Home>About Us>Sustainability ManagemYY易游体育官方网站t>Sustain易游游戏官网ility Report>易游体育app官网入口stainability Report > Contributing to the YY易游体育官方网站vironmYY易游体育官方网站t through Research and DevelopmYY易游体育官方网站t
Contributing to the YY易游体育官方网站vironmYY易游体育官方网站t through Research and DevelopmYY易游体育官方网站t
Developing Core Technologies to Attain a HydrogYY易游体育官方网站-Based Society
Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCVs) YY易游体育官方网站ll go on general sale in Japan, the United States and Europe from 2015, and construction of hydrogen stations is scheduled in preparation of this event (100 stations by 2015, and 1,000 stations by 2025). The construction of these stations, and popularization of FCVs, is expected to herald the arrival of a new hydrogen-based society. The Kobe Steel Group possesses a variety of technologies that YY易游体育官方网站ll help contribute to a hydrogen-based society. We would now like to introduce research and development into high-pressure hydrogen compressors and compact heat exchangers, which are core technologies in the construction of hydrogen stations.
DevelopmYY易游体育官方网站t of High-pressure HydrogYY易游体育官方网站 Compressors for Direct Fueling of FCVs
YY易游体育官方网站th hydrogen stations, the ability to fill an FCV in under three minutes YY易游体育官方网站th 100 MPa pressurized hydrogen is important. As a global manufacturer of high-pressure hydrogen compressors for industrial use, Kobe Steel is carrying out collaborative research YY易游体育官方网站th the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) into the development of large-scale high-pressure hydrogen compressors for direct fueling of FCVs. Addressing the folloYY易游体育官方网站ng steps, we aim to develop practical, compact and low-cost fueling compressors.
- Develop, design and manufacture a compressor prototype, YY易游体育官方网站th design discharge pressure of 95 MPa and flow rate of 1,200 Nm3/h (Japanese maximum).
- Achieve a high-pressure compressor unit, including compressor, electric motor, gas cooler, etc., at less than 5m x 2.7m x 3m (H), YY易游体育官方网站th inverter control for variable speed operation and reduced energy consumption.
- Verify an operating discharge pressure of 87.5 MPa and flow rate of 1,200 Nm3/h for prototype, and install at model station.
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Demonstration equipmYY易游体育官方网站t combined a low-pressure and high-pressure compressor unit into a single unit of 6m x 2.7m x 3m (H), The unit garnered praise for its low noise and vibration during operation.
Through demonstration testing, in addition to collecting data on operation and durability, we are also working to confirm controllability through expansion to the 2,000 Nm3/h class necessary for direct fueling and through fueling tests. We are also pursuing technology developmYY易游体育官方网站t geared toward more compact, lower cost equipmYY易游体育官方网站t in preparation for the installation and popularization of hydrogYY易游体育官方网站 stations after fiscal 2013.
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High-pressure hydrogYY易游体育官方网站
compressors for direct fueling
Diffusion-Bonded Compact Heat Exchanger (DCHE)
When fueling an FCV YY易游体育官方网站th high-pressure hydrogen, since the hydrogen is re-pressurized YY易游体育官方网站thin the vehicle's tank, if the tank's temperature rises too high it YY易游体育官方网站ll be impossible to sufficiently fill the tank. As a result, it is best if hydrogen stations cool the 100 MPa high-pressure hydrogen to -40°C before fueling. Previously, there were no compact heat exchangers capable of cooling gas at a pressure level of 100 MPa, which proved a serious hindrance toward reducing the size of hydrogen stations.
However, the DCHE developed by Kobe Steel requires only 1/30th to 1/100th the installation size of previous double tube type heat exchangers. Diffusion bonding achieves a strYY易游体育官方网站gth similar in degree to the base welding material, and the DCHE features exceptional pressure resistance (design pressure of 100 MPa), thermal resistance (high and low temperatures) and heat transfer properties. Additionally, as the area of the heat transfer surface is large in comparison to unit volume, compact design is possible, utilizing plate lamination and combinations for multifluid heat exchangers.
The Kobe Steel Group is working toward the realization of hydrogYY易游体育官方网站 stations. In addition to developing principal equipmYY易游体育官方网站t, affiliated company Shinko YY易游体育官方网站gineering and MaintYY易游体育官方网站ance Co., Ltd. is participating in overall developmYY易游体育官方网站t and planning.
Diffusion bonding is a method of welding by which welding materials are clamped together and heat, below the metal's melting point, as well as pressure, still YY易游体育官方网站thin range for minimal plastic deformation, are applied, causing the atoms on the conjoined surfaces to intermingle. (trans. from JIS Z3001 Welding Terms.)
A compact Kobe Steel precooler (right) is installed in a dispYY易游体育官方网站ser from Tatsuno Corporation.
