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Hydrogen Station 2.0 in Zaventem: Air Liquide Completes Renovations

By August 19, 2020 3   min read  (474 words)

August 19, 2020 |

Air Liquide Zaventem Station

In 2016, Air Liquide unveiled its first hydrogen fueling station in Belgium in Zaventem. The station has just completed major renovations in order to better meet future needs …

“Hydrogen is gradually finding its place as an energy source for road traffic,” explains Diederick Luijten, Vice President Hydrogen Energy NWE & CIS Countries at Air Liquide. “That’s why we want our gas station to operate safely and reliably, and to provide the best user experience possible.”

A highly technical and technological hydrogen station 

The station has been renovated with new filling curves, which also allow the most recent hydrogen cars to be filled in accordance with current regulations, in complete safety. An infrared communication system is built into the fuel gun, so that the gas station can determine which vehicle (make and type) is at the pump. The system communicates the contents of the tank as well as the pressure and temperature in the tank. On the one hand, this guarantees safety and, on the other hand, it allows refueling quickly and efficiently.

“The cooling capacity of the gas station has also changed. This allows us to fill vehicles with controlled cooled hydrogen, which speeds up the filling process. Finally, this technique also has the particularity of consuming much less electricity, which is better for the environment. Everyone is benefiting. “

A connected hydrogen station that informs its users in real time
In addition, the station will be upgraded in the coming weeks to be connected to the European Hydrogen Refueling Station Availability System (E-HRS-AS). This European project, made possible by funding from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking(FCH-JU), aims to improve the online visibility of hydrogen stations. The system allows motorists to obtain information in real time, in particular using their GPS system, on all hydrogen stations in Europe. They can thus find the location of the station and integrate it into their itinerary. The station status (open / closed) can also be requested and the user can check which filling pressures (350 and / or 700 bar) are offered.

Next destination for hydrogen: Strasbourg The objective is that the Members of the European Parliament, who are in the vicinity of the hydrogen station, will soon fill up with hydrogen in Zaventem and that they commute between Brussels and Strasbourg with their cars. Policy makers in Europe want to set an example on the issue of zero-emission mobility.

“The service station is suitable not only for private cars, but also for buses and other vehicles in the city of Brussels. In this context, it is important to stress that the Belgian public transport companies have also expressed their interest in carrying out tests with hydrogen buses. And of course they will have to be able to refuel somewhere, ”concludes Diederick Luijten.

Source: Air Liquide

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