A New Spin on Liquid Hydrogen: Controlled Cold Energy

R&D Focus Areas:
Liquid hydrogen

Lead Organisation:
University of Western Australia

Partners:
Not applicable

Status:
Active

Start date:
July 2023

Completion date:
June 2026

Key contacts:
Chief Investigator: Professor Michael Johns: michael.johns@uwa.edu.au

Funding:
Australian Research Council (ARC) grant award: AUD$613,863

Project total cost:
AUD$840,000

Project summary description:
While hydrogen is seen as playing a leading role in global decarbonisation, significant challenges remain regarding methods for its reliable storage and transportation. Hydrogen liquefaction has emerged as a promising approach due to its high energy density and hydrogen purity but is currently prohibitively expensive.

This project will exploit the peculiar spin physics of hydrogen to alleviate liquefactions costs through the provision of controllable refrigeration (so-called ‘cold energy’) following regasification. In particular, it will seek to measure, optimise and exploit the highly endothermic catalysed conversion of para- to ortho- hydrogen, which can provide up to 525 kJ/kg of cooling at convenient temperatures.

A key outcome of this project is to reduce the cost of converting hydrogen to a liquid by designing equipment to efficiently recover most of the additional energy used in this process, and then use this energy directly for refrigeration, air conditioning and during regasification.

Related publications and key links:
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2024) 62, 345-351
Grant – Grants Data Portal (arc.gov.au)

Higher degree studies supported:
None at this time.

 

Reviewed: August 2024