The RHeaDHy Project - A Comprehensive Overview

- Introduction
The RHeaDHy project, « Refuelling Heavy Duty with very high flow Hydrogen », aims to develop components and refuelling stations capable of implementing and testing new "very high flow" refuelling protocols for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). The main target of this European funded project (GA n°101101443) is to reduce by a factor of 5 the refuelling time, i.e. to refuel 100 kg of H2 at 700 bar in less than 10 min. This initiative is crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport, particularly freight, which represents 22% of overall emissions in the EU.

- Objectives
RHeaDHy has five specific objectives:
- Design and Assembly of a Very High Flow Hydrogen Refuelling Line: Develop a new refuelling lines that meet performance and operating conditions with optimal trade-offs between constraints and performance.

- Development of New Components for High Flow Refuelling: Create new components suitable for the very high flow constraints, such as cooling technology, flow meters, valves, and heat exchangers, and test prototypes.

- Development and Demonstration of New Refuelling Protocols: Achieve 100 kg refuelling in 10 minutes and perform extensive refuelling simulations.

- Demonstration of Protocols in Relevant Environments: Test the fully integrated chain of HDV HRStation components on two different stations.

- Standardization and Certification of Components: Participate in standardization committees and obtain certifications for all components.

- Methodology
RHeaDHy is a collaborative effort involving nine partners: ENGIE - Laboratory CRIGEN, HRS, ZBT, EMERSON Micromotion, EMERSON TESCOM, Alfa Laval, LAUDA, FORVIA, and Benkei, spread across three countries: France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Once all partners aligned on the requirements and equipment specifications through design, testing and simulations efforts, component manufacturers developed the new equipment suited for the very high flow refuelling line. The manufacturing of these components is now complete, and assembly is ongoing. Following the adaptations of the refuelling lines at the test sites in HRS (France) and ZBT (Germany) the first series of tests is anticipated to start in 2025.

- Conclusion
The RHeaDHy project is a significant step towards achieving climate neutrality by reducing emissions from heavy-duty vehicles through innovative hydrogen refuelling solutions. By developing and standardizing new components and protocols, the project will pave the way for a sustainable and efficient hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in Europe. The presentation will provide more details about the goals and especially the progress of RHeaDHy project. It will feature advancements and recommendations for the industry as well as technical results achieved by then.