Project description
A new solution for sustainable liquid hydrogen storage and transport
The maritime industry faces an urgent challenge: finding sustainable, efficient and safe ways to store and transport liquid hydrogen (LH2) for commercial vessels. With this in mind, the EU-funded LH2CRAFT project aims to design an innovative membrane-type containment system. Specifically, it will leverage membrane technology, capable of storing LH2 at frigid temperatures of -253 °C on a massive scale, reaching up to 200 000 m³. The project’s goal is to revolutionise LH2 storage on a massive scale, catering to commercial vessels and emerging applications, all while enhancing safety, modularity, scalability and environmental sustainability. Going beyond conceptualisation, it involves the creation of a 10-tonne (180 m³) prototype to validate its innovative design.
Objective
The overall goal of LH2CRAFT is to develop next generation, sustainable, commercially attractive, and safe long-term storage and long-distance transportation of Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) for commercial vessels (or even as fuel in certain applications). It aims at developing an innovative containment system of membrane-type for high-capacity storage (e.g. 200,000 m3) at a temperature of -253 deg C and demonstrating and validating it on a 10 ton (180 m3) prototype. It foresees the analysis of alternative conceptual designs with safety and risk assessment initiated at an early stage of the design process of the cargo containment system (CCS) exceeding currently demonstrated sizes. The design will allow LH2 storage to large dimensions, similar to those of existing LNG carriers. Special characteristics (storage tank, handling, distribution, safety, and monitoring subsystems (HDMSS) of the concepts that support up- or down-scaling will be detailed in order to prove the modularity and scalability of the proposed solution. The CCS will achieve AiP and general approval by a major classification society (three IACS members are participating). Demonstration will be done via the detailed design, construction, and testing of the reduced size prototype. LH2CRAFT will also develop a preliminary integrated ship design and carry out the corresponding cost estimation, achieving reduced boil-off rates of 0.5 % per day. A life cycle model will provide a significant tool enabling comparison between different new design or retrofit strategies while the LCA of the large carrier will evaluate the environmental impact from cradle to grave identifying also activities related to sustainability and recyclability and determining the environmental benefits. Two societal objectives will be served: society’s needs and EU’s strong global maritime leadership for its innovation-driven industry providing highly skilled jobs, efficient technological solutions, and international regulatory standards.
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
153 42 AGIA PARASKEVI
Greece
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.