A: One more benefit of Coriolis technology that makes it ideally suited for these applications is that it’s a completely welded assembly. The only connections are the inflow and the outflow of the meter. And the other thing about Coriolis meters, of course, is that they're extremely reliable. Once one's been installed and is out there operating in the field, the likelihood of that meter ever needing any kind of maintenance is slim to none. That eliminates the need for anybody to open the dispenser because of the flowmeter, which is another way of improving safety by reducing the need for any human interaction.
Q: I understand that a companion product, the HPC020 will soon be introduced to the market. A bigger model number would seem to indicate greater capabilities. Can you explain how that new meter complements and extends the features and specifications of the HPC015?
A: From what we've seen in the hydrogen dispensing market, OEMs want a complete solution in dispensing for light-duty vehicles and medium/heavy-duty vehicle refueling at the station, so that a car and a delivery truck or semi can fill up at the same station or even the same dispensing unit. Additionally, they want that filling time for each to be fast and convenient—for the long-haul truckers, as well as for the average car commuter. The HPC015 was designed to meet the SAEJ2601-1 standard of 3.6 kg/min for fill rate for both 350 and 700 bar systems. Using the same X-19 austenitic stainless-steel that's nearly twice as strong as 316L and is resistant to hydrogen embrittlement at high pressures, we designed the HPC020 to have a nominal flow rate of 9.0 kg/min to meet those larger vehicle filling needs. With this new flow sensor option launching soon, Emerson can offer a complete hydrogen dispensing flowmeter package to the industry.
Q: I’d imagine that a higher capacity Coriolis meter would also come in handy just up the supply chain, when it comes to filling the trucks that distribute hydrogen to retail terminals. Is this a target application for the HPC020?
A: Yes, there's a growing demand for truck loading and unloading of high-pressure hydrogen because in different parts of the world and in different locations, the refueling stations may or may not be located close to hydrogen production facilities. And, just as it's important to have an accurate measurement of hydrogen flowrate for individual consumer transactions, the loading and/or unloading of a truck may well represent a custody transfer point between two business entities. Micro Motion HPC meters are ideal for these applications as well.
Q: What other sorts of applications is the Micro Motion HPC series appropriate for, and can we expect to see other extensions of the line in the future?
A: The HPC015 has seen success in applications ranging from paint to fuel injection with C-22 nickel alloy wetted parts that are ideal for corrosive applications like chemical injection.
Across industry, pressures are on the rise. We’ve seen interest in the market for more high-pressure meters in all sorts of applications, particularly in carbon capture and sustainability initiatives. Clearly, the need for more material options and different line sizes is out there, and we’ll be there to meet them.
