solar One power plant and has been operating successfully in 2022. In addition to removing hydrogen, the system includes inline, real-time measurements of hydrogen partial pressures.

Hydrogen extraction and measurement system installed at Nevada Solar One (NSO), Boulder City, Nevada

At Nevada Solar One, the investment for the process equipment is being paid back in less than one year. When compared to the nearly $20 million cost of replacing the degraded solar receivers over the field's lifetime, the integrated hydrogen sensor/separator module is not just a bargain—it is a game changer. As a bonus, the installation can be performed without any costly interruptions to the plant's generating schedule, increasing the technology's attractiveness to cost-conscious plant operators.

More information about the system

The system that was installed at Nevada Solar One is the first of its kind and represents a long-awaited solution in the CSP sector. This technology complements and strengthens our position as the leading provider of solutions for the hydrogen buildup problem in parabolic trough plants.

Here are some exemplary validation measurements with hydrogen extraction on. The difference between the yellow (extraction off) and blue points (extraction on) shows the modelled reduction of hydrogen for two exemplary days. In addition, the red points are measured hydrogen concentrations in the plant. These provide a good validation of the modelled hydrogen concentration with extraction of hydrogen: