2 HERO An exciting clean energy source
Despite the potential power of MSR nuclear power and its inherent safety, the word nuclear still frightens many people. An additional potential source of clean source of base energy is HERO.
Star Scientific Limited in Sidney, Australia, has developed an exciting new clean energy source called Hydrogen Energy Release Optimizer or HERO. The technology performs the flameless, catalytic oxidation of hydrogen gas to produce heat and water. The amount of fuel supplied controls the temperature. The catalyst is not degraded in the reaction and, because it starts working at room temperature, doesn’t require preheating or an external heat source. Temperatures as high as 700 0C can be obtained.
HERO® takes a number of forms, the most common being a coating on a metallic substrate. In this configuration, the heat produced by the reaction is transferred to the working medium by conduction, which is far more efficient than transferring heat through radiation.
Star Scientific Limited has produced high-quality steam within a laboratory and is currently upscaling to a demonstration unit. These efforts will ultimately result in a system capable of generating sufficient quantities of high-quality steam to operate a turbine producing electrical power. At the other end of the scale, it’s also suitable for powering Stirling engines.
They propose that the hydrogen will be produced by electrolysis or other means, using renewable energy sources. A recent publication by Peng et al (1) describes an efficient catalytic mechanism for the production of hydrogen requiring less energy than hydrolysis.
BENEFITS OF HERO®
1. Clean And Green
- This single energy source has the potential to end the world’s reliance on fossil and fissionable fuels.
- HERO® only uses hydrogen, which is easily and economically extracted from an abundant natural supply.
- No greenhouse gases or other harmful emissions are produced.
- The only waste produced is pure water.
- HERO® is very safe because it doesn’t rely on combustion.
- A HERO® generator can be built to virtually any size specification to meet requirements.
- This technology will drive a green hydrogen economy, with industries being created and struggling sectors rejuvenated through access to cheap, clean energy.
In addition to generally supplying heat and electricity, HERO can supply the power needed to convert recovered CO2 into fuel and other chemicals, i.e. Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU).
Once shown to be scalable, the Comings Foundation will support the development, utilization and integration of HERO into other areas of combating climate change.
1 Peng, et al: Ruthenium Ion‐Complexed Graphitic Carbon Nitride Nanosheets Supported on Reduced Graphene Oxide as High‐Performance Catalysts for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution
ChemSusChem 11:130-136,2018