Investigation of pre-cooling strategies for heavy-duty hydrogen refuelling

Green hydrogen presents a promising solution for transitioning from fossil fuels to a clean energy future, particularly with the application of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). However, the hydrogen refuelling process for FCEVs requires extensive pre-cooling to achieve fast filling times. This study presents experiments and simulations of a hydrogen refuelling station equipped with an adaptable cold-fill unit, aiming to maximize fuelling efficiencies. For this purpose, we developed and experimentally validated simulation models for a hydrogen tank and an aluminium block heat exchanger. Different pre-cooling parameters affect the final tank temperatures during the parallel filling of three 350 L type IV tanks. The results indicate significant potential for optimizing the required cooling energy, with achievable savings of over 50 % depending on the pre-cooling strategy. The optimized pre-cooling strategies and energy savings aid in advancing the refuelling process for FCEVs, effectively contributing to the transition to clean energy.