Ebara : Developed the world's first Liquid Hydrogen Booster Pump

EBARA CORPORATION (EBARA) successfully developed the world's first liquid hydrogen booster pump for hydrogen power generation consistent with the global expansion of the hydrogen market.

1. Background

more than 10% of the world's energy trade is expected to be hydrogen in 2050. In addition, the global hydrogen business market has forecast to expand to more than 200 trillion yen, and countries and companies around the world are accelerating their efforts.¹

In August 2021, we launched a Hydrogen Business Project as a Corporate Project aiming at commercialization under the direct control of the Ebara's president. EBARA possesses technological capabilities that are compatible with a hydrogen society in the processes of Hydrogen production, transportation and End-use. Especially, as for hydrogen transportation, we have technologies for Cryogenic liquid hydrogen pump as well as for compressors. We have been developing various transportation methods to realize the hydrogen society such as liquid hydrogen, compressed hydrogen, and liquid ammonia.

2. Overview

Process chart of Liquid Hydrogen receiving at terminal to Hydrogen supplying as fuel to power generation

In 2019, as a grant project by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), we started developing the world's first liquid hydrogen booster pump for hydrogen power generation, which is required to supply hydrogen to hydrogen power generation gas turbines. Using this liquid hydrogen prototype pump, we conducted a test with liquid hydrogen at -253°C at JAXA Noshiro Experimental Station (Akita) in October 2022. We obtained favorable results that contributed to designing a large flow rate booster pump.

Liquid hydrogen that will be used for hydrogen power generation is transported from overseas is kept in a storage tank. A Liquid hydrogen booster pump is required when it is unloaded from the tank and supplied to a hydrogen gas turbine. Due to the high level of technical difficulty, pumps with a large capacity capable of handling liquid hydrogen at -253°C and high pressure for power generation are not currently in the market. Based on our strong high-pressure centrifugal pumps and cryogenic technology, we are planning to launch them in the market in 2023 as the world's first pump to supply liquid hydrogen fuel. At the end of July 2022, an interim report on developments was made at NEDO debriefing session.

3. Future plan

liquefied hydrogen storage tanks to hydrogen power generation gas turbines, we will play a role to connect with each technology to support the hydrogen society. We will accelerate our efforts to realize a hydrogen energy market and carbon neutrality by 2050, and contribute to the realization of a sustainable society. This is our long-term vision of "E-Vision 2030."

The EBARA Group aims to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by addressing material issues identified in its long-term vision and executing the medium-term management plan to increase corporate value.

^{1Citation: IRENA (2022), Geopolitics of the Energy Transformation: The Hydrogen Factor, International Renewable Energy Agency, Abu Dhabi. ISBN: 978-92-9260-370-0}