At the ILK Dresden a highly innovative testing field for cryogenic high pressure applications for the energy carriers hydrogen and methane is operated. It allows fundamental research and tests with the liquid and gaseous media LH2 and LNG.

Tests and qualifications on component parts can be performed simultaneously at temperatures from 10 K (-163 °C / –441 °F) to room temperature and at pressures from high vacuum to 1,000 bar (14500 psi) operating or atmospheric pressure.
This allows for:

• Investigation of charging and discharging processes on hydrogen storage tanks, also at cryogenic high-pressure reservoirs
• Development of new methods for storing at distinctly higher specific densities compared to the cryo-liquefied state (e. g. hydrogen up to 100 kg/m³, see Figure 2 below)

The hydrogen and methane testing field also facilitates the new development and improvement of:

• Chiller and coolers devices,
• Storage devices for latent heat
• High-pressure storage tanks in the cryogenic regime at pressures of up to 1,000 bar
• Special heat exchangers
• Cryogenic pumping systems for liquid hydrogen, methane and high-pressure applications
• Realization of innovative hydrogen storage systems

The following diagram depicts the specific storage density that can be achieved depending on temperature and pressure: