Our Hydrogen Production Trials
Dolphyn is a world leading patented process technology. It uniquely builds on the most advanced technologies from the floating offshore wind and hydrogen sectors.
Dolphyn Hydrogen Production Trials
A UK First for Offshore Hydrogen Production
Through June and July 2024, Dolphyn Hydrogen undertook sea trials for our offshore Hydrogen Production Technology in Milford Haven, South Wales. This was a first for the UK’s emerging hydrogen energy sector.
The trials were a critical step on our journey towards commercial production, with demonstration that offshore production of hydrogen from seawater can be done safely and reliably in a marine environment.
The learnings and performance data gathered will inform the future design of full-scale Dolphyn units, which will be deployed at multiple locations over the next few years.
When did the Trials take place?
The trial facility was moored at the testing location in the pre-consented Marine Energy Test Area (META) site, near Pembroke Port which is operated by Marine Energy Wales. The test rig included all systems required for the safe and remote operation of the trial including water treatment/storage, electrolysis, power generation, control systems, hydrogen metering, and vent systems.
What was the purpose
of the trials?
The trials tested key areas of the hydrogen production process in floating conditions including monitoring the behaviors of the desalination and electrolyser equipment processes. The trials looked at the impacts of operating the system under variable power conditions as would be experienced when coupled with a wind turbine.
Key areas that were tested include:
- Understanding the impact of sea state and environmental conditions on operation and performance.
- Analysis of performance under variable load operation, for example in response to variable available power from a wind turbine.
- Performance of the system in response to changing simulated demand.
- Impact of variable water quality on the performance of the electrolyser (if possible).
This provided learning and performance data in real life conditions and provided an opportunity to oversee the operation of an end-to-end hydrogen production system from seawater intake, through desalination and PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolysis in a floating offshore environment.
What equipment was tested?
The trial system and all equipment was developed in 20ft ISO containers for efficient transportation and installation. The test facility contained all the equipment for water intake, desalination and electrolysis. It included all systems required for the safe operation of the trials including water treatment/storage, electrolysis, power generation, control systems, hydrogen metering, and vent systems.
The process:
- Via a filter, Sea water was taken up and filtered to remove suspended contaminants.
- In the desalination unit, Sea water was cleaned through a combination of filtration, reverse osmosis, and deionisation.
- Through electrolysis, the highly purified water was split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity provided by the generator.
- The chiller was required to maintain the electrolyser at the correct operating temperature.
Power input: The trial was powered by a generator using hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel.
Safety is front and centre of everything we do at Dolphyn Hydrogen, and our trials are no exception. The test facility included all systems required for the safe operation of the equipment. This included water treatment/ storage, electrolysis, power generation, control systems, hydrogen metering and vent systems as well as the general safety equipment one would expect to see when operating such a facility offshore.
Collecting key data allows improved performance modelling to be made for commercial scale Dolphyn units.
How was data collected?
The trials collected a large amount of data including environmental and physical data. We worked with the EmissionsAI team to produce a full digital twin, using deep engineering and advanced analytics to capture real-time performance data collected from the trial unit, and assess optimisation opportunities.
The digital twin collected real-time data from the barge and was hosted from a live dashboard.
How can I find out more?
We are keen that everyone gets an opportunity to learn more about hydrogen and how it can be generated and used safely.
These trials were a first step in Dolphyn’s plans to deploy large scale green hydrogen from floating offshore wind in Wales, the UK and further afield. We know there is no Net Zero without green hydrogen.
Please get in touch if you’d like to find out more.
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