Hydro-Gen: Air-Port 2.0 Innovation. Trigeneration system powered by green hydrogen for a small-medium air-port

This Ph.D. thesis investigates the design, simulation, and performance of a modular trigeneration system powered by green hydrogen (produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, using only renewable electricity), named “Hydro-Gen”, specifically tailored for small- to medium-sized airport infrastructures. The overarching objective is to assess the technical feasibility, energy efficiency, and economic viability of integrating hydrogen-based energy systems into airport operations, with the aim of reducing primary energy consumption and operating costs. The study is motivated by the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions in critical infrastructures, particularly in light of global decarbonization targets and the increasing electrification of airport services. In particular, the operation of an advanced containerized modular trigeneration system, referred to as “Hydro-Gen” and based on green hydrogen-powered fuel cells, is numerically analysed by using the TRNSYS simulation software. The system is evaluated while supplying thermal, cooling and electric energy to a small-to-medium scale airport with the fuel cells running under thermal load-following control or electric load-following strategy. The energy and economic performance of the proposed “Hydro-Gen” system have been contrasted against a reference scenario that relies entirely on electricity supplied by the central grid in order to assess the potential benefits. The research is structured around two core tasks. First, it develops a comprehensive simulation model capable of capturing the dynamic interactions between the “Hydro-Gen” system’s main components: Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), lithium-iron-phosphate battery packs, sensible thermal energy storage (STES), and adsorption chillers. Second, it evaluates the “Hydro-Gen” system’s performance under two distinct control strategies (electrical load-following and thermal load-following), comparing their energy and economic outcomes against a conventional baseline system based on separate energy generation. To complete these tasks, this Ph.D. thesis adopts a rigorous simulation-based methodology. The “Hydro-Gen” system is modelled using the TRNSYS software environment (widely used in the scientific literature), enabling accurate modelling of system’s components under transient operation and high-resolution temporal analysis of energy flows and interactions. The simulation spans a full annual cycle and incorporates real-world climate data and load profiles derived from typical airport operations. Two control strategies are implemented, reflecting potential operational priorities in airport settings where energy needs vary significantly across seasons and time of day. The analysis is performed with reference to the Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, assumed as reference case (based on its representative scale and the availability of detailed energy consumption data). The performance of the Hydro-Gen system is assessed using well-known key indicators, including Primary Energy Saving (PES) and Operating Cost Difference (ΔOC), where PES quantifies the reduction of primary energy consumption against to the baseline, while ΔOC evaluates the system’s economic competitiveness in terms of operating costs. This Ph.D. thesis is organized into six chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the context and motivation, emphasizing the strategic role of hydrogen technologies in the transition toward low-carbon airport infrastructures. Chapter 2 provides a detailed analysis of airport energy requirements, explaining the rationale for selecting the Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport as reference case as well as describing related energy demand profiles. Chapter 3 presents the design of the “Hydro-Gen” system, detailing the operating scheme, the characteristics of its components and related control logics with reference to a modular containerized architecture serving the selected airport. Chapter 4 outlines the simulation setup developed in the TRNSYS environment, including the models adopted for simulating the PEMFCs, the batteries, the thermal energy storages, the control logics, the climatic data, the energy demands, etc. Chapter 5 defines the methodology for evaluating the system’s energy and economic performance (via the PES and ΔOC parameters) and compares two control strategies against a conventional scenario assumed as reference. Chapter 6 presents the simulation results in terms of PES and ΔOC, highlighting that both control logics can provide significant savings in terms of primary energy consumption, while the difference in terms of operating cost is strongly dependent on the unit cost of green hydrogen. The section “Conclusions” summarizes the key findings and discusses their implications for future airport energy systems. It emphasizes the potential of hydrogen-based trigeneration to enhance energy autonomy, reduce environmental impact, and support the integration of renewable energy sources. It also outlines recommendations for future research, including the development of hybrid control strategies, real-world pilot implementations, and life-cycle sustainability assessments. In summary, this Ph.D. thesis contributes to the growing body of knowledge on hydrogen energy systems by demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of a modular, containerized trigeneration solution for airport applications. Through detailed simulation and performance analysis, it provides a robust framework for evaluating and optimizing such systems, paving the way for their adoption in the broader context of sustainable infrastructure development.