Chemical company Linde has developed a new truck trailer for transporting liquid hydrogen (LH₂). According to the company, this is in response to the growing demand for liquid hydrogen. The new trailer enables the transport of 3.9 tons of liquid hydrogen - 50 percent more than previous models. According to Linde, this makes it the largest of its kind in Europe.
The first liquid hydrogen trailer of the new generation was officially handed over at the beginning of April at the Linde plant in Schalchen. The facility in southern Bavaria is the company's center of excellence for the manufacturing of plant components and modules. According to the company, it played a key role in the development of the trailer.
The capacity of common LH₂ containers has been limited to 2.6 tons, according to Linde. This is significantly smaller than trailers for other cryogenic gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, and argon. This limitation led to logistical disadvantages, which is why Linde opted for an in-house development.
"Our trailer has a payload of 3.9 tons – 50% more than previous solutions – and is currently the largest trailer operating on European roads," emphasized Christiane Kerber, Vice President Static Equipment Linde Engineering, during the ceremonial commissioning.
Response to Growing Demand
The trailer is designed to be compatible with all common truck tractors and will also be available to other market participants. With this development, the industrial gas producer aims to lay the foundation for a "significant expansion and modernization" of its LH₂ transport fleet. The reason for this is the increasing demand, explained Andreas X. Müller, Vice President Germany. Linde operates two hydrogen liquefiers in the Leuna Chemical Park and, according to its own information, is currently the only producer of liquid hydrogen in Germany.
Liquid hydrogen is a common transport medium due to its high energy density, especially in the commercial vehicle sector and for ship propulsion. Due to its high purity, it is also used in the electronics industry. Despite the increasing demand, hydrogen liquefaction capacities are limited, often resulting in long transport routes. The reason for this is the extremely low liquefaction temperature of -253°C, which requires a high energy input.
The larger capacity of the new trailer is intended to make longer transport routes more efficient. The 50 percent higher volume not only allows for logistical efficiency gains but also improves the CO₂ balance of the transport chain, as fewer trips are necessary for the same amount of hydrogen. Linde is also involved in the development of specialized filling station technology for liquid hydrogen.
