IMPCO Announces Breakthrough in Hydrogen Storage Technology for Automotive
Wednesday, November 10, 1999 08:00 AM
CERRITOS, Calif., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- IMPCO Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMCO)
announced today a major breakthrough in hydrogen storage technology for automotive applications.
IMPCO's proprietary, advanced Hydrogen storage cylinder technology removes the barriers to more
rapid commercialization of hydrogen powered internal combustion engines and fuel cells.
(Photo: newscom.com )
This new, ultra light-weight, low cost Hydrogen storage technology addresses the barriers relating to
permeability; diffusion of the hydrogen fuel through the storage cylinder side wall, and the effects of
hydrogen embrittlement on metal storage cylinders.
Developed at IMPCO's Advanced Technology Center in Irvine, California, the IMPCO advanced composite hydrogen storage cylinder provides a dramatic weight reduction, increased fuel storage capacity, and the capability to produce a wide range of sizes from thermos bottle size to 20+ feet long.
With a 5000 psi operating pressure and a designed hydrostatic failure pressure of 14,000 psi, IMPCO's
advanced storage cylinder technology offers an unparalleled degree of safety. The cylinder has also been designed to incorporate IMPCO's NGR5000 In-Tank Regulator, which reduces the pressure at the cylinder, thereby reducing the pressure of the fuel lines throughout the vehicle, which reduces overall fuel system cost and increases safety.
Features of IMPCO's Hydrogen storage technology:
-- Application:
Direct Hydrogen Storage- Internal Combustion Engine
Direct Hydrogen Storage - Fuel Cell Vehicles
-- Size Capability: Variable (up to 20+ feet long)
-- Service Press: 5000 psi
-- Burst Press: 14,000 psi
-- In-Tank
Regulator: IMPCO NGR 5000
Syed Hussain, Vice President and General Manager of IMPCO's Technology and Automotive OEM Division said: "This breakthrough technology is the first in a series of advanced fuel system technologies enabling a global transition to a hydrogen based economy."
"The IMPCO fuel storage tank provides unparalleled safety and reliability through optimum use of materials, design and manufacturing processes. Enhanced safety features include a unique flexible liner system that is leak-resistant and reliable even at low-temperature-extremes: a corrosion and
fatigue-resistant structural shell: and a hard external shell that is resistant to mechanical damage. This
is also a cost-effective fuel storage option, with a projected price comparable to that of steel tanks,
depending on tank-size and purchase volume. Pricing is forecasted to be significantly lower than that of any currently available storage cylinder technologies." |
