HYBRID HYDROGEN FURNANCE (3H2)

The main objective of 3H2 is to investigate the technical and critical aspects related to the use of green hydrogen and natural gas mixtures on the use of industrial crematory incinerators and how to digitalize/automate the process. The project proposes the partial substitution of up to 30% of the fuel currently used (mainly natural gas and diesel) by hydrogen in crematory furnaces, analyzing all those aspects that affect the combustion itself, and other effects that may occur in the furnace and downstream equipment. For this purpose, an industrial prototype of a hybrid crematory furnace will be designed, built, and experimentally tested to demonstrate the technical feasibility of this technology in different scenarios of natural gas substitution by hydrogen. The technical and economic problems that it may entail will be evaluated so that we can be aware of them for future R&D stages. Nowadays there is no equipment of these characteristics on the market. Aspects of hydrogen supply will be addressed, in a sustainable and profitable way in the medium-long term, in the H2 implementation scenarios proposed by the European Union. Therefore, models of hydrogen self-generation by electrolysis will be studied, sizing it according to the H2 consumption of industrial end users and its integration with on-site solar energy, as well as models of purchase and supply of this hydrogen within gas companies that produce it on a large scale at more competitive prices. Different business models will also be studied through which this technology can be implemented at a commercial level in mortuaries, demonstrating its technical and economic feasibility. Through advanced digital technologies, solutions will be established to enable remote operation and monitoring of the furnace, with minimal operator intervention and other elements of cybersecurity and traceability through ID scanning.