Your specialist in
Liquid Hydrogen
infrastructure solutions

Specifications

The chemical element hydrogen (H2) does not occur in an isolated form in the environment. However, the gas is on a larger scale produced from water and renewable energy (electrolysis) or from natural gas (steam methane reforming). When it is cooled to a temperature of -252.9℃ (at atmospheric pressure), liquid hydrogen (LH2) is generated.

Application

Liquid hydrogen makes a significant contribution to the sustainable energy transition. The versatile liquid is used as a fuel and energy carrier in the mobility sector and as a medium for storing and transporting energy, and as a feedstock in the industrial sector.

Specifications

A liquefier is a device that is used to liquefy hydrogen. Hydrogen takes on a liquid form at a temperature of -252.9℃ (at atmospheric pressure); the liquefier is a cooling system that can reach this extremely low temperature.

Application

Liquefiers produce pure, high-quality liquid hydrogen free of gas bubbles. Among other things, hydrogen is liquefied to be stored or transported in reduced volumes. In addition, liquid hydrogen is used as a fuel, as part of scientific experiments, and as a powerful cooling agent facilitating superconductivity.

Related products

The optimal functioning of a liquefier is enhanced with the relevant measuring and control technology. In this way, the quality of the liquid hydrogen is monitored and guaranteed.

Specifications

In most cases, liquid hydrogen is stored in cylindrical tanks; large volumes are usually stored in spherical tanks. The tanks are vacuum insulated to minimize evaporation losses. They also contain overpressure redundancy devices for extra safety.

Application

As the use of liquid hydrogen increases worldwide, so does the size of storage tanks. Tanks with capacities as large as 20,000 to 100,000 cubic meters are currently being investigated. These tanks will enable the safe storage of vast amounts of energy.

Related products

A hydrogen storage tank is always part of a cryogenic infrastructure, further comprising vacuum insulated piping, the correct couplings, and quality-enhancing products.

Specifications

The vacuum insulated transfer line is the basis of almost all cryogenic infrastructures and liquid hydrogen projects. Vacuum insulated transfer lines are equipped with double walls, with a thin vacuum layer in between. This technique offers the best insulation and ensures that liquid hydrogen can be transported safely and in optimal quality.

Application

Transfer lines form the connection between two cryogenic components, for instance, a tank and an application. The schematic representation of the supply chain clearly shows the significant role of transfer lines.

Related Products

A vacuum insulated hydrogen transfer line is always part of a cryogenic infrastructure, consisting of components such as welded couplings or Johnston couplings and quality improvement products.

Specifications

Liquid hydrogen is transported to a loading bay from the storage tank or production site, a filling point for a truck or ship. To enable safe and efficient loading, cryogenic vacuum insulated hoses transfer the liquid hydrogen into the transportation vehicle.

The valves, pressure relief devices, and measurement and control equipment are mounted on the loading bay. These components can be placed in a vacuum insulated box to create a safe and efficient unit.

Application

Loading bays are an essential prerequisite for the large-scale use of liquid hydrogen. This is because not every end-user is located close to a hydrogen producer or liquefaction facility. Therefore, transportation from a production site to local storage tanks and applications is inevitable.

Related products

A loading bay is always connected to a cryogenic infrastructure, among other things consisting of vacuum insulated transfer lines for hydrogen and the proper Johnston – or welded couplings.

Hydrogen in the boat industry

Application

Specifications

Because liquid hydrogen takes up less volume than gaseous hydrogen, hydrogen is usually transported in liquid form. Over short distances, hydrogen is transported using transfer lines and over longer distances by trucks or transport ships.

Application

Transportation is necessary to use liquid hydrogen in various locations. The versatile cryogenic liquid is, for example, transported from a production site to a filling station or from a filling station or storage site to an end-user or an application.

Related Products

Hydrogen transportation uses a variety of cryogenic products, such as vacuum insulated transfer lines, Johnston or welded couplings, quality enhancement products, and on-site or transportation vehicle storage tanks.

Specifications

Welded couplings or Johnston couplings are used to connect transfer lines, storage tanks, and liquid hydrogen applications. Both couplings have advantages and disadvantages. A welded coupling is 100% leak-tight, while the Johnston coupling allows a little more heat inleak. The Johnston coupling is very easy to install using a male and female connector, and welding is not required. Johnston couplings are, for example, particularly suitable for connecting and disconnecting trucks.

Application

Couplings are used within various industries for connecting cryogenic liquid hydrogen infrastructures. Some examples of applications and locations that depend on the proper couplings are fueling stations, production sites, hydrogen transportation, and the space industry.

Related Products

Couplings are always part of a vacuum insulated piping system.

Hydrogen in the marine industry

Liquid hydrogen is increasingly used as a fuel in the marine industry. Ships running on this sustainable fuel have onboard systems to refuel and distribute hydrogen to the fuel cell. On-shore cryogenic loading arms are part of Demacos expertise. Demaco has extensive experience in designing and building hydrogen systems for the marine industry.

Application

Hydrogen systems can be installed on different types of ships. Examples include ferries, superyachts, cruise ships but also smaller vessels. Some examples of applications that can be found on these ships are onboard distribution systems and storage tanks. Loading arms are used on the quay to refuel ships; these arms move along with the ship and ensure a safe disconnection in case of an emergency.

Hydrogen in aerospace

Liquid hydrogen is vital to both the aerospace and aviation industries. Liquid hydrogen has been used for launching rockets for a long time, but liquid hydrogen planes are relatively new and still in development. Demaco is closely involved in the development of liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft. We also supply onboard systems, refueling infrastructures, and other cryogenic infrastructures to the aviation industry.

Application

Liquid hydrogen is incredibly versatile and can be used as a fuel for various aircraft and rockets. Liquid hydrogen is also used in test labs and in test rigs; the liquid also serves as a coolant facilitating superconductivity in cables and engines.

Hydrogen in the train industry

Application

Hydrogen in the automotive industry

Because liquid hydrogen is a very sustainable fuel, many car manufacturers focus on developing hydrogen-powered cars and trucks (equipped with fuel cells or combustion engines). Demaco is actively contributing to the implementation of hydrogen in this industry and supplies all required infrastructures to store and distribute liquid hydrogen for filling stations.

Application

In addition to cars and trucks running on liquid hydrogen, the automotive industry is also developing liquid hydrogen refueling stations and refueling infrastructures for trucks.