LH2 Pioneer - Ultra-insulated seaborne containment system for global LH2 ship transport

Hydrogen is assumed to become an important low/zero-emission energy carrier and has several potential end-use applications e.g. in transport, utilities and industries. A major challenge to overcome in this respect, is to enable cost- and energy-efficient storage and logistics solutions, connecting supply and demand locally, regionally, and globally. For long-distance transport of large volumes, ship transport will be needed, and liquid hydrogen can become one of the major modes of transport, similar to LNG. To enable efficient ship transport in a scale resembling present-day LNG, completely new containment systems for seaborne carriers, as well as systems for onshore storage and ship loading, must be developed. A sufficient insulation standard must be developed and eventually proven to give satisfactory evaporation rates. Therefore, the LH2 Pioneer project aims to develop a conceptual design for liquid hydrogen cargo tanks with 40-45,000 m3 volume and an energy capacity of roughly 100 GWh each. The insulation standard is targeted to give a daily evaporation loss down towards 0.1 %, that is, an inventory loss percentage equivalent to LNG cargo tanks. During the first year, a coarse-grained model for calculating heat ingress in LH2 tanks has been built. The model shows good accuracy relative to detailed finite element models and is computationally cheap and numerically robust. In addition to the tank design and performance, the project develops new solutions for adjacent key systems such as ship layout, ship propulsion powering, boiloff gas handling and LH2 loading and offloading. By taking a holistic system approach across these different disciplines, the aim is to identify favourable and techno-economically optimal trade-offs with respect to e.g. balancing the needs for insulation with energy demands for propulsion and other onboard utilities in different phases of a voyage. The project duration is 4 years, from 2021 through 2024. Research partners are SINTEF Energi, SINTEF Ocean and NTNU. Funding industry partners are Equinor, Gassco and Air Liquide.

Hydrogen has the potential of becoming a major energy commodity and can enable low- or zero-emission energy use in several of the world's energy sectors, such as power generation, road and rail transport, sea transport and energy- and emission-intensive industries. A major challenge in a mass rollout scenario for hydrogen is energy- and cost-efficient storage, transport and distribution from origin to end users. For hydrogen value chains to become economically viable, large volumes and scaled-up technology is mandatory. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) transport and storage can play a major role in hydrogen trade. LH2 is a promising option and offers superior flexibility in the receiving end with respect to energy flux, purity, pressurisation and distribution. LH2P is organised to generate crucial new knowledge about the key technologies needed for feasible large-scale LH2 transportation, reflecting a high level of novelty and scientific ambition. The project aims to develop a pioneering conceptual design for a large and cost-efficient liquid hydrogen containment system with 40'-45 000 m3 volume per tank and boiloff rates feasible for deep sea transport, targeting 0.1 % per day, taking this to TRL 2-3 (analytical validation) and thus preparing for further increase to TRL 4-6 in subsequent development projects. LH2P will also work systematically to de-risk and advance the TRL of other associated technologies: Vessel hull design and propulsion and power system; Onboard boiloff gas handling system; LH2 loading systems for full-scale efficient and safe LH2 transfer onto carriers. LH2P fields a strong industry consortium and an ambitious dissemination plan, targeting the most important stakeholder groups. The scientific sphere will be targeted through peer-reviewed journals and conferences of high merit. Other target groups are governments, industry, trade associations, NGOs and the public sphere, all of which are targeted through appropriate channels in the dissemination plan.