Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems Storage Technology to Bring Hydrogen Storage Systems to Both Vehicles and to Refueling Stations
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., Sept. 24 -- A Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems (TOHS) innovation in compact, solid hydrogen storage enables hydrogen powered cars with a similar range, performance and refueling experience as vehicles today.
TOHS' solution is its proprietary hydride storage system, which can be used both at the refueling site and onboard the vehicle. It uses a powdered metal alloy within a storage tank to absorb and store hydrogen in a significantly lower 1,500 psi pressure environment, a reversal of the current trend toward 10,000 psi gaseous storage.
This system works by absorbing hydrogen into a solid metal alloy while removing any heat released by this reaction. The result is hydrogen that is now stored safely in a solid, inert state, only to be released on demand when heated. This process would ideally make use of the waste heat from either an internal combustion or fuel cell powerplant.
Showcasing this breakthrough is a hybrid sedan (a 2002 Toyota Prius) that TOHS has modified to run on its new low-pressure, solid hydrogen storage system. TOHS engineers identified the Prius as a logical platform for demonstrating solid hydrogen storage because of the hybrid's ability to integrate battery electric, internal combustion, and combined internal combustion-electric propulsion to provide expected levels of performance while achieving high fuel economy.
"The distinction with the converted Prius is that it eliminates pollutant emissions except for low levels of NOx, even when driving under internal combustion engine (ICE) power," said Stanford R. Ovshinsky, president of TOHS, and ECD Ovonics' co-founder, president, and CEO. "But the advantages of our storage technology do not stop there. The technology can potentially be applied to all Internal Combustion Engine vehicles, not just hybrids and, of course, the Ovonic solid hydrogen system is also applicable directly to fuel cell models so it has potential application with a variety of models from the automakers."
In the specially equipped modified Prius that is currently being used to demonstrate the technology, a trunk-mounted 60-liter pressure vessel stores three kg of hydrogen to provide a 130+ mile range. Refueling at 1,500 psi takes 10 minutes, but could decrease to just five minutes with future designs.
According to Ovshinsky, DOE's 250-mile range target could be achievable with the use of a five kg Ovonic(TM) solid hydrogen storage system, and TOHS is already prototyping systems with potentially greater ranges. Because refueling is done at such low pressure, no extraordinary improvements in station compressors, regulators, connectors, or new high-pressure pipelines are required.
Similarly sized 5,000 psi compressed hydrogen tanks hold just one kg of hydrogen while providing a range of about 50 miles. In overcoming range and storage issues with current technology, TOHS' low-pressure solid storage allows today's internal combustion engine technology ?- as well as developing fuel cell technology -? to use hydrogen fuel.
TOHS' low-pressure, hydrogen fuel tanks can also be used at refueling stations allowing drivers to refuel their hydrogen-fueled vehicles safely and easily. Because these solid storage systems are compact and work at low pressure, refueling sites can be smaller with simpler designs. Expensive high pressure storage tanks and the compressors to fill them would no longer be needed. The tanks can also be located underground similar to the way gasoline tanks are now.
"Hydrogen is widely recognized as the most promising path to our transportation future," said Ovshinsky. "But getting to that future is our current challenge. We believe that taking an integrated system approach with onboard as well as off-board (refueling) storage of this fuel leads to a logical short- and even long-term solution."
* The foregoing project is not sponsored by or affiliated with Toyota Motor Corporation.
About TOHS
Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems LLC is a 50-50 joint venture between Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD Ovonics) and a unit of ChevronTexaco Corporation formed to develop metal hydride hydrogen storage systems for emerging markets. These markets include fuel cell-powered vehicles, stationary and portable power systems, and lead-acid battery replacements. Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems, headquartered in Rochester Hills, Michigan, is testing both large and small hydrogen systems for a variety of applications. More information on TOHS is available on http://www.txohydrogen.com/ .
About ECD Ovonics
ECD Ovonics is the leader in the synthesis of new materials and the development of advanced production technology and innovative products. It has invented, pioneered and developed enabling technologies in the fields of energy and information leading to new products and production processes based on amorphous, disordered and related materials. ECD Ovonics' proprietary advanced information technologies include Ovonic phase-change electrical memory, Ovonic phase-change optical memory (widely used in rewritable CD and DVD storage media) and the Ovonic Threshold Switch. The Company's portfolio of alternative energy solutions include thin-film amorphous solar cells, modules, panels and systems for generating solar electric power; NiMH batteries; hydride storage materials capable of storing hydrogen in the solid state for use as a feedstock for fuel cells or internal combustion engines or as an enhancement or replacement for any type of hydrocarbon fuel; and fuel cells. ECD Ovonics designs and builds manufacturing machinery that incorporates its proprietary production processes, maintains ongoing research and development programs to continually improve its products and develops new applications for its technologies. ECD Ovonics holds the basic patents in its fields. More information on ECD Ovonics is available on http://www.ovonic.com/ .
About ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures
ChevronTexaco is an integrated, global energy company that operates in over 180 countries and employs more than 53,000 people worldwide. In addition to supplying global energy, ChevronTexaco is involved in numerous advanced clean energy and fuel technologies. ChevronTexaco, through ChevronTexaco Technology Ventures, invests in and pursues commercialization of a broad spectrum of energy related technologies and is also an active venture capital investor. Commercialization and investment activities currently include hydrogen systems, advanced batteries, fuel processing and fuel cell related technologies and the development of hydrogen infrastructure solutions.