Advanced Hydrogen Fuel Systems for Fuel Cell Vehicles

摘要

Fuel cells will play a key role in meeting the technology demands to solve worldwide air pollution problems, increase energy efficiency, and reduce fossil fuel consumption. On-board storage and handling of hydrogen continues to be a major challenge on the road to the widespread commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. (QUANTUM) is developing a number of advanced technologies in response to the demand by its customers for compact, lightweight, safe, robust, and cost-effective hydrogen fuel systems. QUANTUM approaches hydrogen storage and handling as an engineered system integrated into the design of the vehicle. These engineered systems are comprised of advanced storage, regulation, metering, and electronic controls developed by QUANTUM. In 2001, QUANTUM validated, commercialized, and began production of lightweight compressed hydrogen storage systems. The first commercial products include storage technologies that achieved 7.5 to 8.5 percent hydrogen storage by weight at 350 bar. In 2002, QUANTUM received German TUV regulatory approval for its 10,000-psi (700 bar) TriShield 10~(TM) hydrogen storage cylinder based on recently established hydrogen standards developed by the European Integrated Hydrogen Project. QUANTUM has also developed and patented fuel metering technologies that enable the use of hydrogen and CNG in fuel cell and alternative fuel vehicle markets, respectively, including an m-tank regulator and a unique gaseous fuel injector. To supplement the inherent safety features designed into the new 10,000-psi (700 bar) storage tank, QUANTUM'S patented 10,000-psi (700 bar) In-Tank Regulator provides additional safety by confining the high pressure in the tank and allowing only a maximum delivery pressure of 150-psi (10 Bar) outside the storage system. QUANTUM'S innovative gaseous fuel injector design yields the first automotive-type gaseous fuel injector capable of handling the high flow rate fuel delivery requirements of 300+ HP V8 engines, while offering durability, long life and low cost. Recently completed validation tests confirmed durability and metering accuracy over half a billion cycles, which is equivalent to 120,000 miles of operation.