Hydrogen Station Research Articles

Development of a Method for Evaluating H2-Filling Stations

To expedite the development of the infrastructural expansion for hydrogen applications, the research project “THEWA” was founded. Within this project, the development of hydrogen-refueling stations is being advanced so that the hydrogen strategy for mobility in Germany can move forward. One development point of the project is to develop an evaluation model that recommends a concept for hydrogen-refueling stations for initial individual situations. In this work, an evaluation method is developed that provides an appropriate recommendation. For this purpose, basics, such as the general structure of hydrogen-refueling stations, their classification into functional areas, and already-existing evaluation methods for multi-criteria decisions, are shown. The method for the evaluation of hydrogen-refueling stations will be developed in a component-based manner, for which a selection of influencing factors of hydrogen-refueling stations will be explained and categorized. With the help of an expert workshop, these are scaled so that the result is an evaluation method based on an expert assessment and the consideration of individual customer requirements. In addition, the method is implemented in a tool so that it can be used more easily.

Analysis of Occupational Safety and Health at Oil Plus Filling Station Installations: Literature Review

Background: Public Fuel Filling Station Installation which is an installation for distributing fuel oil into motor vehicle fuel tanks, with a significant risk of danger. The number of work accidents that occur at fuel filling stations continues to increase from 2018-2020. Program Safety and health need to be pursued to protect workers from the possibility of accidents and work-related diseases. Objective: This research aims to determine potential dangers and prevent accidents and occupational diseases among fuel station workers. Method: This research uses the "PRISMA" literature review method (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Guidances and The data source for this research comes from literature search results on the internet from databases from Science Direct and ResearchGate. Using keywords “Occupational health and safety for fuel filling installation workers” “Occupational health and safety for Hydrogen and Gas Refuelling Station” “Occupational health and safety for Electrical Vehicle” published in the last five years, from 2019 to 2024, which are indexed Q1, Q2 and Q3. Results: As many 5,657 journals were found, but 10 journals were selected that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Potential dangers that threaten fuel station workers include: physical factors namely physical fatigue and noise and hearing problems. Chemical factors namely toxic gasses, dangerous liquids and BTEX gas (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, o-xylene, dan m-xylene). Physiological factors, psychological fatigue and quality of work life. Safety climate as an effort to prevent accidents and work-related illnesses by implementing management safety priority and ability, management safety empowerment and management safety justice. Conclusion: Potential dangers that threaten fuel station workers are: physical factor, chemical factor and psychological factor. Safety climate by implementing safety management priorities and capabilities, management safety empowerment, and management safety justice, as well as compliance with occupational safety and health regulations such as the use of personal protective equipment to reduce the risk of danger and thus reduce the occurrence of work accidents.

Attention-Based Hydrogen Refueling Imputation Model for Efficient Hydrogen Refueling Stations

During hydrogen refueling, the data values determining the state of charge (SoC) of a vehicle can be missing due to internal and external factors. This causes inaccurate SoC estimation, resulting in oversupply or undersupply. To overcome this issue, an attention-based hydrogen refueling imputation (AHRI) model, which restores missing values, is proposed in this paper. In particular, considering that data variables can vary depending on the environmental conditions and equipment in a hydrogen refueling station (HRS), we use the attention mechanism. It determines the primary features, which improves the predictive performance and helps adapt to new conditions. Using the observed data during hydrogen refueling, we train the proposed AHRI model and verify its efficacy. Experimental results show that the proposed AHRI model outperforms existing imputation models significantly. Here, AHRI achieves 0.95 and 0.82 in terms of R2 when 20% and 40% of the values are missing, respectively. These results indicate that the proposed model can be used to solve the data missing problems in HSRs.

