FirstElement Fuel Inc. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. Complete the Reliability Testing of MHI’s 90 MPa Class Liquid Hydrogen Pump (LH2 Pump) through the Long-Term Durability Test, Launching the LH2 Pump into the Markets
FirstElement Fuel Inc. (FEF), the world’s leading provider of hydrogen refueling solutions, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Ltd (MHI), a global leader in delivering innovative and integrated solutions to realize a carbon neutral world, have successfully reached 250 hours of operation on the long-term durability test of MHI’s 90 MPa Class Liquid Hydrogen Pump (LH2 Pump).
The test involved 300 run cycles of the pump resulting in 30 tons of liquid hydrogen transfer. This is the equivalent of fueling 1,100 fuel cell buses. The hydrogen transferred was used to refuel hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in California resulting in zero emissions transportation. Inspection of the pump revealed that all internal pump components are still in excellent condition, confirming the robustness and longevity of the pump. This test began in April 2023 at FEF’s Hydrogen Distribution Hub in Livermore, CA and will continue into next year.
The MHI LH2 Pump has consistently and reliably achieved an excellent output of 160 kilograms/hour at a discharge pressure of 90 megapascals. MHI’s LH2 Pump design also ensures that hydrogen loss due to boil-off is negligible thus enhancing the economics of the hydrogen refueling stations. The pump’s best-in-class performance is enabling MHI to rapidly integrate the LH2 Pump into hydrogen refueling stations and bring the product to the California market in the immediate future. The MHI LH2 Pump supports MHI’s commitment of achieving Net Zero by 2040 and the creation of a Carbon Neutral society.
FEF operates a one-of-a-kind field-testing facility for hydrogen cryopumps at its Hydrogen Distribution Hub in Livermore, CA. The field-testing capability allows for multiple, long run cycles of cryopump operations under real-world hydrogen conditions. FEF added this capability to its Livermore facility because liquid hydrogen is critical to achieving scale at hydrogen refueling stations. MHI and FEF have worked closely together to test MHI’s LH2 Pump because of this shared view that liquid hydrogen is required to achieve a full-scale hydrogen society, and that liquid hydrogen cryopump technology will be critical to meeting the refueling needs of all hydrogen vehicle classes.
FEF is encouraged by MHI’s LH2 Pump performance and the potential use in its hydrogen refueling station network. MHI, as a global supplier of innovative solutions, is ready to launch the expansion of their LH2 Pump business into the US and international hydrogen markets.
Source Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Ltd. MHI