Limitations in the Hydrogen Refueling Process of Railway Vehicles

Abstract

This paper outlines the process of refueling rail vehicles with hydrogen and explores the associated limitations affecting refueling time. For this purpose, simulation models of the refueling process in Dymola are set up. The dispenser of the refueling station, the flow resistances and the heat transfer of the tanks are abstracted and represented in these models. The simulated results are compared with measurement data from the refueling process of the demonstrator train from the FCH2Rail-project and thus validated. The validated model is used to vary various parameters in the refueling process and thus investigate different refueling concepts. It is shown that the temperature in the hydrogen tank in particular limits the refueling time with the given normative limits. The temperature in the tanks can be reduced through better heat transfer in the tanks, pre-cooling, active cooling or modularization and hybridization of the tank modules. Alternatively, the state-of-the-art normative limits for the temperature could be increased by selecting other material parameters in the tank. Overall, it is shown that a refueling time of 15 minutes for rail vehicles with hydrogen is only possible with considerable process effort, such as pre-cooling.