The Linde Group has developed a new storage technology that will enable a much more efficient transport of larger amounts of compressed hydrogen.
The new solution works at a higher pressure of 500 bar (7,250 psi) and uses new, lighter storage materials to more than double the amount of compressed gaseous hydrogen (CGH2) that can be transported in a single truck load. Successful field tests with the first reference customer have confirmed the clear benefits of the 500-bar technology over conventional 200-bar systems.
“Our 500-bar technology is another important milestone for hydrogen mobility,” says Dr Andreas Opfermann, head of clean energy and innovation management at Linde. “It cuts the cost of transporting hydrogen to fueling stations and reduces the amount of space required on site to store the gas.”
Linde has opened a 500-bar fueling station at its gases center in Leuna, in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. Linde developed the new 500-bar trailers in collaboration with compressed gas storage specialist Wystrach GmbH. Each trailer features 100 lightweight composite storage elements developed in collaboration with xperion Energy & Environment GmbH.
A single trailer can transport over 1,100 kilograms (2,425 pounds), or 13,000 normal cubic metres (459,090 cubic feet), of hydrogen gas. In addition, the trailers can now be filled and emptied in less than 60 minutes. This innovative technology reflects Linde's commitment to continually optimizing the hydrogen value chain. It gives bulk customers a cost-effective alternative to existing cryogenic transport solutions for liquid hydrogen (LH2).
Linde also plans to incorporate the new technology into its hydrogen fueling station concepts.