Liquid Hydrogen Drone with 2.5 Times Longer Flight Time... "‘Minus 253 Degrees’ Storage Technology is Key"

[Startup24+] Parity Develops Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tank
Liquid Hydrogen, a New Power Source for Future Mobility... Requires Storage at -253°C
Founded by Cryogenic Technology Experts... First Step Toward Commercialization with Drones
Also Developing Hydrogen Locomotives... Series B Investment Opens in Early Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Junhyung Lee] Liquid hydrogen is more efficient than gaseous hydrogen. It can hold up to three times more fuel in a tank of the same weight. However, most currently commercialized hydrogen mobility, such as Hyundai Motor’s ‘Nexo,’ operates on gaseous hydrogen. This is because cryogenic storage technology to maintain hydrogen in a liquid state has not yet reached the commercialization stage. Liquid hydrogen vaporizes quickly unless stored at minus 253 degrees Celsius, close to absolute zero (minus 273 degrees Celsius).

Parity is a company that manufactures liquid hydrogen storage tanks. It was founded by engineers who researched storage technologies for liquefied natural gas (LNG), helium, and other substances at institutions such as the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and Korea Gas Corporation. The materials handled by the company’s research personnel for decades all require storage at cryogenic temperatures like liquid hydrogen. This means that the team is optimally suited for developing liquid hydrogen storage technology.

Three Times More Efficient Compared to Gaseous Hydrogen

The reason Parity chose liquid hydrogen over gaseous hydrogen is simple: they believe the hydrogen economy, except for passenger cars, will ultimately develop around liquid hydrogen. According to Parity’s analysis of the energy density of hydrogen tank systems, gaseous hydrogen has 4wt% (weight percent - the content relative to weight), whereas liquid hydrogen has 12wt%. Considering that a higher weight percent means more energy can be stored in a tank of the same weight, liquid hydrogen is about three times more efficient than gaseous hydrogen.

Kim Sasoon, CEO of Parity, explained, “The importance of weight percent increases as the size of the mobility increases,” adding, “Gaseous hydrogen is so inefficient that it is difficult to apply to urban air mobility (UAM).” He further stated, “Mobility requiring long-distance travel or high output inevitably has to switch to liquid hydrogen.”

Liquid hydrogen storage tank for mobility developed by Paerity.
[Photo by Paerity]

The company took its first step toward commercializing liquid hydrogen storage tanks with drones. Last year, the company was selected as a project operator for the Chungnam Hydrogen Energy Transition Regulatory Free Zone and began demonstrations of drones powered by liquid hydrogen this year. The demonstration involves monitoring a 100km coastline from Haengdamdo in Dangjin, Chungnam, to Mallipo in Taean, Chungnam, using liquid hydrogen drones. The average flight time of general electric battery drones is less than one hour, making them unsuitable for surveillance drones requiring long flight times. In contrast, Parity’s liquid hydrogen drone can operate for more than five hours after charging 400g of liquid hydrogen. A hybrid drone developed by a domestic airline company D had a maximum flight time of only two hours.

Accelerating Development of Drones and Locomotives

Starting next year, demonstrations will be conducted to deliver goods to island areas using liquid hydrogen drones. The drones will carry about 5kg of goods from Muchangpo Port to Oeyeondo (41km), Gaeuido (64km), and Gyeongryeolbiyeoldo (98km). The company also developed a mobile plant (production facility) to ensure stable supply of liquid hydrogen. This plant produces about 3kg of liquid hydrogen daily, enough to fully charge 7 to 8 drones.

The company explains that if such ‘drone delivery’ becomes a reality, it will significantly shorten the delivery time of goods to island areas, which previously took two to three days at best. CEO Kim said, “There will be astonishing mobility innovations within 10 years,” adding, “I believe power solutions for various mobilities in daily life will change within a short period of 3 years to a longer span of 5 years.”

A drone equipped with Parity's liquid hydrogen storage tank. Parity's liquid hydrogen drone can operate for more than 5 hours by charging 400g of liquid hydrogen.
[Photo by Parity]

Parity is also jointly developing hydrogen locomotives with the Korea Railroad Research Institute. The goal is to develop a liquid hydrogen locomotive with a top speed of 150 km/h and a range of over 1,000 km on a single charge. In the second half of next year, Parity’s fuel tanks will be installed on hydrogen trams developed by Hyundai Rotem for demonstration. The company plans to complete the development of a 500L liquid hydrogen tank for diesel locomotives in 2024 and commercialize it around 2027.

Institutions and large corporations recognizing the potential of liquid hydrogen have sent love calls to the company. In September, the company secured 4 billion KRW in Series A investment. Including seed investments, the total accumulated investment is about 5 billion KRW. Last year, Parity formed strategic partnerships with global hydrogen companies Horizon Fuel Cell and Hyzon Motors to supply liquid hydrogen tanks. CEO Kim said, “Liquid hydrogen not only has the advantage of being an eco-friendly energy source but can also surpass the efficiency of fossil fuels,” adding, “Energy companies are expected to participate as strategic investors (SI) in the Series B investment opening in the first half of next year.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.