Fueling Technologies

Cutting-Edge Fueling Technologies

Technology for tomorrow's fuel today

Our first studies around hydrogen mobility date from the 1970's - we were among the first to develop concepts for the production, storage, transport and fueling of hydrogen.

With close to 200 stations built worldwide, we are a one-stop shop for hydrogen fueling solutions - from reliable hydrogen supply through state-of-the-art refueling station systems to customized services. Our entire offering is geared towards low total cost of ownership (TOC) per kilogram of hydrogen fueled.

Our customers can rely on our expertise to plan, design, build and commission high-performance plants tailored to their individual needs. We offer reliable gaseous (GH₂) and liquid hydrogen (LH₂) supply models, as well as on-site generation plants.

The compression unit is the key component of a hydrogen refueling station. It compresses H₂ stored at low pressure to up to 100 MPa. The ideal compression technology depends on a range of factors, such as the initial state of the hydrogen (gaseous or liquid), the station throughput and the type of vehicle to be fueled. Linde offers dedicated compression systems for the most varied requirements. Our proprietary, patented ionic compressor and cryo pump offer reliability, low maintenance and high energy efficiency.

Our key fueling innovations

Our Ionic Compressor, Cryo Pump and IC Fuel Box are at the core of our leading refueling solutions. Find out more below:

Ionic Compressor

In five steps, the ionic compressor compresses gaseous hydrogen to 100 MPa. Highlights include the eponymous ionic liquid, which does not bond with the gas. It acts as both a lubricant and coolant, and thus significantly reduces wear and tear. Additionally, the ionic compressor has fewer moving parts than a typical piston compressor. The liquid also increases the compressor's energy efficiency due to better cooling and fewer dead spots during the compression process.

By eliminating the need for lubricants, the ionic compressor protects the hydrogen against the risk of contamination. This ensures high levels of purity, making the compressor ideal for purity-critical applications.

Cryo Pump

The cryo pump operates with liquid hydrogen (LH₂) at -253°C. At this temperature, however, hydrogen cannot be simply suctioned in. Hence, the pump uses a two-chamber system that is completely immersed in the cryogenic liquid. In the first chamber, LH₂ from the storage tank is compressed to 0.6 MPa. The compression to 100 MPa takes place in the second chamber. Subsequently, the temperature of the cryogenic gas is increased up to the fueling temperature of -40°C. During all of these process steps, the high purity level of the hydrogen is maintained.

In addition to its small footprint and high capacity, the cryo pump minimizes the energy required by the refueling station. It only needs 10-20% of the energy required by a conventional compressor. The cooling power of cryogenic LH₂ also eliminates the need for an external cooling system for the supply line. And the low-maintenance design cuts operating costs further.

IC Fuel Box

Growing adoption of hydrogen as a zero-emissions source of fuel is driving the need for a broader, more flexible fueling infrastructure. Linde has developed the IC FuelBox specifically to address the need for a compact fueling concept that can be rapidly deployed at new locations with limited space. It is an all-in-one transportable hydrogen refueling station that integrates Linde's proprietary IC 90/30 or IC 50/30 Ionic Compressors with an intermediate H₂ storage tank and dispenser. With an exceedingly small footprint of just 12 m², this ready-to-run unit can be deployed at just about any location - in record time as it requires almost no installation effort.