Hydrogen Prototype Equipment for Refuelling - HyPER

Climate change is one of the top threats facing us today (a global mega trend). To address this challenge the energy industry must transform, radically! The UK Government has recently reinforced its support for the production and use of clean hydrogen, a position which is in line with the strategies of the EU, North America, Australia, and Japan. It is clear hydrogen will play a critical role in decarbonising many sectors including mobility, especially heavy-duty goods vehicles and long-range transport. For this sector to decarbonise quickly and cost-effectively hydrogen refuelling infrastructure needs to scale in size and reduce in capital & operating expenses. One particular aspect of a refuelling station critical to its cost, and effective operation, and therefore public acceptance, is the accurate metering of the dispensed hydrogen.

This project brings together three partners (Hy-Met, LEL, and WMG), for the first time to develop an optimal measurement solution for hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS), particularly for heavy-duty vehicle requirements first that could also be scaled-up in the future to target larger fuelling applications suitable for shipping and aerospace. Hy-Met's core competencies lie in bespoke sensor design to fit target applications and associated electronics/signal processing algorithm development and have excellent in-house capability for simulation-led design optimisation of new product development activities. LEL has been at the forefront of developments in the hydrogen and fuel cell sector for over 25 years and is one of the UK's leading HRS manufacturers. WMG brings state-of-the-art high-value manufacturing capability to this project -- thus enabling rapid prototyping, design optimisation and refinement of design for manufacture aspects of Hy-Met's innovative metering concept(s). TUV-SUD-NEL are the UK's Designated Institute for Flow and Density measurement, part of the UK's National Measurement System. They have been involved in flow metering for HRS for over three years through involvement in EU projects and in-house R&D, and by July 2021 (it is currently under construction by LEL) will have the only facility in the UK capable of testing the dispensed quantity and flow metering systems of HRS (it will be the UK's primary physical flow standard for this application). TUV-SUD-NEL will be subcontracted by Hy-met to this project to provide independent, traceable performance assessment of any new meter technology developed by Hy-Met and LEL.