Enhancing Efficiency Through Hydrogen-Powered Hyperloop Capsules: AI-Assisted Route Planning in Accordance with Circular Economy Principles

Abstract This study investigates the feasibility of integrating Hyperloop technology with hydrogen fuel systems. The primary objective was to evaluate how Hyperloop infrastructure can incorporate hydrogen refueling stations to optimize transport efficiency and sustainability. The research utilized simulation models developed with ArchiCAD and FlexSim software to analyze the integration of Hyperloop cargo and passenger transport with hydrogen refueling processes. The study included detailed simulations of Hyperloop operations and refueling logistics, focusing on safety, efficiency, and the potential for reducing carbon emissions. Key parameters such as capsule speed, refueling times, and infrastructure requirements were analyzed. Results indicated that Hyperloop technology can significantly enhance transport efficiency, particularly for high-value and time-sensitive goods, while hydrogen refueling stations offer a sustainable energy solution with considerable potential for reducing environmental impact. The findings demonstrate that integrating hydrogen refueling stations into the Hyperloop system can improve operational efficiency and sustainability. However, challenges remain in optimizing refueling processes and infrastructure development. Future research should address these challenges and explore additional AI-based optimization techniques to enhance the overall system performance. This research is especially useful for urban planners, transportation engineers, and policymakers aiming to develop efficient, sustainable transportation systems that incorporate cutting-edge technology like Hyperloop and hydrogen refueling infrastructure.

Hybrid solar photovoltaic-wind turbine system for on-site hydrogen production: A techno-economic feasibility analysis of hydrogen refueling Station in South Korea's climatic conditions

The South Korean government has an ambitious policy to roll out hydrogen-powered vehicles across the country with 2000 hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) infrastructure by 2050. However, the country currently lacks sufficient HRS infrastructure. In this context, this study proposes and investigates the technoeconomic feasibility and performance assessment of an optimal hybrid renewable energy system integrated with a vanadium redox flow battery for on-site hydrogen production. The system is designed to refuel a fleet of 20 fuel cell electric vehicles at seven South Korean locations with distinct climates. Based on the typical daily hydrogen and electric load profile of the HRS, the capital expenditure, net present cost, operation expenditure, levelized cost of hydrogen and levelized cost of energy were estimated to be, $5.95 - $13.2 M, $8.93 - $19.4 M, 82,670–202,184 $/yr, 8.77–19.1 $/kg and 2.1–4.58 $kWh, respectively.

The Impact of the Configuration of a Hydrogen Refueling Station on Risk Level

The paper discusses potential hazards at hydrogen refueling stations for transportation vehicles: cars and trucks. The main hazard analyzed here is an uncontrolled gas release due to a failure in one of the structures in the station: storage tanks of different pressure levels or a dispenser. This may lead to a hydrogen cloud occurring near the source of the release or at a given distance. The range of the cloud was analyzed in connection to the amount of the released gas and the wind velocity. The results of the calculations were compared for chosen structures in the station. Then potential fires and explosions were investigated. The hazard zones were calculated with respect to heat fluxes generated in the fires and the overpressure generated in explosions. The maximum ranges of these zones vary from about 14 to 30 m and from about 9 to 14 m for a fires and an explosions of hydrogen, respectively. Finally, human death probabilities are presented as functions of the distance from the sources of the uncontrolled hydrogen releases. These are shown for different amounts and pressures of the released gas. In addition, the risk of human death is determined along with the area, where it reaches the highest value in the whole station. The risk of human death in this area is 1.63 × 10−5 [1/year]. The area is approximately 8 square meters.

Liquid hydrogen refuelling at HRS: Description of sLH2 concept, modelling approach and results of numerical simulations

The paper considers the concept of efficient liquid hydrogen (LH2) refuelling at hydrogen refuelling stations (HRS), presents modelling approach and 3D transient CFD simulation results. The concept is based on the advantages of transforming hydrogen from equilibrium to a non-equilibrium sub-cooled state (sLH2) during compression at pump. The modelling approach comprises a thermodynamic model of LH2 transfer from the HRS tank to the pump exit and a two-phase CFD model from the pump exit through the HRS equipment, i.e. pipes with bends, automatic valve, breakaway, nozzle, and manifold to onboard storage tanks. Due to the absence of published experimental data, the modelling approach and simulations are verified against conceptual LH2 refuelling process available in the literature. The CFD model reproduces key LH2 refuelling parameters: flow rate, pressure, temperature dynamics, including non-uniform temperature in onboard tanks and predicts pipe cooldown from 88K to allowable temperatures corridor of 23.9–26.5 K.

