Numerical study on salt cavern behaviors of bedded rock salt for hydrogen storage (Tienda española)

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Driven by the dual carbon goals and the increasing demand for pure hydrogen, it is imperative to develop large-scale underground hydrogen storage (UHS) in China. Hydrogen, with its low molecular weight, density, and viscosity, is highly mobile. Due to salt rock’s exceptionally low permeability, excellent creep properties, and non-reactivity with hydrogen, salt caverns are ideal for storing pure hydrogen. However, unlike the salt dome found in Western countries, China’s salt formations are typically bedded and characterized by thin individual interlayers and the presence of impurities.
The UHS in bedded rock salt faces three challenges:
(1) the stability and usability of cavern related to rock salt creep behavior;
(2) the sealing ability of salt cavern related to preventing H2 penetration;
(3) the H2 penetration in interlayer.
To address the research gap and solve the corresponding challenges, using TOUGH2MP and FLAC 3D simulator, this thesis comprehensively investigates the salt cavern behavior in bedded rock salt for hydrogen storage, based on establishing site selection criteria for UHS in bedded rock salt and a feasibility case study for short- and long-term hydrogen storage in Anning salt mine.