In cooperation with German automobile manufacturer Adam Opel AG and the Darmstadt University of Technology (TU Darmstadt), xperion Energy & Environment GmbH has developed a high-pressure hydrogen tank for fuel cell vehicles that exhibits a high operating pressure of 700 bar while also representing an alternative to more expensive solutions. In order to manufacture an especially robust and extremely pressure-resistant tank, xperion relied on an innovative epoxy composite with carbon fibre.
xperion says the high-pressure hydrogen tank offers a cost-effective solution for realising environmental benefits with maximum efficiency. This efficiency lies not only in the reduced weight and strong design but is also reflected in the range of the vehicle, which can be as high as 500 km.
A research team consisting of engineers from Adam Opel AG and scientists at TU Darmstadt worked with xperion Energy & Environment GmbH personnel in the development of a simulation tool, which can reduce the amount of fibre being used by 20%. According to xperion’s press release, by performing the necessary winding tests and the container testing, the company offered key contributions to making this 700-bar pressure tank a reality and to integrating the new methods into existing manufacturing processes.
The cooperative project was recognised for its revolutionary technology with the distinction of second place in the Hessian Cooperation Award. With this award, the Hessian Technology Transfer Network has been recognising successful and outstanding research and development projects that exemplify the cooperation between industry and research institutions every two years since 2003. The technical benchmarking of all high-pressure hydrogen tanks performed by Opel Adam AG highlights the global leadership of this technology optimised by xperion Energy & Environment.
(Source: xperion)