An advanced spatial decision model for strategic placement of off-site hydrogen refueling stations in urban areas

The strategic placement of hydrogen refueling stations (HRSs) is crucial for the successful adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) and the promotion of sustainable urban transportation. However, existing spatial decision models using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) often stop at generating suitability maps and rely on simplistic or arbitrary site placement methods, such as fixed service radii, without optimizing spatial distribution that overlook inherent uncertainties, limiting the effectiveness of the decision-making process. This study develops an advanced spatial decision model to handle uncertainty and optimize HRS placement in Prague, Czechia. The model integrates multiple methodologies: (i) Utilizing 21 criteria across accessibility, environmental, infrastructural, and socioeconomic dimensions, with criteria weights prioritized using the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to manage uncertainty in expert judgments. GIS suitability analysis identified optimal areas, with 18.13% of Prague classified as highly suitable for HRS deployment. (ii) Implementing Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) clustering to optimize site distribution and address uncertainty in HRS placement, proposing 10 optimal locations validated by a silhouette score of 0.68. (iii) Evaluating model performance through sensitivity analysis, revealing responsiveness to criteria variations. To evaluate and rank the proposed HRS locations, we integrated a Genetic Algorithm (GA) with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), optimizing the selection process by exploring a wider solution space. Additionally, accessibility analysis assessed emergency response coverage, ensuring efficient response times. This multi-methodological framework ensures a robust, data-driven approach to site selection, optimizing accessibility, minimizing environmental impact, and promoting sustainable urban transportation. It advances strategic infrastructure planning, sets a precedent for integrating advanced analytic techniques to handle uncertainty and automate site selection in spatial decision-making, and is adaptable to diverse urban contexts.

A two-stage resilience planning for integrated electricity-gas energy system considering hydrogen refueling stations during typhoons

A two-stage resilience planning for integrated electricity-gas energy system considering hydrogen refueling stations during typhoons

Mitigating risks in hydrogen-powered transportation: A comprehensive risk assessment for hydrogen refuelling stations, vehicles, and garages

Hydrogen is increasingly seen as a viable alternative to fossil fuels in transportation, crucial to achieving net-zero energy goals. However, the rapid expansion of hydrogen-powered transportation is outpacing safety standards, posing significant risks due to limited operational experience, involvement of new actors and lack of targeted guidelines. This study addresses the urgent need for a tailored comprehensive risk assessment framework. Using Structured What-If (SWIFT) and bowtie barrier analysis, the research evaluates a hypothetical pilot project focusing on hydrogen refuelling stations, vehicles, and garages. The study identifies critical hazards and assesses the adequacy of current risk mitigation measures. Key findings reveal gaps in safety practices, leading to 41 actionable steps and 5 key activities to help new actors manage hydrogen risks effectively. By introducing novel safety guidelines, this research contributes to the development of safe hydrogen use and advances the understanding of hydrogen risks, ensuring its sustainable integration into transportation systems.

A Low-Carbon Planning Strategy for Integrated Energy System and Hydrogen Refueling Stations With the Retirement of Oil Stations

A Low-Carbon Planning Strategy for Integrated Energy System and Hydrogen Refueling Stations With the Retirement of Oil Stations

Strategic deployment of hydrogen fuel cell buses and fueling stations: Insights from fleet transition models

Establishing new hydrogen value chains is challenging, requiring economies of scale and balanced supply-demand dynamics. Municipalities can mitigate this risk through government support and deployment strategies. This study analyzes Edmonton's transition to zero-emission buses (ZEBs), focusing on hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs) and hydrogen fueling stations (HFSs). Using scenario-based modeling and S-curve models for technology diffusion, we project the adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and HFCEVs. Deploying over 1000 ZEBs by 2040 is necessary to meet Net-Zero targets, with 310–760 HFCEVs required for the municipal bus inventory. This results in an estimated hydrogen demand of 6.2–14.5 t-H2/day and a reduction of 0.4–1.0 Mt-CO2 in tailpipe emissions by 2050. We use these scenario projections to develop a phased deployment strategy, optimizing fleet operations to reduce HFS costs by 50–60% from 8 to 9 C$/kg-H2 to 3–4 C$/kg-H2. The study underscores the importance of strategic planning and infrastructure investment in realizing net-zero goals, providing a model applicable globally.

