Case study: Design & Manufacture of a Post Compression High Pressure Hydrogen Cooler
Background:
Glacier Energy’s client required a Post Compression High Pressure Hydrogen Cooler for a containerized electrolyser kit. This piece of kit is used onsite for compressing high pressure and is used for charging vehicles such as lorries and cars.
Challenge:
The client had a unique requirement for cooling hydrogen which had been compressed to 1000 bar which is significantly higher than typical industry standards. With a design pressure of 1,150 bar, it made for a highly complex engineering scope.
It was crucial to the client that the solution was a cost effective, commercially viable unit that would not cause problems with leaking gaskets.
Solutions
With a proven track record of delivering and developing innovative solutions and high-pressure applications for the hydrogen industry, Glacier Energy’s thermal and mechanical engineering team successfully produced another effective solution to meet our clients’ requirements.
The Hydrogen Cooler was designed in accordance with ASME VIII Div II standards at 1,150 bar and the Glacier Energy team came up with a simplified solution to make the high-pressure unit commercially viable and as compact as possible for the pressure required.
Glacier Energy also overcame challenges in high pressure connections working with industry leaders in high pressure hydrogen pipework that met current legislation and design code.
The team manufactured the Hydrogen Cooler using stainless steel as requested by the client. This was selected as a suitable material to ensure that the hydrogen can be contained and to reduce the possibility of stress corrosion cracking.
Benefits
The team successfully combined different technologies and types of heat exchangers to produce a commercially viable, cost effective, high-pressure product for our client on time and within budget.
The client notified Glacier Energy that they were limited to a small number of suppliers with the capability to deliver a solution at such high pressure. Due to Glacier Energy’s unique engineering capabilities, the team could innovate and adapt to provide a suitable solution.
Glacier Energy is using 85+ years’ experience in the design and manufacture of high-pressure solutions to positively contribute towards both our client’s project goals and towards the advancement of hydrogen technologies.
