Powering Sustainable Mobility for Generations to Come

Decarbonization journey gathers momentum

In the race to decarbonize public transport and mobility in general, hydrogen is emerging as an increasingly promising option – for a variety of reasons. Hydrogen-powered mobility combines zero tailpipe emissions with long ranges, rapid and quiet refueling, robustness to climatic variations, ease of scalability, sourcing flexibility and freedom from the constraints of grid electricity.

Here at Linde, we firmly believe that hydrogen (H₂) is the fuel of choice for urban and longer-distance transport as it combines sustainability with the efficiency needed for the best possible user experience.

Cryo Pump highlights:
Our Cryo Pump is the solution of choice for liquid hydrogen. The LH₂ flows into the first of two pump chambers at a temperature of −253°C. This two-chamber system is completely immersed in the cryogenic liquid. The upward movement of the piston compresses the hydrogen to approximately 6 bar and simultaneously pumps it into the second chamber. There, it is further compressed to 900 bar, where it becomes gaseous and the right pressure for fueling vehicles. Subsequently, the temperature of the cryogenic gas is increased up to the fueling temperature of −40° C. During all of these process steps, the high purity level of the hydrogen is maintained. In addition to its small footprint and high capacity, the Cryo Pump minimizes the energy required by the fueling station. Because it compresses liquid hydrogen directly, the Cryo Pump only needs 10–20 percent of the energy required by a conventional compressor. The compressed hydrogen flows through a sophisticated cooling system directly into the car. This eliminates the need for an external cooling system for the supply line. And the low-maintenance design cuts operating costs further.

Ionic Compressor highlights:
Designed to handle gaseous hydrogen, our patented Ionic Compressor uses five hydraulic pistons to gradually compress hydrogen to just the right pressure. Hydraulic oil below the pistons enables them to move up and down. Highlights of this compressor include the use of an ionic liquid, which does not bond with the gas. The ionic liquid on top of the pistons is compressed along with the hydrogen as a result of the upward movement. It acts as both a lubricant and coolant, and thus significantly reduces wear and tear. Additionally, the Ionic Compressor has fewer moving parts than a typical piston compressor. The liquid also increases the compressor’s energy efficiency due to better cooling and fewer dead spots during the compression process. At the end of the compression cycle, any ionic liquid molecules in the hydrogen are separated and fed back to the process flow. By eliminating the need for lubricants, the Ionic Compressor protects the hydrogen against the risk of contamination. This ensures high purity levels, making the compressor ideal, for example, for purity-critical fuel-cell applications.

We deliver end-to-end, fully integrated H₂ refueling stations to meet growing demand for zero-emissions mobility. All of our refueling technologies offer leading performance – both in terms of capacity and energy efficiency over the broadest inlet pressure range available on the market. Highlights include the lowest possible total cost of ownership (TCO), enabled by low operating costs combined with complementary services such as preventive maintenance, express spare part deliveries, remote troubleshooting and ongoing support.

Customers can also rely on us for benchmark reliability as measured through system availability and the success rate for first fueling attempts. In addition, modularized designs, choice of reliable supply modes (trailer, tank or pipeline), and support for both 350- and 700-bar refueling pressures all take flexibility and scalability to the next level.

Low noise and small footprints further simplify deployment through ease of integration into urban environments. Last but not least, all our compressors and pumps are designed, built and operated to the highest safety standards, reflecting our longest operational experience and type testing history, our robust safety philosophy, and our active role in advancing safety standards.

Complementing our standardized, modularized fueling station systems, our consultants also team up with our customers to realize individual or special requests – whether that be for larger fueling capacities, combined gaseous and liquid fueling models or integration into existing fueling stations.

In short, customers can count on us for everything from the manufacture of dispensers to end-to-end execution of complete fueling stations. Thanks to our global footprint, these services are available worldwide.