Experimental Study and Sensitivity Analysis of Performance for a Hydrogen Diaphragm Compressor

As the critical infrastructure of hydrogen in transportation, the energy consumption of hydrogen refuelling stations plays a pivotal role in the progress of hydrogen energy within the transportation sector. Volumetric and isentropic efficiencies serve as metrics for evaluating compressor performance. To investigate the extent of factors, including suction pressure, pressure ratio, overflow pressure, and rotational speed, to the efficiencies of the diaphragm compressor, an experimental rig was set up in this study. The volume and energy losses were analysed by studying pressure–volume diagrams. The result shows that elevating suction pressure results in an increased isentropic efficiency. Specifically, raising suction pressure from 0.2 MPa to 0.8 MPa yields a 10.2% increase in isentropic efficiency. The increase in pressure ratio leads to a reduction in volumetric efficiency but an increase in isentropic efficiency. When the pressure ratio increased from 3 to 7, the volumetric efficiency decreased by 6.5% in volumetric efficiency, but the isentropic efficiency increased by 9.8%. Moreover, the escalation in rotational speed corresponds to a decrease in both volumetric and isentropic efficiencies. As the rotational speed increased from 420 r/min to 660 r/min, volumetric efficiency dropped by 9.6%, and isentropic efficiency experienced a 19.2% decrease.

Hydrogen Fuel Cells in Vehicles: Current Situation and Future Prospects

Hydrogen is emerging as a pivotal player in sustainable transportation, with hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs) gaining substantial traction. Despite the higher production costs compared to petroleum, hydrogen boasts a higher energy content by weight and produces zero toxic emissions. Advances in hydrogen storage, including cryogenic, pressurized tanks, and metal-organic frameworks, are overcoming density-related challenges. HFCEVs are making significant strides globally, particularly in South Korea, the United States, and China. By 2030, fuel cell prices are expected to be comparable with internal combustion engines due to advancements in technology. Enhanced control strategies, evolving safety measures, and supportive government policies are fostering the adoption of hydrogen as a viable clean power solution for future conveyance needs. Additionally, investments in infrastructure, such as hydrogen refueling stations, are expanding, further supporting the growth of HFCEVs. This paper explores the current advancements, challenges, and future outlook of hydrogen fuel cells in the automotive industry, highlighting their potential to revolutionize sustainable transport and contribute significantly to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Digital Twin-Based Hydrogen Refueling Station (HRS) Safety Model: CNN-Based Decision-Making and 3D Simulation

Digital Twin-Based Hydrogen Refueling Station (HRS) Safety Model: CNN-Based Decision-Making and 3D Simulation

Optimizing Hydrogen Refueling Station Recommendations: A Comparative Analysis Between Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization

Optimizing Hydrogen Refueling Station Recommendations: A Comparative Analysis Between Genetic Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization

First detection of industrial hydrogen emissions using high precision mobile measurements in ambient air

Projections towards 2050 of the global hydrogen (H2) demand indicate an eight-fold increase in present-day hydrogen consumption. Leakage during production, transport, and consumption therefore presents a large potential for increases in the atmospheric hydrogen burden. Although not a greenhouse gas itself, hydrogen has important indirect climate effects, and the Global Warming Potential of H2 is estimated to be 12.8 times that of CO2. Available technologies to detect hydrogen emissions have been targeted at risk mitigation of industrial facilities, while smaller climate-relevant emissions remain undetected. The latter requires measurement capacity at the parts-per-billion level (ppb). We developed and demonstrated an effective method to detect small hydrogen emissions from industrial installations that combines active AirCore sampling with ppb-precision analysis by gas chromatography. We applied our methodology at a chemical park in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands, where several hydrogen production and storage facilities are concentrated. From a car and an unmanned aerial vehicle, we detected and quantified for the first time small but persistent industrial emissions from leakage and purging across the hydrogen value chain, which include electrolysers, a hydrogen fuelling station, and chemical production plants. Our emission estimates indicate current loss rates up to 4.2% of the estimated production and storage in these facilities. This is sufficiently large to urgently flag the need for monitoring and verification of H2 emissions for the purpose of understanding our climate change trajectory in the 21st century.

