SAMTECH, a high pressure hydrogen cylinder producer, successfully developed a stationary pressure reservoir made of aluminum liner and carbon fiber called CFRP for hydrogen stations, which had been undertaken since 2008.

Based on the plan with a concept of “100 H2 Stations in 2015,” this project is being promoted jointly with JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation who assumes a role in management of hydrogen stations and Kyushu University who carries out technical assessments. The planned specifications of product as of 2015 will be 80 MPa of pressure and 300 liter of capacity which are identical to those of steel-made pressure reservoir, but the price and weight are targeted at lower than 10 million yen (down by 37%) each and less than 1000 kg in weight (down to one third) respectively compared with the steel reservoir.

One of the features of the product is reduction of weight in use of carbon fiber applying the technology which has been built up through the development of CFRP cylinders of 35 MPa and 70 MPa class for automobile use. On the other hand, SAMTECH also succeeded in the development of lengthy cylinders to be loaded on hydrogen trailers for hydrogen stations, and most probably a special permit will be granted for the cylinder in this summer by KHK (High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan) based on the cylinder safety rules. The specified pressure is 45 MPa and the capacity is 300 liter. As for weight, it is really lighter than that of a steel-make cylinder as described by Yoshiki Sakaguchi, president.

SAMTECH intends to increase its investment much more in the development of cylinders for hydrogen stations including automobile cylinders from now on, so that they may turn out to be the second largest line next to the forged products for automobile use which are now the major business line of the company.