New technology suppresses temperature rise during hydrogen charging, enabling safer, more efficient refueling

The world’s first know-how to essentially stop temperature rise throughout high-pressure hydrogen charging has been developed. This innovation considerably shortens refueling time and reduces the price of establishing and working hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

By tremendously enhancing the security and effectivity of hydrogen refueling techniques, the technology is predicted to speed up the adoption of hydrogen mobility and infrastructure, finally strengthening international competitiveness within the hydrogen economic system.

A analysis staff led by Principal Researcher Dae-Hwan Kim on the Nuclear Gear Verification Laboratory of the Busan Equipment Know-how Analysis Middle beneath the Korea Institute of Equipment and Supplies (KIMM) has efficiently developed and demonstrated this new know-how utilizing an incompressible fluid.

By means of 350-bar hydrogen charging demonstration checks, the staff proved that the inner temperature rise of the tank will be suppressed to inside 5°C, enabling hydrogen charging with none want for pre-cooling.

Historically, hydrogen refueling has relied on injecting hydrogen cooled to -40°C to stop an increase in temperature throughout charging. Nonetheless, this technique leads to longer charging occasions and requires extra cooling techniques, which in flip will increase infrastructure prices.

The newly developed technique stands out by essentially eliminating temperature rise utilizing an incompressible fluid, enabling protected and steady hydrogen charging with no cooling system.

The precept behind the know-how entails pre-filling the hydrogen tank with an incompressible fluid (equivalent to water) earlier than charging. As hydrogen is launched, the fluid is concurrently extracted, stopping adiabatic compression inside the tank. This course of mitigates the fast temperature improve of hydrogen and the corresponding rise in inside strain, permitting sooner and extra environment friendly refueling.

This innovation not solely improves charging pace in comparison with current strategies, but additionally retains temperature beneath management—enhancing person comfort and financial advantages for infrastructure operators.

Because it doesn’t require high-performance cooling techniques, it additionally provides a considerable discount in facility setup and upkeep prices. Moreover, by stopping thermal degradation of inside tank parts, it improves long-term sturdiness, additional reducing upkeep prices for hydrogen automobiles and infrastructure.

Principal Researcher Dae-Hwan Kim said, “This newly developed technology overcomes the limitations of existing hydrogen charging methods and dramatically improves infrastructure efficiency. We are currently exploring its potential application not only in vehicles, but also in large-capacity hydrogen containers used in ships, trains, and military vehicles. This will be a pivotal technological advancement for promoting the hydrogen economy and securing global market competitiveness.”

This research was carried out beneath the initiative, “Industrial Support and Planning for Promising Future Mechanical Technologies—Development of Temperature Rise Prevention Technology for Hydrogen Tanks During Refueling.”