HYDROGEN REFUELLING STATIONS : experience feedback from Madrid, Luxembourg et Kawasaki filling stations, safety and next steps

摘要

An "hydrogen economy" needs a dedicated distribution infrastructure which will be quitedifferent to what currently exists for petrol. The challenge is not only on the infrastructurecost and technological side (very high pressure or low temperatures) but also on the safetyside.Hydrogen is clearly not the easiest molecule to manipulate. Its low density, flammability, verylow boiling point, and embrittlement capabilities, associated with the very high purity needsof fuel cells makes the hydrogen refuelling station a technological "work of art".Today, safety is clearly everyone's first priority. Nowadays, industrial trained operators safelymanipulate hydrogen, in industrial processes. But hydrogen in everyday life will require aneducational effort, and it will be the hydrogen key players' responsibility to make hydrogensafe.Air Liquide has installed in its Hydrogen testing ground facilities a full scale prototype - stateof the art - refuelling station to validate the technology, demonstrate fast safe and reliablehydrogen refuelling, and prepare for the future. The pilot plant is designed to refuel 3 buses(3x42kg) per day at 350 bar and is being upgraded for 700 bar.Madrid and Kawasaki filling station are in operation since summer 2003, Luxembourg fillingstation is in operation since fall 2003.Taking into account its industrial experience and this new fast filling station experience, AirLiquide is building new industrial standards for these new energy applications.Through international industrial gas associations (like EIGA : European Industrial GasAssociation, CGA : Compressed Gas Association (US) and JIGA : Japan Industrial GasAssociation) Air Liquide is sharing the best practise and is making safer the coming of thisnew energy vector : HYDROGEN.