CFD Analysis of the Effects of a Barrier in a Hydrogen Refueling Station Mock-Up Facility during a Vapor Cloud Explosion Using the radXiFoam v2.0 Code

A CFD (computational fluid dynamics) analysis to investigate the effects of the installation of a barrier in a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) mock-up facility, with a dummy vehicle and dispensers in the vapor cloud region, during a hydrogen-air explosion using a gas mixture volume of 70.16 m3 was conducted to determine whether the radXiFoam v2.0 code with the established analysis methodology to predict the peak overpressure can be utilized to evaluate the safety of a HRS with such a barrier installed in a large city in the Republic of Korea. The radXiFoam v2.0 code was developed on the basis of the XiFoam solver in the open-source CFD software OpenFOAM-v2112 by modifying C++ source codes in several libraries and governing equations so as to ensure effective calculations of the hydrogen-air chemical reaction and radiative heat transfer through water vapor in a humid air environment and to remove unnecessary warning messages that arise when using the radXiFoam v1.0 code. First, we conducted a validation analysis on the basis of measured overpressure datasets from a near field to a far field of a vapor cloud explosion (VCE) site in the HRS mock-up facility to evaluate the uncertainty in prediction datasets by radXiFoam v2.0. After this validation analysis, we undertook CFD sensitivity calculations by installing barriers with heights of 2.1 m and 4.2 m at a horizontal distance of 2.3 m from the VCE region in the grid model used for the validation analysis to assess the effects of these barriers on reducing the peak overpressure of the blast wave. From these calculations, we judged that the radXiFoam v2.0 code can accurately simulate the effects of the barrier during a VCE, as the calculated overpressure reduction values according to the barrier height are reasonable on the basis of previous validation results from Stanford Research Institute’s explosion test with such a barrier. The results herein imply that the radXiFoam v2.0 code is feasible for use in HRS safety when barrier installation must meet the technical regulations of the Korea Gas Safety Corporation in a large city.

A systematic framework of resilience assessment based on multi-state transition modeling under two-phase recovery for hydrogen refueling stations

The safety of Hydrogen refueling station systems is becoming increasingly important with the growth of hydrogen energy. Existing assessment methods for hydrogen refueling stations primarily focus on reliability. They often neglect the recovery process after experiencing shocks. This paper establishes a comprehensive resilience assessment framework for Hydrogen refueling station. It considers a two-state recovery phase with a multi-state transition model. The entire system evolution process is divided into degradation and recovery phases. The transfer rate during the degradation phase is obtained using event and fault tree analysis. The recovery phase is further divided into emergency recovery and post-recovery, generating recovery rate for the entire process. Furthermore, four associated indices for resilience assessment are established: resistance, absorption, recovery, and robustness. A case study based on a typical Hydrogen refueling station system is implemented. The results show that the resilience of the Hydrogen refueling station can be improved by 12.5% with the support of the two-phase recovery process compared to the traditional recovery process. This demonstrates the framework's potential to enhance the reliable operation of Hydrogen refueling station in practice.

A two-layer economic resilience model for distribution network restoration after natural disasters

Improving the resilience of energy networks and minimizing outages is crucial, making the development of self-healing strategies essential for ensuring a continuous power supply and boosting resilience. As decentralized prosumers become more integrated into smart grids, innovative coordination methods are required to fully leverage their potential and improve the system's self-healing capabilities. Hence, in this paper, we present a decentralized two-layer model for active distribution networks (ADNs) incorporating commercial energy hubs, Parking lots (PLs), hydrogen refueling stations, and mobile units (MUs). This model aims to maximize the flexible capacities of flexible prosumers under emergencies and includes a dynamic mechanism for transporting hydrogen to refueling stations via trucks. In the first layer of the model, the AND operator provides the required services to flexible prosumers, including commercial energy hubs, PLs and hydrogen refueling stations. During this layer, the movement paths of mobile units, such as battery-based mobile storage units (MSUs) and mobile hydrogen units (MHUs), are determined. In the second layer, prosumers independently plan and decide the extent of their service contributions. Subsequently, with the actual service capacities established, the AND operator re-optimizes the initial planning to finalize the system schedule and precise movement paths of the mobile units. The proposed model was tested on a modified 83-bus distribution network using the CPLEX solver in GAMS. Simulation results demonstrate a 54.9 % reduction in forced load shedding (FLS) due to the dispatch of mobile units and a further 84.4 %% reduction in FLS from leveraging the flexible capacities of commercial energy hubs and PLs.