Case Study on H2 Filling System for Fuel Cell Buses
Industry: Public Transportation and Research
Location: India
Timeline: 1-year
Client: Oil company and fuel cell bus manufacturer
This project focused on upgrading the hydrogen refueling infrastructure at an R&D center in Faridabad, India, to support the deployment of 15 Fuel Cell (FC) buses.
The project involved designing, installing, and commissioning a state-of-the-art Hydrogen (H2) dispenser capable of filling both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles at 350bar.
With a focus on advanced technology and scalability, the project also introduced hydrogen pre-cooling to India to allow for conducting studies to -200C.
Integration of a new dispenser with the compression and storage systems available at site, and incorporated hardware for future 700-bar fueling was also required.
- 15 Fuel Cell Buses supported.
- 350 bar filling for light- and heavy-duty vehicles.
- Filling 25 kg of hydrogen per bus in 15 minutes.
- Hydrogen pre-cooling to -20°C.
- First PESO-certified, domestically built dispenser in India.
The project involved the upgrading of an existing dispensing system, which required extensive coordination with our customer for the on-site construction activities.
The following key elements were included in the project scope:
- The existing dispenser, installed in 2005, was integrated with a Compression, Storage and Cascading (CSC) system. The dismantling was complicated as the CSC system was shared with a second, functional dispenser.
- A new three-step hydrogen cascading system was to be installed without any disruption to on-going fueling activities.
- As an R&D facility, the customer wanted the ability to vary pre-cooling temperatures between ambient and -20 degrees C.
- The system required remote monitoring capabilities to track performance at varying conditions.
- A hydrogen dispenser optimized to handle high-pressure hydrogen filling, ensuring accurate and efficient fueling for each bus.
- Our customer wanted additional fueling nozzles installed within the system to support future 700 bar fueling, and allow the site to be used for studies related to 700 bar dispensing of hydrogen and hydrogen precooling.
- The dispenser was required to be PESO certified to meet Indian regulatory requirements.
Advanced Solutions for High-Pressure Hydrogen Refueling
- Replaced the 2005-era dispenser with minimal impact on the site’s operations.
- Weekend work schedules ensured uninterrupted use of the secondary dispenser.
- Installed a three-step hydrogen cascading system.
- Positioned the new dispenser with enhanced safety and high-pressure capabilities.
- Implemented a pre-cooling system using domestically sourced chillers and a heat exchanger.
- Enabled temperature control to as low as -20°C, supporting advanced fueling studies.
- Included nozzles for 350 bar fueling (industrial and off-road vehicles) and 700 bar for future applications.
- Collaborated with sub-contractors to achieve PESO certification for the dispenser and associated manufacturing facilities.
- Integrated remote monitoring capabilities for real-time performance tracking.
A Milestone for Hydrogen Refueling in India
The successful completion of this project supports India’s transition to sustainable public transportation by providing critical refueling infrastructure for fuel cell buses and has helped Fluitron demonstrate its fueling technology in India.
The project delivered:
- The addition of this dispenser increased capacity at the R&D center, allowing the customer to fill light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles to 350 bar.
- A futureproofed dispenser with integrated hardware needed for upgrade to 700 bar refueling.
- Fluitron set out to support India’s goals by using domestic components and sub-contractors wherever possible
- The the first in India manufactured dispenser certified by PESO.
