Hydrogen Refueling Stations (HRSs) are complex systems of equipment, machinery and controls that must operate harmoniously without failure. However, even mature light-duty HRSs are plagued with reliability issues. At any given time, 50 percent of the existing light-duty HRSs are non-operational due to maintenance activities for the HRS technology. While most light-duty HRSs have been in operation for over 10 years, medium- and heavy-duty HRSs are just now emerging. The reliability and technology maturity issues experienced with light-duty stations are expected to not only persist but be exacerbated in medium- and heavy-duty station designs.
Advancing Hydrogen Refueling Station Capabilities
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) launched the Hydrogen Heavy Duty Refueling Equipment and Facilities Utilization Evaluation Laboratory (H2HD REFUEL) Consortium to strengthen the acceptance of hydrogen fuel use by heavy-duty vehicles through hands-on experiments, system modeling and theoretical studies on existing and potential HRS technology. By focusing on the advancement of these HRS technologies, this consortium has the potential to help the mobility industry meet its decarbonization and zero-emissions goals.
H2HD REFUEL Consortium Goals
H2HD REFUEL is a joint industry project (JIP) that aims to bring together vehicle OEMs, station operators and suppliers to fuel the growth and acceptance of the heavy-duty hydrogen industry through collaborative targeted research to enhance the state-of-the-art HRS technologies and systems. The consortium will include a mix of experimental programs to quantify and compare hydrogen technology performance, paper studies to model system performance, evaluate up-and-coming technologies, and consolidate useful information members can use for future HRS designs. Potential projects this consortium could perform include:
- LH2 Boil-off study: measure boil-off from SwRI’s liquid hydrogen storage tank system, identify likely sources of losses in other LH2 systems, investigate the delivery process and losses during that process
- Hydrogen leak detection and safety system evaluation: Evaluation of leak detection technology for on-board vehicles or refueling stations
- Engage vehicle OEMS: host a workshop between refueling industry personnel and vehicle OEMs to discuss future technology and which fuel the OEMs will likely pursue.
- Onboard storage technology evaluation: Evaluate traditional and future onboard storage technologies, including cryo-compressed tanks and sub-cooled liquid. Use vehicle OEM feedback and SwRI’s vehicle knowledge to determine the feasibility and technology changes required for a switch (and the vehicle OEMs interest in making that switch).
- Station control schemes: evaluate existing station issues with controls and improve prediction of component failures. Overall system modeling to solve other identified issues.
- Cryo-pump testing: perform comparative performance testing on high-pressure cryo-pumps (starting with 350 bar range with available storage) to determine technology gaps, identify up-and-coming technologies.
- Gaseous compressor testing: comparative performance testing in high-pressure compressors across available technologies, and identify up-and-coming technologies
- Flow component testing: comparative performance testing on gaseous or liquid flow components across available technologies, identify up-and-coming technologies.
- Future H2 infrastructure study: Consolidate a summary report on future hydrogen infrastructure or technology advancements.
- Standards evaluation: literature reviews to evaluate the effectiveness or wide-spread applicability of existing standards, or experimental demonstration of standards to evaluate the effectiveness of standard.
- Other: SwRI will seek input from members to identify additional goals as we share knowledge, expand upon the initial scope of research and encourage new development initiatives.
Membership
For membership and other questions, please contact Angel Wileman or call +1 210 522 2657.
Related Research
H2-ICE consortium hydrogen combustion vehicle.
Southwest Research Institute is home to several hydrogen-energy-related initiatives, including the H2-ICE consortium, which completed the construction of a hydrogen internal combustion engine-powered heavy-duty vehicle (pictured right), and an on-site liquid hydrogen storage tank capable of holding up to 17,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen. These capabilities will aid H2HD Refuel efforts. Visit Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2-ICE) Consortium to learn more.