How to Reduce Hydrogen Refueling Station Complexity
Most hydrogen refueling station providers and operators tell us they struggle with three main challenges:
1. Complexity & Constraints: Design engineers are faced with complex station designs which are required to satisfy certification and functionality requirements. With numerous subsystems such as the compressor, dispenser and storage panel, hundreds and hundreds of components are required to make the overall system work. Not even mentioning all the piping. Given the recent ramp up of hydrogen infrastructure projects, engineers also face time constraints. And at the same time, they have to ensure they keep up-to-speed with industry developments, evolving standards and growth demands
2. Reliability & Serviceability: Once the station is up and running, the operations team may have to grapple with unreliable and difficult to service components, which can lead to unplanned and expensive station downtime. In many cases, key components such as valves, regulators and filters were not designed specifically for hydrogen use and have a limited lifetime. And when things fail, servicing them is a complex and time-consuming undertaking.
3. Fragmented supply chains: Alongside complex design and operational issues, the importance of the supply chain and purchasing requirements for the station cannot be underestimated. Many operators are faced with a fragmented and difficult to manage supply chain; one that places upward pressure on total cost of ownership for the station lifecycle.
Our Solution: With experience in over 100 hydrogen refueling station projects here are our 3 key ways to tackle this complexity:
1. Electric actuation: An answer to reducing system complication lies in the specification of electric actuation solutions that help focus on reducing the number of subsystems needed. This provides cost and operational benefits by way of a significant reduction in the total number of components. In turn, delivering fewer potential leak points, higher component reliability and, ultimately, a less complex system design. System solution developments - including those supplied by us - are increasingly emerging to seamlessly facilitate a transition to purely electrically operated components. Both OpEx and CapEx considerations can be influenced through having less components to purchase, service, or at risk of failure. Add in the advantages of BUS systems to further reduce wiring complexity and electric actuation should be viewed as a real driver for system improvement across several areas.
2. Component integration: The promising attributes of manifolds equipped with modular functionality offer a credible solution. Through integration of different functions such as valves, regulators, and filters, it is feasible to reduce the overall quantity of fittings and piping. This not only eliminates potential leak points in the system, but it also delivers installation timescale benefits, as well as reducing the overall footprint of the station section. Such an approach has already gained traction in the development of CNG refueling stations, as well as traditional hydraulic applications.
3. Serviceability: The reliability of components so they deliver a prolonged and improved lifetime is key to operational efficiency. The remedy lies in cartridge type components which can be serviced without the need to remove the entire body from the piping. Again, potentially difficult servicing needs are mitigated, time is saved, and servicing costs minimized. Finally, condition monitoring of essential components can support overall aims to reduce complex system need and increase efficiencies. Integrated solutions that feature sensors and transmitters to monitor pressure and temperature are ideal in this sense. Generated data not only provides a transparent view on the status of the component, but it also enables better informed decision making for predictive maintenance schedules in the future.