The localization of hydrogen storage tank production has been announced by local gas containment equipment producer Energyn and South Korean steelmaker Posco.
In electric vehicle charging stations, highly compressed, gaseous hydrogen is kept in hydrogen storage tanks.
The market for hydrogen storage tanks in Korea is now dominated by US-based FIBA Technologies, a global supplier of gas containment equipment.
However, Energyn, a Korean manufacturer of various hydrogen charging station modules, recently announced that it has reached its production capacity for hydrogen storage tanks made of steel from Posco.
Energyn claims that because compressed hydrogen is prone to explosions, the company had a pressing need for steel that was sturdy enough to retain highly compressed hydrogen.
It took a year to import the Italian steel, and the logistics expenses were too high, according to Hwang In-ki, vice president of Energyn. “We studied Italian (steel) because there were no steel businesses that produced the needed (steel) in Korea.
Posco’s offer to create and provide materials with Greenable H2 enabled us to localize hydrogen storage tanks, he continued.
Posco introduced the Greenable H2 brand in October; it focuses on making steel that is appropriate for the transportation, storage, and use of hydrogen.
Energyn said that by using Posco steel, the company was able to create a 1,000-liter hydrogen storage tank that could endure 100 megapascals of pressure.
“This tank has a 1,000-liter hydrogen storage capacity, which is twice as much as what is currently available from FIBA Technology. About ten fuel cell electric vehicles can be charged by one tank, and since they may stack, more space can be used (at charging stations), “a representative of Energyn stated.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Korea Gas Safety Corp. has awarded the product their seals of approval for its effectiveness and safety claims to the manufacturer.
In order to boost the competitiveness of the (Korean) hydrogen sector, we are attempting to promote the application of domestic steel in collaboration with midsized and small businesses, according to a Posco official. The materials supplied to energy are expensive and challenging to create.
