Bilfinger has announced that its H2dry system will be tested at a second location. It will be used at the Uniper hydrogen cavern storage facility in Krummhörn. The aim of the research project is to develop a large-scale storage solution for green hydrogen.
Uniper has commissioned the industrial services provider Bilfinger to provide the engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCm) services for the hydrogen project at the Krummhörn cavern storage facility. This is the second project in which the H2dry technology is being tested, following its use in the gas storage facility in Rüdersdorf near Berlin.
Uniper is planning to build a pilot cavern in the former Krummhörn natural gas storage facility. The hydrogen storage facility will hold up to 3,000 m³ and will be tested under real conditions. Uniper then intends to use the knowledge gained during the two-year test phase as a basis for larger facilities. With their research results and the H2dry technology, the companies want to make hydrogen storage possible on a large scale.
H2dry to enable commercial H₂ storage
Bilfinger is supporting the research project with EPCm services for the above-ground plant technology of the hydrogen test cavern. The industrial services provider had already carried out the basic engineering for the project and has now also been selected for the follow-up contract.
H2dry technology uses a suitable scrubbing liquid to remove water from the hydrogen by absorption, which occurs during production in the electrolyser or through contact with moisture in the cavern. If the gas is too moist, this can lead to corrosion on pipes or valves. The technology therefore enables economical and efficient hydrogen treatment on a large scale.
The existing storage facilities in Krummhörn still need to be converted for the use of hydrogen. A team from the industrial services provider will be responsible for setting up the hydrogen processing facilities required for this above ground. Among other things, Bilfinger will be responsible for the planning and commissioning of pipeline systems to transport hydrogen from an existing natural gas pipeline to the storage station.