In the context of future electromobility, fuel cell drives are an important option for passenger cars as well as for buses and trucks. The network of hydrogen filling stations required for this is currently already being set up for the passenger car sector. For the heavy-duty sector (including buses and trucks), the refuelling station infrastructure is still largely lacking. Many aspects here therefore still offer considerable potential for development and optimization, starting with the dimensioning and pressure levels of the hydrogen storage tanks and extending to valve technology and cooling technology.
Mathematical models of a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) offer the opportunity to investigate different influencing factors without great expenditure of time and money. Variations of the hardware, different system configurations or utilization variants could be simulated and analysed with the help of such models without great effort and at low cost.
As part of the BMWi-funded research project "Development and experimental validation of models for the process engineering design and techno-economic evaluation of hydrogen refueling stations (HRS model)”, the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center (ZBT) and the Chair of Energy Technology (LET) at the University of Duisburg-Essen are working together to improve hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS). The project is a joint industrial research (IGF) project of the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations "Otto von Guericke" e.V. (AiF).
The two research institutes will develop simulation models of the most important components of hydrogen filling stations, such as compressors, storage tanks for different pressure levels, pipelines, fittings and cooling systems, and validate them by means of measurements at the hydrogen test field of the ZBT. For this purpose, corresponding measuring point concepts will be developed in order to be able to measure the components in a targeted manner.
Based on the component models, an overall filling station model will then be created in order to analyse and evaluate different HRS configurations and the influence of important parameters, such as the frequency and hydrogen throughput of the filling station. For this purpose, a qualitative and quantitative economic analysis will be performed to draw conclusions on an economic optimization of an HRS.
The project committee, which meets every six months and consists of numerous company partners, companies from the various fields of hydrogen technology and filling station supply technology, as well as filling station operators, is available to advise the two research institutions.
