Measuring Particles in Hydrogen Systems The world’s leading technology for measuring particles in hydrogen systems

HYDAC – your partner and expert in technical cleanliness. Particles can cause lasting damage to sensitive components.

The world’s leading technology for measuring particles in hydrogen systemsParticles can cause lasting damage to sensitive components.

Lower pollutant emissions and much quieter – electrically powered vehicles are gaining ground. And this no longer includes only vehicles that are powered by electricity from the power socket. Fuel-cell vehicles are an alternative to battery-powered vehicles, because of their large range and shorter filling times.
The filling of vehicles is, however, a major challenge in many respects. The cleanliness and the quality of the hydrogen plays a major role here. Demanding safety and functionality requirements apply, particularly with regard to the H2 tank systems of the vehicles. Microscopically small particles can have a major impact on components such as valves and thus often cause the failure of an entire system.

As an expert in technical cleanliness, we have developed the world’s first analysis equipment that can be used to verify and analyse the particulate impurities under standard SAE conditions – the HYDAC PSA H70.

Examine, assess, documentHYDAC is your expert in technical cleanliness

The problem-solving expertise of our HYDAC specialists is showcased in an example from one of our customers: the customer had identified particles as the cause of repeated failures in the tank systems of fuel cell vehicles, but no one could explain where they were coming from.
Working in partnership with our customer, HYDAC’s task was to develop a solution to make the technical cleanliness visible during the refuelling process and permit in-depth analyses. The challenge was that the measurement needed to be performed simply and safely during a standard refuelling at a 700 bar hydrogen filling station, followed by a fast and informative analysis of the measurement.

The HYDAC product solution PSA-H70

What made the customer decide on HYDAC explicitly? In addition to its professional expertise in technical cleanliness, HYDAC has agile and straightforward development processes, which impressed our customer, given its interest in breaking new ground. The customer’s faith paid off. The PSA-H70 is an easy-to-use piece of analysis equipment that is deployed directly at the filling point to measure technical cleanliness. The filling station’s filling hose is attached to the measurement cell directly. An additional high-pressure hose is connected to the fuel cell vehicle. Once all connections have been checked for leaktightness, the fuelling of the vehicle is commenced. Particulate contamination is retained by a filter membrane inside the measurement cell, which makes it possible to characterise an entire fuelling procedure. The measurement cell is only opened once it is in a cleanliness lab. In this process, the measurement equipment is analysed and the cleanliness is assessed.

The result

With the development of the PSA-H70, users are now able to measure and depict the quality of the gas withdrawn at hydrogen filling stations. To obtain detailed information on the contamination of the gas samples, HYDAC has developed a laboratory service that enables accurate statements to be made about the quality of the systems.

With over 15 years of experience in technical cleanliness, HYDAC offers its customers worldwide a large number of analysis instruments and extensive service. We perform the analyses in accordance with applicable industrial standards (ISO 16232 or VDA 19), internal company standards and customer specifications.

Quote from HYDAC expert:

“Experience with the PSA H70 has shown that effective and robust gas filtration that is able to handle the strict requirements of hydrogen filling is essential.”

The HYDAC solution brings the following advantages:

Reliability

Future-proof

Reduce your failures before delivery while increasing the service life of the fuel cells in vehicles and test benches.

Documentation, warnings and recommendations

Precise documentation

Document the cleanliness condition when handing over or accepting the hydrogen filling station. This also applies for the initial start-up of the hydrogen line network for test benches.

System availability

System availability

Minimise wear to your components to increase your system availability.

Electromobility and hydrogen

Professional examination

Have your hydrogen quality examined by independent third-party experts.

We are always happy to give advice!

Contact our HYDAC expert team and arrange your consultation appointment today!

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