US 12,326,110 B1
Systems and methods of generating power using a hydrogen fuel system
Abdullah Nasser Al-Qahtani, Dhahran (SA); Hamad Mohammed Alowaiydh, Dammam (SA); Matlaq Mahdi Al-Qahtani, Safwa (SA); Abdulaziz Mutlaq Alotaibi, Juaymah (SA); Ali Hemoud Alshehri, Dhahran (SA); and Mohammed Salah Alhazzaa, Jubail (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Jun. 10, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/738,326.
Int. Cl. F02C 6/00 (2006.01); F02C 3/20 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F02C 9/16 (2006.01); F02C 9/26 (2006.01); F02C 9/28 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 6/00 (2013.01) [F02C 3/20 (2013.01); F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F02C 9/16 (2013.01); F02C 9/26 (2013.01); F02C 9/263 (2013.01); F02C 9/28 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hydrogen production and electricity generation system, comprising:
an electrolyzer operable to split water into oxygen and hydrogen, the oxygen being received in an oxygen line and the hydrogen being received in a hydrogen line;
a renewable power source that generates electricity to power the electrolyzer;
a combustion gas turbine that includes:
a first compressor that receives and compresses the oxygen in the oxygen line and thereby generates compressed oxygen;
a combustor that receives and combusts the compressed oxygen and a compressed hydrogen to generate a pressurized gas; and
a first turbine that receives and is driven by the pressurized gas;
a turbo-expander including a second turbine operatively coupled to a second compressor that receives and compresses the hydrogen in the hydrogen line and thereby generates the compressed hydrogen;
a first discharge line extending from the second compressor to the combustor, wherein the combustor receives the compressed hydrogen from the first discharge line;
an electrical generator operatively coupled to the first turbine such that driving the first turbine correspondingly drives the electrical generator and thereby generates electrical energy;
an oxygen storage tank in fluid communication with the first compressor to receive and store a portion of the compressed oxygen;
a hydrogen storage tank in fluid communication with the second compressor via a second discharge line extending from the second compressor to the hydrogen storage tank, wherein the hydrogen storage tank is configured to store a portion of the compressed hydrogen received from the second compressor via the second discharge line; and
a temperature control valve arranged in a branch line extending between an exhaust line of the second turbine and the hydrogen storage tank, the temperature control valve being operable to control a flow of exhaust from the second turbine into the hydrogen storage tank to regulate the real-time temperature of the hydrogen within the hydrogen storage tank,
wherein the hydrogen production and electricity generation system is operable in a first mode, where the compressed oxygen and the compressed hydrogen are provided to the combustor while the electrolyzer is powered by the renewable power source, and a second mode, where the renewable power source is unable to power the electrolyzer and the compressed oxygen and the compressed hydrogen are provided to the combustor from the oxygen and hydrogen storage tanks, respectively.