On December 28, 2023, Zhangjiagang CIMC Sanctum Cryogenic Equipment Co., a subsidiary of CIMC, launched China’s first 40 cubic-meter liquid hydrogen tanker truck. This major breakthrough marks that China has made significant progresses in liquid hydrogen production, storage, transportation and filling, and heralds demonstration of liquid hydrogen energy technology may come near in China.
Liquid hydrogen has much higher energy density than high-pressure hydrogen, allowing vehicles with the same weight of hydrogen tanks to operate longer distances.
Hydrogen can be stored either as a gas or as a liquid. Hydrogen gas storage typically requires the use of high pressure tanks (350-700 bar), while liquid hydrogen storage requires cryogenic temperatures to prevent it boiling back into a gas (which occurs at −252.8°C).
Although Chinese commercial OEMs are enthusiastic at liquid hydrogen truck that several new models have been developed and demonstrated in 2023, China don’t have liquid hydrogen transportation capacity for commercial usage before. This 40 cubic meter liquid hydrogen tanker truck is designed and manufactured by Zhangjiagang CIMC Sanctum Cryogenic Equipment Co., Ltd.
The company is a subsidiary of China International Marine Containers Group Co (CIMC), world’s largest container producer. It is located in Zhangjiagang, a port city in Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone in Jiangsu Province.
During the research and innovation, several national standards were formulated, including “Mobile Vacuum Insulated Liquid Hydrogen Pressure Vessel”, the company announced.
The research work gets technology and financial support from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China under national crucial research and development project “Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Energy Technology” – “Key Equipment and Safety Research for Liquid Hydrogen Preparation, Storage, Transportation and Refueling”.
The aim of this project is to build a nationwide innovation network for key technologies and key equipment for liquid hydrogen production, storage, and transportation, and to solve the urgent need for hydrogen fuel preparation, transmission, distribution and filling for the large scale operation of hydrogen-fueled commercial vehicles in China.
By the end of 2023, equipment such as heavy-duty hydrogen turbine expanders, integration and control technology packages have been developed. China’s first liquid hydrogen production plant is also under construction in Zhejiang province by Air Products.
Source: Jian WU, China Hydrogen Bulletin
