Electric drives belong to the future of emission-free mobility. For short distances in urban operation, electric energy is best stored in a high-voltage battery. For longer distances and short refuelling times, chemical storage in the form of hydrogen and its subsequent conversion into electricity in a fuel cell on board the vehicle is suitable.

The status of the technology now in hydrogen vehicle storage is the capacity to store 700 bar of compressed hydrogen at ambient temperature (CGH2). Through the refuelling and storage of cryogenic gaseous hydrogen in a cryogenic pressurised storage unit at up to 350 bar (CcH2), the energy density of a 700 bar storage unit can be raised by more than 50 %. At the same time the cooling of the fuel cell drive can be improved through the cold stored in the cryogenic pressure tank, thus guaranteeing high continuous performance.

Standardising CGH2 storage up to 700 bar is already far advanced. A comprehensive database comprising validation processes is available.

The aim of the CryoCode project is to prepare standardisation and type approval of hydrogen cryogenic pressure storage technology through extensive validation tests. In the process, the required functions, operational reliability and system performance of the tank system and of refuelling will be established and a standard recommendation will be developed.

Funding Code
03BV136