High-pressure hydrogen tanks

 

High-pressure hydrogen tanks
Two 350-atmosphere high-pressure
hydrogen tanks provide ample storage capacity.


    Given that the hydrogen used as fuel has a low energy density per
volume, as much hydrogen as possible must be available to ensure
maximal driving range. For optimal packaging, however, the fuel tanks
must take up as little space as possible. The FCX's 350-atmosphere,
corrosion-resistant, high-pressure hydrogen tanks are constructed of
three layers: an aluminum liner, a carbon fiber layer, and a glass
fiber layer. The two tanks provide the FCX with a 156.6L fuel capacity.
This large capacity combined with improved fuel consumption contributes
to the car's 430km* driving range. Fueling time at a high-pressure
fueling station is only three minutes, for a level of convenience
comparable to that of a gasoline-engine vehicle.



     The Honda FC Stack-equipped FCX, which is capable of starting at
sub-freezing temperatures,is the world's first fuel cell vehicle to
be certified for use on public roads by the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB).        


 




    





Home > Products & Technology > Technology > Fuel Cell > FCX > Hydrogen
Tank  http://world.honda.com/FuelCell/FCX/tank/

 

lkgeo1 wrote:
...

Well, since a kilometer is about .62 of a mile this works out to a
range of some 266 miles. It's like that little "*" means something
to the effect of "your mileage may vary" and really means, "only on
the test track".

Most cars are designed to go at least 300 miles without refueling.
They would need a third tank.

That said, 266 miles is respectable but I have to wonder about the
safety of these tanks over time. Hydrogen has a way of doing things
to materials and high pressure tanks have a tendency to explode when
they get old.

Anthony

 



I do too. I hope it has built-in strain gauges like the Boeing 7E7.

 



All this vs batteries just because oil companies need to sell fuel? :-)

Nick

 



Fuel cells (if not contaminated) have a longer life than batteries.

Re-charging batteries capable of the same range in just 3 minutes would be,
uh, er, um, 'interesting'.

That said, such storage tanks would be 'interesting' in a car crash.  They
would need about as much protection as the passenger compartment.  And some
sort of safety blow-off directed upwards would seem prudent.

daestrom