Innovative Insulation System by Norway’s CryoVac Paving the Way for Liquid Hydrogen Shipping
Key Ideas
- CryoVac in Norway has gained Approval in Principle from DNV for its CryoPan vacuum insulation system designed to enable liquid hydrogen shipping.
- The innovative design addresses challenges of storing and transporting liquid hydrogen at ultra-cold temperatures while minimizing hydrogen boil-off.
- CryoPan utilizes hexagonal vacuum insulation panels to ensure robust insulation and safety, housed within prismatic tanks based on existing ship storage designs.
- The system aims to maintain hydrogen at -253°C, overcoming safety and material integrity issues associated with extreme cold temperatures.
CryoVac, a company based near Oslo, Norway, has made significant progress in enabling the shipping of liquid hydrogen with its innovative insulation system. The system, known as CryoPan, has received Approval in Principle from DNV, a classification society. Liquid hydrogen needs to be stored and transported at an incredibly low temperature of -253°C, presenting challenges such as safety risks and material integrity issues. CryoPan addresses these challenges by using hexagonal vacuum insulation panels that are welded into continuous surfaces, providing strong insulation while reducing hydrogen boil-off, which occurs when stored hydrogen evaporates due to heat ingress. The prismatic tanks designed by CryoVac are based on existing ship storage models and are housed within an insulated compartment to ensure both safety and efficiency. This breakthrough by CryoVac represents a significant step forward in the field of liquid hydrogen transportation, offering a promising solution to the complexities associated with maintaining hydrogen at ultra-cold temperatures.