Hydrogen tanks store compressed hydrogen for use in vehicles and space exploration. Type IV tanks made of composite materials are commonly used in cars and trucks. Tanks require extensive testing for safety.
A hydrogen tank is a container used to store compressed hydrogen. Type IV hydrogen tanks are an integral part of hydrogen-powered vehicles. These vehicles can be refueled at hydrogen stations. Compressed hydrogen is used as an alternative fuel source to oil and other fossil fuels. This has made gas storage an important part of the development of the technology.
Hydrogen can be stored in gaseous and liquid form. Scientists hope to use liquid hydrogen as a fuel source for space exploration. The problem with storing liquid hydrogen is that it has a boiling point of -423,188 degrees Fahrenheit (-252,882 degrees Celsius). To keep it liquid, hydrogen must be stored in extremely cold conditions. This requires cryogenics, uses large amounts of energy, and is expensive to produce.
Storing hydrogen gas is much easier. A hydrogen tank works by storing compressed hydrogen under pressure. A vehicle requires hydrogen to be compressed to 350 and 700 bar or 5,000 and 10,000 psi. Bar is a metric measure of pressure based on standard atmospheric pressure found at sea level. PSI is short for pound per square inch and is an imperial measurement based on the amount of pressure exerted by one pound of weight on one square inch.
There are four basic types of hydrogen tank. They differ in terms of what they are made of and what pressures they can cope with. They tend to use metals such as magnesium hydride or sodium aluminum hydride. Several types are either blended with composites or, in the case of the Model IV, are all composites under construction.
The Type I hydrogen tank is a metal tank. The aluminum variety has a working pressure of 175 bar, or 2,538 psi. The steel variety operates at 200 bar, or 2,900 psi.
Type II tanks are made of metal surrounded by a cylinder of filaments. The aluminum-glass tank operates at 263 bar or 3,814 psi. The carbon-steel tank has a working pressure of 299 bar, or 4,336 psi.
Composite materials surrounding a metallic cladding make up type III. Composites are made from materials such as aramid and fiberglass. The fiberglass model has a normal pressure of 305 bar, or 4.423 psi, while the aramid version works at 438 bar, or 6.352 psi.
A Type IV hydrogen tank is a rotationally molded tank made of composite materials such as carbon fiber with a polymer coating. They have a working pressure of 661 bar, or 9,586 psi. Type IV is most commonly found in vehicles such as cars and hydrogen storage trucks.
All hydrogen tanks require extensive testing to ensure they are safe for use. The hydrogen tank is tested in four ways. The bust test uses twice normal operating pressure to see when the tank will fail, while the proof pressure test will look at how well the tank copes with 1.5 times normal pressure. The tank is also long-term tested for fatigue and leaks.
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