Hydrogen Storage Development for Utility Vehicles

Hydrogen storage for mobile applications is still a challenge. Savannah River Technology Center (SRTC) and its partners have identified industrial utility vehicles and mining vehicles as potential early niche markets for the use of metal hydride to store hydrogen. The weight of metal hydride is not a problem for these vehicles. The low pressure of metal hydride gives a safety advantage. SRTC has developed onboard hydrogen storage containers using metal hydrides for the demonstration of two generations of fuel cell powered utility vehicles. Another storage container is being developed for a mining vehicle. This paper provides a brief overview of the utility vehicle project and a detail discussion of the hydrogen storage system.