Robust and Reliable Sizing of Multi-Energy Systems at the Local Scale
The decarbonization of territorial or industrial energy systems requires multi-vector integration (electricity, heat, gas) and optimized management of flexibilities (storage, flexible demand). However, uncertainties in exogenous data and those due to modeling choices limit the confidence in the sizing obtained by classical approaches (e.g., deterministic Mixed Integer Linear Programming models).
The post-doctoral research aims to evaluate and improve the robustness, reliability, and precision of sizing and KPIs (cost, CO2 emissions) under these uncertainties. The post-doctoral work will combine:
- A comparative analysis of existing approaches (scenario analysis, rolling horizon, MPC) using quantitative metrics (inspired, for example, by meteorology: robustness, reliability, precision).
- The implementation of a case study to serve as a benchmark, building upon existing work and generating scenarios and results.
- The development of a sizing approach that reduces the impact of uncertainties, with validation on realistic case studies.
MULTI-CRITERIA ANALYZES OF HYDROGEN PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES BY ELECTROLYSIS
LITEN, strongly involved in electrolysis technologies, wishes to compare via a multi-criteria analysis all electrolysis technologies currently available commercially (AEL, PEMEL), in the pre-industrialization phase (SOEL), or in R&D (AEMEL and PCCEL).
Our previous studies were based on specific use cases (fixed hypotheses on the size of the factory, the source of electricity, the technology, etc.).
The objective of this new work is to be able to position the different electrolysis technologies according to parameters which will be defined at the start of the project, these parameters being of a contextual type (e.g. number of operating hours, expected flexibility), technical ( ex yield, lifespan) or technical-economic (ex CAPEX OPEX) and environmental (ex GHG impacts, materials). The aim here will be to develop an original methodology which makes it possible to define the areas of relevance of each of the electrolysis technologies according to these parameters, depending for example on the cost of the hydrogen produced and its environmental impact
Process evaluation of 3rd generation biofuel production from micro-algae
CEA contributes to R&D activities in 3rd generation biofuel production from micro-algae by its fundamental research in biology (understanding of biological mechanism and improvement of microorganism performances) led by DSV at CEA Cadarache. LITEN Institute, belonging to CEA/DRT, investigates 2nd biofuel generation, from studies on resources (biomass, waste) up to industrial, economical and environmental integration.
This post doc fellow will use the different approaches developed at LITEN/DTBH to :
- perform a prospective study on process integration, for biofuel production from micro-algae,
- realize a technico-economical study of the more promising process solutions in the 2rd generation domain and industrial use of micro-algae,
- estimate the environmental impact (especially CO2) of these processes.
This work will take place in in frame of a collaboration of both labs (DSV/IBEB and DRT/LITEN/DTBH), the first one bringing its very fundamental knowledge on technical ability and performance of the micro-organism, the second one giving the knowledge on process and technico-economical evaluation of industrial reactor systems.
The post doc fellow, located in Grenoble, will go as needed in Cadarache to discuss with biology experts.
Hydrothermal carbonization as a pretreatment of wastes before their thermochemical conversion by gasification
Gasification, a thermochemical transformation generally performed at about 850°C, produces a gas that can be valorised in cogeneration, or for the synthesis of chemical products or fuels. Some bottlenecks are still present mainly for the gasification of biogenic or fossil origin wastes: irregular feeding in the reactor due to the heterogeneity in form and composition; formation of inorganic gaseous pollutants (HCl, KCl, NaCl, H2S) or organic ones (tars), which are harmful for the process and/or decrease its efficiency, and must be removed before the final application.
The objective of the post-doctoral work will be to test and optimize a pre-treatment step of the resource based on hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC). This transformation is performed at 180-250°C, in a wet and pressurised environment (2-10 MPa). The principal product is a carbonaceous solid residue (hydrochar), that can be valorised by gasification. HTC aims to limit the release of inorganic and organic pollutants in gasification, and to homogenise and improve the physical properties of the resource.
The proposed approach will consist in: experimentations in batch reactors on pre-selected resources and model materials, together with quantification and analyses of products; analysis of results aiming at elucidating the links between the resource and the properties of the hydrochar, as a function of operating conditions; an evaluation of mass and energy balances for the HTC-gasification process.
Modelling and evaluation of the future e-CO2 refinery
In the context of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the CEA has initiated a project in 2021 to assess the relevance of coupling a nuclear power system with a direct atmospheric carbon capture device (DAC) thanks to the use of the system's waste heat.
As a member of a team of about twenty experts(energy system evaluation, techno-economic engineering, energy system modeling, optimization and computer programming), you will participate in a research project on the modeling and evaluation of a CO2 refinery dedicated to the production of Jet Fuel fed by a nuclear reactor and coupled with an atmospheric CO2 capture process.