Worthington Industries announced Feb. 3 the release of ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders, a new product optimized to meet the needs of hydrogen fuel. Developed using Worthington’s aerospace-grade standards, ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders are proven to be a more efficient means of transporting and storing high-pressure hydrogen gas.

ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders are developed with advanced composite materials and are warranted for their service life at 250 degrees Fahrenheit operating temperature. This eliminates the need for hydrogen pre-chilling, and cylinder replacement is not necessary when chilling equipment malfunctions or otherwise goes out of calibration. Older composite cylinder designs are limited to operating temperatures of 185 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring hydrogen to be pre-chilled to protect cylinders from overheating. Chilling hydrogen is expensive and slows the filling process.

ThermaGuard cylinders will help fuel cell and hydrogen powertrain developers and hydrogen refueling stations with:

• Faster filling: ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders make for faster filling by using aerospace-grade composite materials that have a higher temperature rating and an aluminum liner to prevent significant cylinder temperature increases. Without hydrogen pre-chilling, heavy-duty vehicles, like Class 8 trucks and transit buses equipped with ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders, can be filled in 10-15 minutes versus 25-45 minutes.

• Reduced fuel costs: Hydrogen pre-chilling increases the dispensed cost of hydrogen by $0.22 to $2 per kilogram depending on the filling parameters. ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders can eliminate this extra operating cost.

• Reduced capital expenditure: Hydrogen chilling equipment can have a capital cost of $250,000 to $500,000 depending on the fill station operating parameters. ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders eliminate these capital expenses.

• Reduced range anxiety: ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders can meet or exceed SAE J2601 objectives for completeness of fill, without hydrogen pre-chilling.

• Extended life cylinders: Chilling equipment and temperature sensors are prone to failure and are difficult to keep running continuously. Should chilling equipment fail, ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders do not need replaced after being exposed to high temperatures. ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders have passed 10,000-cycle fill and vent testing.

ThermaGuard hydrogen cylinders are designed to capture, contain, and use hydrogen with service pressures ranging from 248–700 bar (3,600–10,150 psi) for usage as motor vehicle fuel containers and in mobile pipeline applications for zero-emission and sustainable mobility solutions.