Linde and Daimler Truck Collaborate on Refueling Technology

Linde and Daimler Truck are collaborating on the development of the next generation of liquid hydrogen refueling technology for fuel cell trucks. The goal is to simplify hydrogen refueling. The new process achieves a higher pressure level.

(Stuttgart / Guildford/GB) Linde (NYSE: LIN; FWB: LIN) and Daimler Truck AG have signed an agreement for the joint development of the next generation of liquid hydrogen refueling technology for fuel cell trucks. Through their collaboration, the partners aim to make hydrogen refueling as simple and practical as possible.

The focus of the cooperation is a new refueling process for liquid hydrogen (“subcooled” liquid hydrogen, “sLH2 technology”). This innovative approach enables a higher storage density, greater range, faster refueling, and higher energy efficiency. The new process will utilize a pressure level that is higher than ambient pressure and a special temperature control to avoid the so-called boil-off effect and “back gas” (gas from the vehicle tank that flows back to the station’s tank) during refueling. Additionally, the process does not require complex data communication between the station and the truck during refueling. Overall, the technology allows for simpler gas station concepts. The reason for the improved energy storage density is the higher pressure level compared to ambient pressure. This allows for a greater mass of hydrogen in the tank.

First Refueling Planned for 2023

The companies plan the first refueling of a prototype truck at a pilot station in Germany for the year 2023. Linde and Daimler Truck AG intend to maintain a high level of transparency and openness regarding the relevant interfaces of the jointly developed technologies. By enabling as many other companies as possible to develop their own refueling and vehicle technologies using the new liquid hydrogen standard, a global mass market for the new process is to be established.

Sven Ennerst, member of the board of Daimler Truck AG, responsible for development, procurement, and the China region: “At Daimler Truck AG, we pursue the vision of CO₂-neutral transport of the future. The hydrogen-based fuel cell is a key technology of strategic importance. With our collaboration with Linde as a leading company in hydrogen refueling technology, we aim to increase the future viability and acceptance of hydrogen-based fuel cell trucks in the industry. Liquid hydrogen already offers numerous advantages, and the new process will help add even more.”

“As a pioneer in hydrogen refueling technology and one of the largest players in the hydrogen market, we are pleased to contribute to the further development of the hydrogen economy with this important milestone,” said David Burns, Head of Clean Hydrogen at Linde. “Together with Daimler Truck AG, the market leader in commercial vehicles, we are working to make hydrogen-powered trucks a reality in the near future.”

New Liquid Hydrogen Refueling Process for the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck

In September 2020, Daimler Truck AG celebrated the world premiere of the fuel cell concept truck Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck. With the GenH2 Truck, the manufacturer demonstrates which specific technologies it is vigorously advancing to enable heavy fuel cell trucks to operate flexible and demanding long-haul missions with ranges of up to 1,000 kilometers or more on a single tank. Daimler Truck AG plans to begin customer trials of the GenH2 Truck in 2023, with series production expected to follow in the second half of the decade. The vehicle’s performance is expected to match that of a comparable conventional diesel truck, thanks to the use of liquid rather than gaseous hydrogen due to the significantly higher energy density. The new refueling process is to be implemented in the series version of the GenH2 Truck, initially validated in further prototypes.

Liquid Hydrogen Enables High Energy Throughput Operations

Daimler Truck AG prefers liquid hydrogen because this energy carrier in this state has a significantly higher energy density in terms of volume compared to gaseous hydrogen. This allows a fuel cell truck refueled with liquid hydrogen to operate with much smaller and significantly lighter tanks due to the lower pressure. This results in greater cargo space and a higher payload capacity for the trucks. At the same time, more hydrogen can be refueled, significantly increasing the range. Thus, the series GenH2 Truck is suitable for heavy, unpredictable, multi-day long-haul transports where the daily energy throughput is high, just like corresponding conventional diesel trucks.

Daimler Truck AG is currently advancing the development of the necessary tank system technologies to make liquid hydrogen usable as an energy carrier for fuel cell series trucks in mobile applications. In stationary applications, such as in industry or hydrogen refueling stations, the storage of cryogenic liquid hydrogen at -253 degrees Celsius is already common practice. This also applies to the transport of liquid hydrogen as cargo.

Photo: © Daimler Truck

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