Europe's First Magnetic Refrigeration Plant for Hydrogen Liquefaction Opens in Dresden
Dresden has welcomed Europe's first magnetic refrigeration pilot plant for hydrogen liquefaction, a collaborative effort between the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and startup Magnetotherm. This innovative plant, part of the EU project HyLICAL, promises significant efficiency gains over conventional methods.
The plant, developed by MAN Energy Solutions and HZDR in 2017, harnesses the magnetocaloric effect to cool hydrogen to minus 253 degrees Celsius, far surpassing the boiling point of liquid nitrogen used in pre-cooling. This groundbreaking technology is expected to be 30 to 50 percent more efficient than traditional compressor-based systems.
At the heart of the plant lies a powerful 19-Tesla superconducting magnet, installed in the floor of the High Field Magnet Laboratory Dresden (HLD). The magnetocaloric effect enables the plant to achieve remarkable cooling, paving the way for cheaper hydrogen liquefaction. The EU project HyLICAL aims to reduce costs to less than 1.50 euros per kilogram of hydrogen.
HZDR and Magnotherm, partners since 2023, aim to produce 100 kilograms of liquid hydrogen daily, demonstrating the scalability of this innovative technology. With Magnotherm opening a second production site on the Rossendorf campus in 2024, the future of efficient hydrogen liquefaction looks promising.
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