(Berlin) - The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) is building a digitally networked research filling station for hydrogen at its test site in Horstwalde near Berlin. The aim is to “increase the safety and economic efficiency of such systems and thus the entire hydrogen infrastructure in Germany and to promote trust in modern hydrogen technologies”.
High demands on operational safety
The operation of a hydrogen filling station places “special demands on its safety and quality”. The energy source is delivered by transport vehicles at 500 bar and stored in compressed gas containers. Before refueling, the gas is compressed to 1.000 bar and then cooled to minus 40 degrees to enable rapid refueling, the authority explains. “All processes involve great stress on the components involved and their materials.”
In practice, compressed gas storage, pipes, compressors and refrigeration systems at a hydrogen filling station would have to be checked at regular maintenance intervals. The inspections are associated with several days of downtime and high costs - a major disadvantage for customers given the currently hardly developed gas station network.
Increase safety, reduce maintenance times
With continuous digitalization of printing technology, inspection times can be controlled intelligently and thus further increase the cost-effectiveness, safety and at the same time the availability of hydrogen filling stations. With the research facility, all components are digitally networked, the data collected with sensors is evaluated centrally and the entire station is mapped in a digital twin.
“In this way, innovative maintenance concepts can be used, which in the future can shorten or completely replace the previous analog methods.” The knowledge gained should be incorporated into standards and regulations.
The pilot project is being funded with around eight million euros by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection as part of the Quality Infrastructure Digital (QI-Digital) initiative. In addition to BAM, the German Accreditation Body, the German Institute for Standardization, the German Commission for Electrical Engineering and the Physical-Technical Federal Institute are also involved.
Pipeline experimental platform
BAM is already building one on the twelve square kilometer test site in Brandenburg, where the hydrogen filling station is also being built Experimental platform for hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas pipelines. The system consists of several modules, the first of which will go into operation in early 2023. In April, the authority put the costs at 3,8 million euros.
A high-pressure test stand up to 1.000 bar, a test field for liquid hydrogen and a test hall for hydrogen storage are also planned there.
Photos
The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing is investigating the processes and requirements at hydrogen filling stations using a digital twin. © BAM
