Fuel solutions company Hexagon Composites has been awarded a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) permit for its high-pressure hydrogen transport systems.
According to Hexagon, the special permit authorizes the manufacture, marking, sale and use of Hexagon’s 500 and 950 bar cylinders for over-the-road transport modules in the U.S. for hydrogen and other gases.
“The DOT permit is a milestone for the hydrogen refueling market, where higher pressures are sought to move more hydrogen per trailer trip, which, in turn, reduces the overall price of hydrogen fuel at the pump,” explains Hartmut Fehrenbach, vice president of hydrogen distribution at Hexagon. “This represents a key step to accelerate the ongoing adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles and transformation to a zero-emission and domestically sourced energy landscape.”
Hexagon claims to be the first manufacturer to receive DOT special permit (SP20391) for 950 bar (13,775 psig). Being able to move 950 bar pressure vessel systems over the road enables the implementation of mobile hydrogen refueling units for fuel cell electric vehicles using 700 bar on-board storage tanks, the company says. Mobile refueling units strengthen the expanding hydrogen refueling network before permanent stations can be established, explains Hexagon.
Hexagon is designing transport systems for hydrogen for the U.S. by building on the company’s experience with European distribution customers and Mobile Pipeline transportation modules in use globally with natural gas distribution customers.
