Linde Opens Production Line for Hydrogen Refueling Stations

Germany's Linde AG has opened what it describes as the world's first factory able to mass-produce hydrogen fueling stations for fuel-cell vehicles.

The facility at Linde's application center in Vienna, Austria, can assemble 50 stations per year. The company has signed a deal to supply 28 such units to Japan's Iwatani Corp., beginning with the first unit today.

Until now, devices to prepare compressed hydrogen fuel have been custom-built. Linde's stations use standardized components and are housed into easily shippable 14-foot-long containers.

The system features Linde's IC 90 ionic compressor, which uses liquid salts rather than a conventional piston compressor. The technology is more efficient, eliminates wear and mechanical sealing problems and can achieve pressures of 1,000 bar (14,500 psi), according to the company.

The Linde fueling stations also come equipped with remote diagnosis and maintenance capabilities.