H2 MEET(Mobility Energy Environment Technology) 2024 is Korea’s largest specialized hydrogen business exhibition and conference and is one of the most influential hydrogen events in the world.
CEO Yong Seog Kim of LIBECO E&C Co., Ltd. explains the world’s first automatic valve for commercial vehicles developed in Korea
LIBECO E&C Co., Ltd. (CEO Yong Seog Kim), a Korean hydrogen technology specialist, has developed a high-efficiency liquid hydrogen storage and supply system for commercial vehicles that outperforms similar systems developed by companies such as Europe’s Daimler and America’s Chart.
Notably, LIBECO E&C has become the world’s first to develop and apply an automatic valve for commercial vehicles, a technology currently under development in Europe. Furthermore, the company plans to begin demonstrating its liquid hydrogen storage system from January next year and will proceed with the production of liquid hydrogen demonstration vehicles for road testing.
Additionally, the company is working on improving the energy efficiency of the liquid hydrogen fuel supply system while reducing production costs. In the future, they plan to optimize system design to maximize energy efficiency and develop automated processes to further reduce manufacturing costs.
At ‘H2 MEET 2024’, which opened on the 25th at KINTEX in Ilsan, hydrogen technology specialist LIBECO E&C Co., Ltd. announced that they have developed Korea’s first liquid hydrogen storage and supply system for commercial vehicles. This system features zero BOG (Boil-Off Gas) loss and a thermal management system that utilizes cryogenic energy.
BOG (Boil-Off Gas) refers to the evaporated gas that occurs when cryogenic liquid hydrogen stored in a container vaporizes due to external heat ingress. This phenomenon causes increased pressure inside the storage container and results in the loss of liquid hydrogen. Therefore, proper control and management of BOG is a crucial technical challenge in liquid hydrogen storage and supply systems.
The developed system is equipped with the world’s first automatic valve for mobility liquid hydrogen applications. Additionally, key components such as safety valves and check valves for commercial vehicles have been installed after completing performance verification.
The double-walled insulated Vessel for liquid hydrogen storage has been designed according to the ASME Sec8, Division 1 code. It is also constructed to allow for sLH2 (subcooled liquid hydrogen) fueling, which can minimize BOG generation.
sLH2 (Subcooled Liquid Hydrogen) is a method where liquid hydrogen at 26K is pressurized to about 16 bar for fueling. This allows for higher density (greater quantity) fueling compared to regular liquid hydrogen and can suppress BOG (Boil-Off Gas) release for extended periods.
This system has gained a competitive edge over rivals in terms of energy efficiency and driving range by incorporating a zero-loss hydrogen energy system that doesn’t release BOG externally, and a thermal management system that utilizes the cryogenic energy of liquid hydrogen. It’s also designed for easy hydrogen leak detection and maintenance, enhancing the operational safety and durability of liquid hydrogen use.
Furthermore, to ensure successful entry into the North American market, the company plans to optimize the system through sLH2 (subcooled liquid hydrogen) fueling and supply tests at a U.S. national laboratory in collaboration with a major global oil company.
Using this product, LIBECO E&C Co., Ltd. plans to enter the U.S. market through demonstrations of liquid hydrogen commercial vehicles. This strategy targets the U.S. transportation market, which is approximately 25 times larger than Korea’s.
The developed liquid hydrogen storage and supply system will first be installed in liquid hydrogen commercial vehicles to enter the U.S. market for converting trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles. To achieve this, the company plans to collaborate with U.S. commercial vehicle modification firms and liquid hydrogen refueling companies. After verifying the product’s performance through demonstrations, they intend to participate in hydrogen commercial vehicle pilot projects within the United States.
Furthermore, the company is continuously exploring options with partners in various fields to develop automated processes and establish production lines for future cost reduction in manufacturing.
While there has been ongoing investment in liquid hydrogen-related national R&D projects in Korea, it is particularly significant that a small to medium-sized enterprise has developed the country’s first liquid hydrogen storage and supply system for commercial vehicles without any government research funding support.
The global commercial vehicle market is expected to accelerate the adoption of liquid hydrogen technology for eco-friendly transformation. In this shifting paradigm, the advanced liquid hydrogen technology developed and patented by LIBECO E&C Co., Ltd. is anticipated to serve as a key competitive advantage in the future market.
LIBECO E&C Co., Ltd.’s innovative technology is expected to lead the advancement of the eco-friendly commercial vehicle industry and secure long-term growth momentum through first-mover advantages in the global market.
* Original article: https://www.energydaily.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=149768