Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Design of a Hydrogen Refueling Station Utilizing the Cold Energy of Liquid Hydrogen

The growing demand for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles requires an energy-efficient and sustainable hydrogen refueling infrastructure. However, conventional gaseous hydrogen refueling stations have limitations in improving energy efficiency and sustainability because they consume a significant amount of electricity during hydrogen compression and cooling processes. Herein, we propose a sustainable design for hydrogen refueling stations that utilizes the cold energy of liquid hydrogen to improve energy efficiency and reduce the life-cycle environmental impact. The process design involves utilizing the cold energy of liquid hydrogen for hydrogen cooling through a heat exchanger and electricity generation through an organic Rankine cycle. Furthermore, the developed process design substantially reduces energy consumption in the hydrogen compression process by using a liquid hydrogen pump instead of a low-pressure (LP) compressor. Energy efficiency analysis and life-cycle assessment were performed to verify that the new design is preferable to the conventional gaseous hydrogen refueling station. Consequently, this study demonstrates the potential of the developed liquid hydrogen refueling system to enhance the sustainability of future hydrogen refueling infrastructures.