Cryomotive, Fives to bring cryogenic pump to truck hydrogen refueling stations

CleanTech hydrogen mobility startup Cryomotive (Grasbrunn, Germany) and French industrial group Fives (Paris, France) have signed a cooperation agreement to jointly develop and validate a cryogenic pump for generating Croygas hydrogen based on Fives’ cryogenic reciprocating pump technology. The Cryomec Hy-Filling pump designed by Fives will be a key component of future hydrogen refueling stations for long-haul truck and other heavy-duty transport applications.

Croyogas, also called cryo-compressed hydrogen gas (CcH₂), is a high-density
cryogenic compressed hydrogen gas, which can reach densities of 80 kilograms/cubic meter and more at pressure levels between 30 and 40 MPa. Crymotive’s technology is said to offer a higher physical density than liquid hydrogen (LH₂) while being thermally robust since it cannot evaporate. As Cryogas can be generated via the cryogenic compression of LH_2, as well as by cryo-cooling compressed hydrogen gas (GH₂), Cryomotive and Fives target to develop a reciprocating cryogenic pump to compress LH₂ with a high-flow rate, low footprint and low energy consumption. (Read “Cryo-compressed hydrogen, the best solution for storage and refueling stations?” for more information.)

Based on agreed performance targets for the future Cryomec Hy-Filling Cryogas reciprocating pump, Cryomotive’s refueling station will be able to fuel future hydrogen trucks in 10-15 minutes with up to 80 kilograms of Cryogas, enabling a 1,000-kilometer drive in a long-haul fuel cell or hydrogen internal combustion engine (ICE) truck. As a part of Cryomotive’s hydrogen refueling station, the partners believe the Cryomec Hy-Filling Cryogas pump will open the door for a cost-effective and energy-efficient compact hydrogen filling station, enabling unlimited back-to-back refueling of trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles.

"Cryomotive’s CcH₂ Cryogas storage and refueling technology can pave the
way for emission-free hydrogen-powered long-haul trucks at par with diesel in terms of range, refueling time and cost,” Christiane Heyer, managing director and co-found of Cryomotive, notes. 

Fives has manufactured more than 8,000 pumps at its Allschwil, Switzerland, facility, and is looking forward to developing this new model to boost green mobility.