MHI achieves durability test milestone on 90 MPa-class ultra-high-pressure LH₂ booster pump

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has reached a significant milestone by completing 1,200 hours of operation in a long-term durability test of its 90 MPa-class ultra-high-pressure liquid hydrogen (LH₂) booster pump. These pumps are used at hydrogen refueling stations to refuel hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen tube trailers.

During the test, which began in April 2023 and concluded in November 2024, the pump successfully completed 1,500 refueling cycles at cryogenic temperatures of approximately −253°C (−423°F) and operated for 1,200 hours without downtime or the need for major component replacement. Over the course of the test, it pumped approximately 140 tons of liquid hydrogen, the equivalent of refueling 5,000 fuel cell buses, while generating negligible boil-off gas during operation.

This milestone demonstrates the pump’s operational reliability in hydrogen refueling, enabling dependable high flow rates of 160 kg per hour at a discharge pressure of 90 MPa (900 bar).

The durability test was conducted in collaboration with FirstElement Fuel at the Livermore Hydrogen Hub, under real-world hydrogen refueling station conditions.

Following this success, the pump will be installed at a large-scale hydrogen station in Japan, dedicated to clean commercial mobility. It is scheduled to commence commercial operation in April 2025, coinciding with the station’s inauguration.

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