Toyota Unveils Self-Pressurizer to Boost Efficiency in Hydrogen-Powered Vehicles

Toyota has just revealed an exciting new development in hydrogen-powered vehicles. They've introduced a self-pressurizer that recycles boil-off hydrogen gas. This innovation could make their vehicles even more efficient.

So, how does it work? Toyota is advancing its liquid hydrogen system. This system includes a self-pressurizer designed to capture escaping gas and reuse it as fuel. The goal is to boost engine efficiency.

Back in 2023, Toyota showcased this liquid hydrogen system in the GR Corolla H2 Concept. It keeps hydrogen at a chilly -253 degrees Celsius during filling and storage. Since hydrogen turns into gas at room temperature, the pumps must operate at these low temperatures to prevent the liquid from boiling. However, even with this system, some boil-off gas still goes to waste.

To tackle this issue, Toyota demonstrated their self-pressurizer at the Super Taikyu Series 2024 race. This device uses the pressure from the boil-off gas. It can increase pressure by two to four times, generating reusable fuel without needing extra energy. Plus, Toyota plans to send any excess boil-off to a small fuel cell package. This will power the hydrogen pump motor, leading to even more efficiency.

Now, liquid hydrogen vehicles come with their own set of challenges. Storing and configuring the system can be quite complex. Dr. Jacob Leachman, a professor at Washington State University, points out that hydrogen pumps are often the most failure-prone components in hydrogen systems, whether they're cryogenic or gaseous.

Dr. Leachman notes that Toyota has cleverly designed a hydrogen pump that harnesses some of the cold energy for compression. This is a crucial advancement for anyone working on cold hydrogen vehicles.

He also highlights another challenge. When you seal a container of liquid hydrogen and let it boil, the pressure can rise to over 140 Megapascals, or about 20,000 psi. That’s a lot of pressure!

In summary, Toyota's self-pressurizer represents a significant step forward in hydrogen vehicle technology. It's all about making these vehicles more efficient and effective.