Viritech Awarded Niche Vehicle Network Grant for Innovative Hydrogen Storage Concept
Viritech will participate in the development of Carbon ThreeSixty’s Hi-DEN (high density energy network) system, which enables huge increases in storage capacity of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs).
Viritech will develop the Hi-DEN tank & fill control system and will demonstrate Hi-DEN within Viritech FCEV powertrains.
Viritech will provide the route to market for this revolutionary technology.
Viritech is to play a major role in Carbon ThreeSixty’s Hi-DEN programme. This will build & test a prototype high density Hydrogen storage system for FCEVs, using volumetrically efficient arrays of “micro” hydrogen vessels, with the weaving pattern being provided by Antich & Sons. The Hi-DEN system greatly improves volumetric efficiency, filling wasted space around conventional cylindrical pressure vessels. Storage volume increases by up to 50% for irregularly shaped spaces, such as those typically used for vehicle petrol or diesel tanks.
Viritech will develop a tank and fill controller for the Hi-DEN system which will ensure that tank temperatures and pressures can be safely & accurately monitored. The H2 tank & fill control system for the Hi-DEN application will also be suitable for other hydrogen systems, including Viritech’s own Graph-ProTM structural pressure vessels.
Viritech will validate the system on its own test fleet. Viritech already has two FCEV test cars, and it will soon be adding FCEV vans and trucks to its fleet. This will enable the system to be proven on a wide range of road vehicles. Viritech’s close links to a number of vehicle manufacturers and Tier One component suppliers make Viritech the natural route to market for Carbon ThreeSixty’s Hi-DEN.
Timothy Lyons, CEO of Viritech said,” We are delighted to part of this important project. It perfectly aligns with Viritech’s strategy of supplying all the components for FCEVs between the fuel cell and the traction motor, thus greatly simplifying the task of integrating hydrogen powertrains into all forms of transport.”
Andy Smith, R&D Director at Carbon ThreeSixty said,” "We're excited to be leveraging our composite expertise to bring innovation to the gaseous Hydrogen storage space and to be able to improve the capability, range and ultimately commercial viability of FCEV vehicles"
Notes to Editors
About Viritech
Viritech are passionate cleantech engineers with the goal of becoming the world’s leading developer of hydrogen powertrain solutions.
Focussing on areas where hydrogen fuel cells offer immediate benefits, the company is curretly developing hydrogen powertrains for trucks, vans, and high-performancen cars. This will be followed by applications for aircraft, marine and off-grid energy.
With an F1-derived engineering culture, focussed on agile innovation and the creation of valuable, licensable IP, Viritech’s business model is to design, prototype, test and license its technologies to global OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers.
About the Grant Funding
The grant has been provided for a Proof of Concept project by Innovate UK, delivered by the Niche Vehicle Network with support from Cenex.
