H2 Flow Trace

Flow measurement traceability for hydrogen in gas networks. Developing large-scale verified metrological infrastructure to perform traceable pure hydrogen and HENG flow calibrations for gas networks.

The project (23IND05 H2FlowTrace) has received funding from the European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and by the Participating States.

work packages

  • WP1 Traceability for pure hydrogen or HENG, for small industrial meters with low uncertainties (~0.20 %), using a Small Scale Transfer Skid

The aim of WP1 is to establish a robust metrological infrastructure, for flow rates from 0.1 m3/h to 400 m3/h, and pressures from 0.01 MPa(g) to 1.6 MPa(g), with a primary focus on pure hydrogen. Traceability will also be enabled for Hydrogen Enriched Natural Gas (HENG) blends in small industrial meters (e.g., turbine, rotary, piston prover (typically with a size below G160 (250 m3/h)), with a targeted measurement uncertainty of 0.20 % or less. This will provide the first step towards a traceability route for large scale pure hydrogen and HENG flow meter calibrations (WP2 and WP3).

Leader: METAS

  • WP2 Metrological infrastructure for measuring pure hydrogen and HENG at high flow rates

WP2 will focus on the development of a metrological infrastructure for measuring pure hydrogen and hydrogen enriched natural gas (HENG) at high flow rates from 200 m3/h to 10000 m3/h, and pressures from 0.3 MPa to 6.2 MPa with a targeted measurement uncertainty of 0.30 %.

Leader: PTB

  • WP3 Traceability transfer skids for pure hydrogen and HENG

The objective of WP3 is to design and test a transfer skid metrological infrastructure to deliver traceability for hydrogen and hydrogen blends, which will act as the SI units reference for the flow ranges and pressures required in WP2: flow rate 200 m3/h to 10000 m3/h, and pressures from 0.3 MPa(g) to 6.2 MPa(g) with a target measurement uncertainty of 0.30 %. Two traceability transfer skids will be designed and tested.

Leader: VSL

  • WP4 Evaluation of domestic and industrial gas meters

WP4 aims to deliver statistically meaningful datasets for domestic and industrial gas meters, demonstrating the transferability of alternative fluid calibrations to applications with hydrogen or HENG, which is required to inform best practice for type approval of these meters. Although the activities in WP4 are not greatly dependent on WP1, WP2 and WP3, their results will strengthen the traceability of many of the facilities used for industrial meter calibrations in WP4, thus ensuring that the datasets are of the highest metrological quality.

Leader: NEL

  • WP5 Creating impact

WP5 will create impact for the project to support all relevant stakeholders from industry, manufacturers, standardisation committees, metrology institutes and the scientific community.

Leader: GERG

  • WP6 Management and coordination

WP6 will lead the logistical management of the project, dealing with the organization of meetings, and risk management to ensure the timely and effective achievement of scientific and technical objectives and results.

Leader: Cesame