Safe and cost-effective storage represents one of the major hurdles in the widespread adoption of “clean” hydrogen in energy applications. A hydrogen-storage approach called cryo-compression is being poised as a bridge between high-density (but expensive) hydrogen liquefaction and cheaper (but low-density) hydrogen compression.
(Source: Verne Hydrogen)
Verne Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.; www.verne-power.com) and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL; Calif.; www.llnl.gov) have successfully demonstrated, for the first time, cryo-compression directly from gaseous hydrogen, which represents a significant milestone in efficient hydrogen storage. “Cryo-compression involves both cooling hydrogen (but not to the same extent as hydrogen liquefaction) and compressing hydrogen, but not to the same pressure as 700-bar compressed hydrogen. Verne is developing a cryo-compressor technology platform that will convert gaseous hydrogen at low pressures (around 20 bar) and ambient temperatures (around 300 K) to cryo-compressed hydrogen at 60–80 K and 300–500 bar,” says David Jaramillo, chief technology officer and co-founder of Verne.
Combining a catalyst-filled heat exchanger with traditional hydrogen compression equipment, Verne’s direct cryo-compression platform has been demonstrated at the laboratory scale in conjunction with LLNL, and preparations are underway for demonstrations in commercial settings. Currently, the company is prioritizing hydrogen-to-power applications, where lower distribution costs lead to cheaper delivery to customers in applications including electric-vehicle charging, construction sites, marine ports and airports. “By converting cryo-compressed hydrogen directly from the gaseous state, Verne is able to avoid liquefaction and save around $2/kg of hydrogen,” emphasizes Jaramillo.
The cryo-compression pathway also enables modularization and simplified scaling, further lowering costs when compared to liquefaction, which typically requires large, centralized facilities. “This means that the hydrogen distribution network can be further optimized, locating densification and distribution hubs closer to the points of use,” says LLNL.