The outcome of this project will be the demonstration of a novel 100% hydrogen metering system that is currently in development. The meter will be tested alongside other metering technologies to validate its capability and accuracy. Metering of up to 30% hydrogen is possible with small changes to current systems but 100% hydrogen requires a new metering system. A test skid will be built to enable testing and to understand the accuracy of the novel flow metering technologies in Hydrogen at high pressure. Determining the changes that need to take place to continue maintaining an accurate energy balance for consumers in a net zero network.
Benefits
Utilising our FutureGrid facility, this project shall provide evidence that we can accurately measure significant volumes of Hydrogen on and off our network, for the benefit of our 100% H2 backbone "Project Union". This will demonstrate that we are able to continue managing the energy balance of a Hydrogen network, as we do today for a natural gas network.
Learnings
Outcomes
Progress 2023/24
This project has moved through design stages and is now in fabrication. The important outcome from this project will be the understanding of different metering technologies performance for hydrogen transmission. This will be provided in the final reports, September 2024.
Lessons Learnt
The project set out to deliver the following New Learning which could inform future projects:
1. To gain better knowledge of the optimum metering technology solution for metering of hydrogen.
2. To compare and analyse the performance of different metering technologies in hydrogen.
3. To specifically analyse the performance of SICK’s new 100% Hydrogen Meter and gauge it’s potential for wider network rollout when appropriate.
The SICK meter is at high TRL as a commercially available product, the outcome of this project may see it come to full TRL if it performs well.
This project will also inform National Gas Transmission’s strategy for process metering technologies, by testing the PF turbine meter. The project will also be able to compare result from the existing orifice plate skid at Future Grid to the 100% hydrogen skid, to understand how the orifice plates perform in 100% hydrogen.
If the SICK meter is found to have performed well, it possible that the technology could be applied across the NTS for metering purposes, including custody transfer.
The output of this project will inform National Gas Transmission investment strategy for instrumentation and metering, as the network looks towards becoming hydrogen-ready.
The project team discovered early on that the turbine meter chosen as a reference was not suitable, as it doesn't provide the required accuracy. A turbine meter was kept on the skid to represent current metering technologies; however the reference meter was changed to a coriolis. This change highlighted the important of integrating technical expertise more thoroughly, early in the development phases of a new project. This could be achieved in the future by increasing early consultations with SME’s (subject matter experts) within National Gas Transmission.