TPC-H2-Storage – Hydrogen storage

With the project TPC-H2-STORAGE, IVW tapped into the growth potential of the hydrogen economy both technically and by expanding the institute's infrastructure, making it a central development partner and application centre for regional and national companies.

The research objective was to develop a new type of thermoplastic hydrogen pressure vessel. Figure 1 shows the final design of the tank and the production of the three preformed axial thermoplastic shells (0° fibre layers). The axially reinforced layers are produced using the 2D tape laying process and are then formed into a third shell. Circumferential layers were added by conventional winding process.

Significant investment has also been made in targeted testing and development of the materials used. This includes expanded process capabilities (e.g. laboratory hot press, industrial scale injection molding unit (Figure 2)), new testing equipment (e.g. cyclic tension-compression-torsion testing machine) and expanded analysis capabilities (e.g. broadband 2.5D scanning ultrasound system, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with thermal analysis).

In order to obtain a quality-assured component, all the data determined in the project was recorded and a digital twin of the tank was developed. This includes all aspects from the material to the finished component, leading to continuous application optimization throughout the life of the system.

The objective of the TPC-H2-STORAGE project is to establish a suitable infrastructure and fundamental knowledge to enable the future development of particularly efficient mobile as well as stationary hydrogen storage systems on a large scale using thermoplastic fiber composite structures.