# Centralized Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Sulfur-Iodine Process

This figure represents a process for hydrogen production from nuclear
energy that utilizes the sulfur-iodine thermochemical water splitting
process. In this configuration, the high temperature heat from advanced
the nuclear reactors are used as the energy source for the sulfur-iodine
thermochemical process to produce hydrogen from water. The produced
hydrogen is scrubbed of impurities at low pressure and is compressed to
deliver the hydrogen to the distribution system. The petroleum energy
use and CO~2~ emissions from this process are associated with the
electricity needed to operate the process as well as the energy needed
for hydrogen delivery.

Only a Future case is shown because this technology is in a relatively
early stage of development.

![](media/image1.wmf){width="6.4944444444444445in"
height="3.7534722222222223in"}

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  **Well-to-Wheels Energy                                   
  and Greenhouse Gas                                        
  Emissions Data**                                          

                            **Current       **Current       **Future (2030)
                            (2005) Gasoline (2005) Gasoline Nuclear Sulfur
                            ICE Vehicle**   Hybrid Electric Iodine - FCV**
                                            Vehicle**       

  **Well-to-Wheels Total    5,900           4,200           4,700
  Energy Use (Btu/mile)**                                   

  **Well-to-Wheels          5,300           3,800           40
  Petroleum Energy Use                                      
  (Btu/mile)**                                              

  **Well-to-Wheels          470             340             60
  Greenhouse Gas Emissions                                  
  (g/mile)**                                                

  **Cost of Hydrogen                                        3.20
  (\$/gge, Delivered)**                                     
  ------------------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------

> **Notes: Centralized Hydrogen Production from Nuclear Sulfur-Iodine
> Process**

1.  Source: Well-to-wheels energy, petroleum and greenhouse gas
    emissions information from the Argonne National Laboratory GREET
    model, Version 1.7. Well-to-wheels values represent primary fuel
    production, electricity production, hydrogen production, and
    hydrogen delivery, Fossil resource exploration and equipment
    manufacture is not included.

2.  Source: Cost, resource requirements, energy requirements, all fuel
    and feedstock energy contents, and efficiency values from the
    National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the H2A model, Version
    1.0.9 for a Central Nuclear Sulfur-Iodine Thermo-chemical plant with
    the capacity of 768,000 kg/day.

3.  Basis is 1 kg of hydrogen, dispensed from filling station for 5,000
    psi fills. A kg of hydrogen contains approximately the same amount
    of energy as one gallon of gasoline, or one gallon of gasoline
    equivalent (gge).

4.  Diagram is for Future (2030) case. Flows in diagram represent direct
    energy and emissions between production and dispensing, and are not
    based on well-to-wheels calculations.

5.  The petroleum use and resultant GHG emissions are associated with
    the grid electricity for the production process and hydrogen
    delivery.

6.  Cost of hydrogen delivery is assumed to be \$1.00/kg. Hydrogen is
    assumed to be received at the forecourt as gaseous hydrogen at 250
    psi by pipeline and dispensed for 5,000 psi fills. The cost of the
    forecourt operations is included in the delivery cost.

7.  Efficiency results are presented in terms of lower heating value
    (LHV) of hydrogen.

8.  Nuclear Fuel Cycle Cost of 9.3\$/MWh - based on U3O8 \@38\$/lb,
    enriched @ \$55/SWU (separative work unit). SWU and uranium prices
    are the levelized prices over 40 years assuming a 10% discount rate
    and a 10.2% capital recovery factor applied to data from EIA and
    extrapolated in the PNNL Mini-Cam model. See
    [www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/forecast/projection.html](http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/nuclear/page/forecast/projection.html)

9.  Future (2030) case assumes pipeline compressed gas delivery to the
    forecourt station. Pipeline energy use calculated using the H2A
    Delivery Models.

10. The efficiency of the electric forecourt compressor, which raises
    the pressure of the gaseous hydrogen for 5,000 psi fills, is 94%.

11. The operating capacity factor of the production plant is 90%.

12. Electricity is consumed by the process for compression and plant
    operations. Electricity price is based on the 2015 projection for
    industrial-rate electricity by the Department of Energy's Energy
    Information Administration Annual Energy Outlook 2005 High A case.
    Price shown in table is in 2005 \$. Electricity is inflated at
    1.9%/year for the 40 year operating life of the plant.

13. The levelized capital cost \$1.30/kg hydrogen.

14. Cost of hydrogen is the minimum required to obtain a 10% internal
    rate of return after taxes on the capital investment.

15. The data relevant to the Centralized Hydrogen Production from the
    Nuclear Sulfur-Iodine technology diagram above is provided in the
    table below.

  ------------------------------------------------- ---------------------
                                                    **Future (2030)
                                                    Nuclear Sulfur
                                                    Iodine - FCV**

  **Nuclear Cycle Feedstock Price**                 See note #8

  **Energy in Feedstock (Btu)**                     258,000

  **Electricity Price (\$/kWh)**                    0.052

  **Energy Losses from Process (Btu)**              148,000

  **Pressure of Hydrogen from Production (psi)**    300

  **Energy Use Delivery at the Forecourt (Btu)**    7,200

  **Energy Use for Delivery Transport (Btu)**       2,000

  **Pressure of Hydrogen from Dispenser (psi)**     5,000

  **Plant Gate Energy Use Including Feedstock       264,000
  (Btu)**                                           

  **42%Production Process Efficiency**              **44%**

  Pathway Efficiency                                
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