Air Products’ high pressure tube trailer fleet expansion

Air Products has announced the introduction of an additional SmartFuel hydrogen high pressure tube trailer to its fleet.

A landmark first for the European hydrogen market, the trailer will deliver large volumes of hydrogen at high pressure to Air Products’ new, publicly accessible refuelling station in Heathrow, UK. 

The developments are part of the FCH JU Hydrogen Transport in European Cities (HyTEC) initiative led by Air Products.

The SmartFuel station, which Air Products’ has now successfully commissioned and permanently located in Heathrow, uses state-of-the-art technology. 

It has 700 bar refueling capability which is a vital specification for hydrogen vehicles expected to enter commercial operation in the next few years. 

The station will now take delivery of its hydrogen from the latest SmartFuel hydrogen high pressure tube trailer to enter Air Products’ fleet.

The SmartFuel tube trailers feature specialised composite cylinders which enable them to deliver hydrogen to fuelling stations at a pressure of 500 bar; a significant enhancement on the existing 200 bar industrial hydrogen delivery models minimising the need for onsite compression.

Station operators see this benefit translated into lower capital investment in the station hardware as well as a marked reduction in station operating costs.

Reducing the need for onsite compression also leads to higher levels of reliability.  Air Products has demonstrated this first hand at its SmartFuel bus refuelling station in London, where on-stream levels are consistently in line with industry expectations.

Diana Raine, European business manager, Hydrogen Energy Systems, Air Products, said: “The 350 and 700-bar Heathrow fuelling station and the expansion of the SmartFuel trailer fleet represent significant milestones in the journey to establish a long term, viable hydrogen fuelling infrastructure across the UK and Europe.

“Air Products is proud to be leading the HyTEC project which has played an important role in bringing together these necessary components as we prepare for the arrival of commercially available hydrogen vehicles.”