Calvera Hydrogen develops hydrogen transport tube trailer model for Shell Hydrogen

Calvera Hydrogen has developed at its facilities in Zaragoza (Spain) the hydrogen tube trailer model with the largest capacity in the world.

The equipment is designed to transport 1.0 Ton (2,270 lbs.) of hydrogen on the US roads and more than 1.3 Ton (2,870 lbs) on EU roads (due to the different road weight regulations of each region), with a working pressure of 517 bar (7,500 psi). This makes it the highest working pressure tube trailer in the international market. It is made of state-of-the-art carbon fiber and is 45 feet long. This project has been developed for Shell Hydrogen and will be used to service Shell’s hydrogen refueling stations globally.

Both companies have been working together for more than two years on the engineering and technological development of this project, which will take its first steps in the United States and Germany. Currently, as a result of a framework agreement between the two companies, new units of this tube trailer model are being developed to cover the hydrogen transport needs of Shell’s refueling stations in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom.

The equipment is designed to optimize to the fullest possible the capacity and pressure of the stored hydrogen, and thus achieve maximum efficiency and cost savings in the dispatch of hydrogen in the hydrogen refueling stations actuating through automatic valves integrated in the tube trailer at different pressure stages and performing the dual function of mobile and fixed smart storage.

Ricardo Calvera, Technical Director of Calvera Hydrogen, said: “It is an honor for us to collaborate so closely with such a high-quality team as Shell Hydrogen to implement this emblematic project. We would like to thank the company for their confidence in our technical capacity, experience and rigorous approach to safety.”

This project stands out for the innovation and complexity of its design and has been conceived under the highest safety standards. It has a differential feature that makes it unique, since it is approved to comply with current regulations in both the United States and Europe, which has been a challenge both in the design and in the regulatory processes for its approval.

Oliver Bishop, General Manager of Shell Hydrogen, said: “This new project furthers our growth and leadership in this rapidly developing global hydrogen supply industry, where Shell Hydrogen is betting on becoming a world leader.”