Q: There appears to be an increasing demand for loading and unloading high-pressure hydrogen into vehicles such as trucks and tank cars. Does the HPC020 perform better than previous models in those applications or even than competition?
A: We have found that there is a market for filling larger commercial and passenger vehicles at a faster rate to keep up with the diesel truck industry. But in addition to dispensing those applications, we've also found that there's a need for loading tube trailers. The loading and offloading point within the hydrogen transportation value chain is something that we've been looking into quite recently. With that in mind, the design of these HPC sensors, specifically the HPC020 reflects those changes in the market by utilizing sensor components that are slightly different than the HPC015 and that allow for a higher flow rate while keeping the batch accuracy at 0.5%.
Q: There are also some challenges in metering hydrogen, especially with regards to temperature, pressure and accuracy. Can you speak to that?
A: Hydrogen offers a pretty great opportunity to fuel vehicles of all different types and sizes. Like other gaseous fuels, it can be compressed and kept at high pressures to be used into that single fueling. The flowmeter uses the batch fueling process, and it needs to remain accurate over that fill. A wide variety and dynamic range of conditions, including pressures exceeding 10,000 psi, is crucial so that it is able to perform at -40 C all the way up to 60 C, and these are ambient temperatures. It's something to keep in mind with a flow meter. Coriolis technology offers the best solution for those types of metering needs.
Q: Hydrogen leaks can be a very serious safety hazard. How does the HPC020 protect the safety aspects of the dispensing operation?
A: One thing to note about the Coriolis sensors is that they're well suited for these types of applications because of their completely welded assembly. The Micro Motion sensor is a fully welded assembly, meaning that the only connections are the inflow and outflow of the meter. The HPC015 and HPC020, use hydrogen embrittlement-resistant materials. Those materials are XM-19, which is an austenitic stainless steel commonly used in aviation and nuclear industries when working with hydrogen-related fuels. It has nearly twice the strength of 316 L, and it’s a pretty good choice when working with the higher pressures necessary when refueling hydrogen cars or large trucks.
Another benefit to using a Coriolis sensor is that they're extremely reliable. We have this phrase that you install it, you set it, and forget it. Once the sensor's been installed in the field, the likelihood of that meter ever needing any kind of maintenance is very low. That eliminates the need for anyone to open the dispenser to check the flow meter, and reducing those touchpoints is another way of improving safety in the field.
