Alfa Laval's hydrogen solution is paving the way for new hydrogen refuelling stations across the EU

In today's era of speedy implementations of sustainable solutions, Alfa Laval through Business Unit Welded Heat Exchangers, is at the forefront of innovation by developing heat exchangers serving the high-capacity hydrogen refueling stations for heavy-duty vehicles. As a part of the European consortium ‘Refuelling Heavy Duty with very high flow Hydrogen’, known as the RHeaDHy project, Alfa Laval is contributing to tackling climate change and promoting sustainable development with EU's Horizon Europe research program.

Alfa Laval's participation in the RHeaDHy project underscores its commitment to advancing hydrogen technology and solidifying its leadership in sustainable solutions. With Europe's plan to deploy hydrogen refuelling stations in every major city by 2030, Alfa Laval's innovative contributions are crucial for the future of transportation.

The RHeaDHy project focuses on safely refuelling 100kg of hydrogen in less than 10 minutes, achieving a peak flow of 300g/s at 1000bar. This technology leap demands cutting-edge heat exchanger technology to cool hydrogen down to -30°C before injection into the vehicle tanks. Alfa Laval, together with partners like Engie, HRS, Faurecia, Lauda, ZBT, Emerson-Tescom, and Benkei, is rising to this challenge.

EU Innovation Radar nomination
The technology developed by RHeaDhy was nominated for the EU Innovation Radar Prize, which highlights the project's potential impact. RHeaDHy's high-performance hydrogen refuelling stations are essential to the EU's transport decarbonization ambitions. By developing new high-flow refueling protocols and associated equipment, this project aims to transform the transportation sector, paving the way for a cleaner, sustainable future.

Project evolution
Selected by the European Commission in September 2022, RHeaDHy officially started in February 2023 in Duisburg, Germany. The project duration is four years, during which time two high-capacity prototype stations will be developed and tested.

Through this partnership, Alfa Laval had its development efforts fully funded by the European Union for its high-capacity Printed Circuit Heat Exchangers used in hydrogen refuelling stations, which have become part of the HyBloc range.

Alfa Laval was selected due to our alignment with the European Union's goals and objectives. HyBloc technology aligns with the EU's goals to eliminate fossil fuel dependency. Hydrogen-powered vehicles, especially for heavy-duty applications (buses, trucks and even trains), present a viable alternative where battery power falls short. The EU's choice of Alfa Laval underscores its commitment to a sustainable future, with Alfa Laval playing a key role in shaping refueling protocols.