Keying in on gaseous fuel storage: newly established Quantum Technologies focused on hydrogen, natural gas fuel storage; not just drop-in cylinders - Alternatives - Brief Article

Diesel Progress North American Edition, Feb, 2003

While much of the attention with alternatives, especially gaseous fuels for mobile, automotive and industrial engines, has focused on the on-engine fuel system, one of the other keys fuel storage. It is this specific niche, gaseous fuel storage for virtually any type of application, that Quantum Technologies Inc., Irvine, Calif., is focusing its resources. Besides Irvine, Quantum has an OEM Group in Detroit, Mich., and an Advanced Vehicle Concept Center in Lake Forest, Calif.

Quantum was formerly a division of Impco Technologies, the Cerritos, Calif., manufacturer of gaseous fuel systems. Originally known as the Technology and Automotive OEM group, the division focused on Impco's advanced technologies in fuel metering, fuel storage, electronic controls, infrastructure and hydrogen handling.

In July 2002, the renamed Quantum Technologies WorldWide was spun off as a publicly traded company and began to focus on fuel cell technologies and the required expertise necessary to advance the use of high-pressure hydrogen, as well as other gaseous fuels.

"We have always looked at any CNG or hydrogen storage project as a total vehicle package regardless of whether we supply just the cylinder or a drop-in cylinder, regulation and tubing module," said Alan Niedzwiecki, president and CEO of Quantum. "At our Advanced Vehicle Concept center, we focus on integrating our products, as systems, into the OEM'S platform: whether a truck, bus or car.

According to Niedzwiecki, the company has invested more than $100 million in research and production processes for composite hybrid storage cylinders for hydrogen gas over the last seven years. The result of those efforts, he said, is the patented TriShield technology of storage cylinders and systems designed for use in automotive, stationary power generation and hydrogen refueling infrastructure for fuel cell applications. In the process Quantum also became the first to design, test and validate a 10,000 psi hydrogen storage cylinder, he said.

"The company's experience with alternative fuels goes well beyond the last seven years of cylinder development and production," Niedzwiecki said. "As a division of Impco Technologies, we focused on propane and natural gas fuel systems, metering products, electronic controls, vehicle and engine integration and fuel storage for the aftermarket and manufacturers around the world.

"The key to advancing the use of natural gas as a standard vehicle fuel is found in the storage technology available to the markets," Niedzwiecki added. "Manufacturers are demanding solutions to fuel storage with safety, cost and weight being primary concerns. Plus, when we design specific features into our cylinders, we do so with the required benefit that the customer seeks. For example, having a lightweight cylinder means little if volumetric efficiency is reduced or if the cylinder cannot be fast-filled."

Toward this end, Quantum has introduced the Advantage ultra-light CNG storage cylinder also built with the company's TnShield high-pressure hydrogen storage technology. "We think it is the ideal balance between high-efficiency, low life-cycle cost and safe durability" Niedzwiecki said.

The Advantage lightweight fuel storage system can be manufactured in a variety of sizes for specific applications or it can be fully integrated as a drop-in-place module. The Quantum Advantage is a lightweight Type-VI cylinder and has a one-piece seamless polymer liner and triple redundant seal polar end boss design.

The Advantage was specifically designed to reduce cylinder weight, increase storage capacity while providing the safest product available, Niedzwiecki said. He added that a hybrid carbon fiber filament epoxy outer wrapping is designed to provide a durable cylinder with weight to volume rations as low as 0.30 kg/L.

As with any emerging market or technology, testing is key Niedzwiecki said Quantum's Irvine facility performs a variety of validation tests from hydrostatic fatigue-cycling and burst testing to corrosion bathing, as well as having thermal cycling, thermal shock, vibration and high-force impact test equipment.

"In addition, we created a corrosion laboratory capable of testing the complete storage package, not just the tank," he said. "Because we are involved with total vehicle design and integration, we not only design the tank, its brackets and connecting tubing, but we can also thermal cycle and shock test the complete package prior to field validation or production. Our expertise is the whole vehicle, not just cylinders."

Niedzwiecki added that Quantum's Lake Forest facility uses AVL's SULEV emissions chassis dynamometer. "That way," he said, "we can ensure total low-emissions from our products."

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