Korea Railroad Research Institute develops onboard liquefied hydrogen system doubling train range
A liquefied hydrogen storage · supply system that can more than double the single-charge driving range of hydrogen trains has been developed. The system has been downsized and lightened so it can be mounted directly on rolling stock, and is expected to be used for the commercialization of hydrogen rail.
The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) announced on the 10th that it has successfully developed liquefied hydrogen supply system technology for rail transport and held a demonstration of a liquefied hydrogen-based hybrid propulsion system on the 9th at its test site in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province.
KRRI has been developing various technologies required for liquefied hydrogen-based hydrogen-electric locomotives. Liquefied hydrogen is produced by cooling hydrogen to an extremely low temperature so that it becomes a liquid. Because it has a smaller volume than gaseous hydrogen and can store a larger amount, it is advantageous for long-distance operation.
The newly developed system is characterized by an onboard configuration that integrates liquefied hydrogen storage and supply functions into a single unit. The storage vessel and vaporizer are designed as a single integrated unit to reduce volume and weight.
The system consists of a ‘highly insulated storage vessel’ that stores liquefied hydrogen at an ultralow temperature of minus 253 degrees Celsius, and a ‘vaporization system’ that converts liquefied hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen and supplies it to fuel cells. It rapidly converts liquefied hydrogen into gaseous hydrogen at ambient temperature and then controls the pressure to supply it stably to the fuel cells.
The developed system is the world’s first designed to simultaneously operate four 100 kW-class fuel cells. By integrating fuel cells with a voltage stabilization device, a battery pack, and the liquefied hydrogen storage · supply system, KRRI implemented a hydrogen train propulsion system. The institute plans to verify its performance through future tests on load fluctuations and fault response.
Because there are currently no detailed domestic regulations for the use of liquefied hydrogen, demonstration is underway through a regulatory sandbox. KRRI said it obtained regulatory sandbox approval from the government in 2023 and has completed approval of its safety management plan from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation.
The new technology is also expected to be used to convert aging diesel trains into hydrogen-powered trains, in addition to hydrogen trams. KRRI projects that it will be able to more than double the current single-charge driving range of hydrogen trains (about 600 km).
Principal Researcher Kim Gil-dong, said,
Liquefied hydrogen technology offers higher storage and transport efficiency than conventional gaseous hydrogen and enables fast refueling and long-distance operation,
Adding,
We plan to apply it first to hydrogen-electric trams to verify operational efficiency and then expand practical research.
President Sagong Myeong, said,
This technology can greatly expand the potential for using liquefied hydrogen in mobility fields that require large-capacity fuel, such as rail and ships,
And added,
We will continue to develop hydrogen rail technologies to help achieve carbon neutrality.
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Korea Railroad Research Institute develops onboard liquefied hydrogen system doubling train range, source
