Dresden-based electrolyser manufacturer Sunfire GmbH and Salzgitter AG have launched the third round of their research collaboration with TU Bergakademie Freiberg GrInHy3.0 on the industrial use of high-temperature electrolysis in steel production. The revised SOEC stacks from Sunfire are now set to work even more robustly and efficiently.
In the GrInHy3.0 research project, the project partners want to integrate what Sunfire describes as a more efficient and robust version of the SOEC stack technology into the hydrogen network of the Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH steelworks.
The system produces around 16.5 kg of hydrogen per hour. Salzgitter intends to use this for the direct reduction of iron ore in the µDral pilot plant, among other things.
Stacks produced 190 tons of H₂
GrInHy3.0 builds on the cooperation of the GrInHy ("Green Industrial Hydrogen") project series. In the previous project, Sunfire's SOEC electrolyzer achieved a record efficiency of 84%.
After more than 19,000 operating hours and 190 tons of hydrogen produced, the existing eight modules will now be replaced. Two new test modules with an output of 540 kW will be integrated into the existing infrastructure. They will provide important findings for the upcoming series production of the SOEC stacks. Commissioning of the test plant is planned for 2024.
As the SOEC electrolyzers split water vapour into oxygen and hydrogen at a temperature of 850 °C, the material is subjected to high stresses. Sunfire has therefore further developed the temperature resistance and resilience of its stacks in particular.
TU investigates reuse and recycling of the stacks
The TU Bergakademie Freiberg completes the project consortium. Researchers at the Institute of Nonferrous Metallurgy and High-Purity Materials are looking at various aspects of sustainability and, among other things, examining the possibilities of recycling and reusing the components. They are also investigating the life cycle of the SOEC stacks.
The GrInHy3.0 research project will run until 2027 and is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). The research series is part of Salzgitter's Salcos program.
