Quality Control for the Hydrogen Supply Chain

Cascade Technologies, a manufacturer of high-technology, laser based, gas analysers and the National Physical Laboratory have joined together with leaders in the hydrogen energy sector, BOC, ITM Power and the University of St Andrews to develop a new tool for the quality assurance of hydrogen fuel. Cascade Technologies, with support from the University of St Andrews, will develop a laser gas analyser to measure the impurities in hydrogen fuels. The analyser will then be tested on-site at hydrogen production facilities and refueling stations (ITM Power and BOC). Finally, the measurements made by the new analyser will be verified by experts at NPL. Just as now, fuel impurities can be damaging to internal combustion engines. This is also the case for the fuel-cell vehicles of the future. This new laser based approach could mean real-time online chemical analysis of fuel impurities, at the pump, without the need for a scientist or laboratory. This fit-and-forget technology promises to dramatically increase the confidence which tomorrow's drivers can expect to have in their fuel.