Metrology and hydrogen

Hydrogen can potentially play an important role in the energy transition. This has sparked many hydrogen initiatives, both nationally and in Europe as a whole. Hydrogen can serve as a fuel as well as a flexible storage and transport medium in many sectors, particularly in industry, transport and construction. It can also serve a function between the electricity and gas sectors and increase the deployment of wind and solar energy.

All these new applications, assemblies and systems require precise and traceable measurements. Metrology therefore plays an important role by providing and managing measurement standards and developing new hydrogen measurement solutions.

An official measurement standard for hydrogen

More and better hydrogen solutions are coming onto the market. One example is hydrogen-powered cars. VSL has therefore developed a hydrogen measurement standard. A colourless, odourless, tasteless and invisible gas, hydrogen is measured in kilograms. Since hydrogen cannot be weighed in a container, VSL has developed a system for measuring hydrogen that is traceable to the national kilogram. This system eliminates any doubt about the amount of hydrogen you put into your car and what you’re charged for it.

This is important, because a kilogram of hydrogen is expensive (averaging between 30 and 40 euros in 2023). So you don’t want to get less than what you pay for. However, a good hydrogen measurement looks not only at the quality of the gas but also its composition. For example, it could be contaminated with a sulphur compound, which might then cause damage during the conversion of gas to electricity. This underscores the importance of precise measurement techniques and methods.

How VSL can help

VSL has extensive knowledge of and experience in hydrogen measurement. For example, we calibrate pumps and perform hydrogen purity analyses. We also have reference materials and a mobile calibration facility for hydrogen refuelling stations.

Mobile calibration facility
To operate commercially, public hydrogen refuelling stations are required by law to have their pumps certified by an approved body. This gives hydrogen customers the guarantee that they get what they pay for. Certification requires calibration of the hydrogen pump. Given that our calibration facility is mobile, owners of hydrogen refuelling stations can have their pumps calibrated on site.

Purity analyses
Any contamination in hydrogen can severely affect the performance of fuel cells. Hydrogen-powered vehicles therefore require extremely pure hydrogen, in line with the specifications of ISO 14687 and other standards. In addition to the production process, hydrogen fuel specifications also place high demands on quality control systems, which include sampling, impurity measurement methods and reference materials. To determine these specifications, VSL has developed measurement methods and reference standards for various contaminants. VSL therefore carries out purity analyses for the impurities listed in ISO 14687.