The Metal Industries Research & Development Centre (MIRDC) held "Seminar on Industrial Applications of Hydrogen Energy and International Technology Exchange" in the Innovation Value-added Center of Traditional Industry, MOEA, in Kaohsiung on November 19 under the guidance of the Department of Industrial Technology (DoIT), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA). The event focused on practical implementation of hydrogen energy in industrial applications and integration of domestic and international resources to empower low-carbon transition in industries.
MIRDC has continuously collaborated with many domestic companies to promote the integration of hydrogen technology and industry chains. In this event, MIRDC invited Mr. Suzuki Yutaka, President of WELCON Inc., a Japanese company, to Taiwan to discuss design, testing, and diffusion bonding production methods of printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE). PCHE is one of the key devices for hydrogen refueling stations and high-pressure hydrogen systems. By introducing practical international experience, it provides concrete examples for R&D of key hydrogen equipment in Taiwan, enhancing our capabilities in design and manufacturing. MIRDC’s hydrogen energy team also showcased their annual highlights, including technological achievements of "integrated industrial furnace applications for mixed hydrogen/pure hydrogen combustion,” "welding and surface treatment of high-pressure hydrogen transportation and storage,” and "high-pressure hydrogen detection and fatigue analysis." These achievements help the industry chain seize low-carbon transition opportunities.
Chia-Ju Liu, Chairman of MIRDC, stated that the Department of Industrial Technology, MOEA, supports the development of industrial hydrogen energy technologies in Taiwan. It continuously links legal entities, industries, and international resources to accelerate local demonstration applications. In addition, through the concerted efforts of Hun-Yu Lin, Director of MIRDC’s Industrial Upgrading Service Department, and his team, core capabilities in high-pressure transportation and storage, integrated industrial furnace applications for mixed hydrogen/pure hydrogen combustion, and anti-hydrogen embrittlement materials have been established and enhanced. They collaborate with academia, research, and supply chain partners to gradually build comprehensive industrial applications of hydrogen energy. Chun-Chieh Wang, Vice President of MIRDC, added that this project strengthens the localization and autonomy of domestic hydrogen energy and carbon reduction technologies by establishing a 300-bar high-pressure hydrogen storage tank system and integrating 0-100% hydrogen burner applications in industrial furnaces, laying the foundation for subsequent industrial applications.
This seminar also builds on MIRDC's experience in collaborating with international organizations, and it exchanged ideas with Japanese companies on diffusion welding technology of heat exchangers, strengthening local applications and international connections of Taiwan. Looking ahead, MIRDC will continue to focus on technology integration and industry chain cooperation by enhancing key capabilities in high-pressure storage tank design, anti-hydrogen embrittlement welding, hydrogen-permeation-resistant materials, and pure/mixed hydrogen combustion. By combining industry and international cooperation experiences, MIRDC will assist the industry in accelerating practical applications and jointly working towards net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.