Thanks for taking five with H2 View. We understand JRE Precision, trading as Presreg Valves and H2 Technology, has just achieved the EC79 approval on your new regulator after 1.5 years of rigorous testing. What does this approval mean?
Vehicles have always been required to meet rigorous safety and endurance testing before being approved to be sold in the market. The introduction of hydrogen as a primary energy source for fuel cells, hybrids and direct diesel fuel substitutes necessitated specific international standards to be introduced – some on the back of LPG experience – and these have been established as the legal framework. The main current legislation is embodied in R134 which relates to vehicles and systems. Components must pass the tests laid down in EC79/2009 which interfaces with R134.
The most rigorous parts of this are to ensure full performance at -40°C and 150,000 10 second hydraulic cycle tests at full operating pressure.
Can you simply explain how the technology works and what applications might use it?
Hydrogen has the highest energy per mass of any fuel, however, its low ambient temperature density results in a low energy per unit volume, therefore requiring the development of advanced high pressure storage methods that have potential for higher energy density. Current storage pressures are at 350 bar but this will soon be lifted to 700 bar in the tank giving mileage duration between fills of 350 miles and more.
We have been manufacturing gas and hydraulic regulators valves and other components to handle these levels of pressure since 1982, so it was a natural development for us to work on components specifically for this task.
... to continue reading you must be subscribed
