As the world progresses away from automotives equipped with the traditional fossil fuelled internal combustion engine along with the traditional fuel tank. VES has developed and manufactured the most efficient and effective high volume production line leak detection methods for testing the next generation of high pressure hydrogen mobility storage solutions.

Building on our enviable reputation and equipped with a wealth of experience, knowledge and understanding of testing traditional fuel tanks systems, we’ve progressed to manufacturing leak detection systems designed for leak testing high pressure hydrogen fuel tanks, composed of a liner encased in a carbon-fiber shell.

The VES New Energies product range was developed to accommodate testing 900 bar hydrogen storage vessels for use in hydrogen powered vehicles, offering a 100% non-operator dependent qualitative test that is safe, efficient and eco-friendly.

With everything we do at VES, safety is our highest priority, maintaining the highest standards throughout our facilities. All pressure vessels including hydrogen tanks and fuel cells must meet regulatory standards. VES has experience in meeting all EU and global standards.

Visit our new hydrogen fuel tank testing solution website.

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Clean Hydrogen Energy

The VES New Energies product range was developed to accommodate testing high pressure hydrogen storage vessels for use in hydrogen powered vehicles, offering a 100% non-operator dependent qualitative test that is safe, efficient and eco-friendly.

With everything we do at VES, safety is our highest priority, maintaining the highest standards throughout our facilities. All pressure vessels including hydrogen tanks and fuel cells must meet regulatory standards. VES has experience in meeting all EU and global standards.

Visit VES New Energies

Leak Testing High Pressure Hydrogen Fuel Tanks

VES has developed world-class leak detection that meets all the demands of testing high pressure hydrogen tanks. International (R134) certification is met with VES’ leak test systems. Using the knowledge and experience from 30 years of manufacturing leak detection equipment, VES has created a unique quantitative leak test for high pressure type IV tanks, a composite tank made of carbon fibre with a polymer liner (thermoplastic), 10% lighter than the type III equivalent with the metal liner. Fuel tanks that make up the large-scale hydrogen mobility storage solution.

High pressure hydrogen tanks are the new energy storage and these tanks work at extremely high pressures and high volumes. Leak testing them comes with some unique challenges that can be broken down into three different areas:

  • The potential energy can have catastrophic implications on the surrounding areas. Leak testing these category IV tanks creates great safety challenges for the industry moving forward.
  • With this high pressure and high-volume combination manufacturers are seeing increased costs in testing gases.
  • The gas composition changes over the course of the leak test with moisture and temperature changing dramatically under compression and venting.

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Leak Testing High Pressure Hydrogen Fuel Tanks

High Pressure Test Gas Generation, Recovery, Storage and Reuse Capabilities

High pressure gas is generated and stored for use within purpose-built ISO shipping containers.

The hydrogen fuel tanks are loaded into the leak test module, filled and pressurised to specific test pressures using forming gas, or a specified gas mix to then be able to perform a leak test within the leak test module.

Once the test cycle is completed, the pressurised gas is recovered and stored ready for reuse.

The system reuses the test gas time and time again released from the fuel tank down to 30Barg with the remainder vented to atmosphere.

Leak Detection

The leak test module is designed to test the leak tightness of the hydrogen fuel tank and are automatically barcode scanned as they enter the test chamber.

Four hydrogen fuel tanks can be tested at the same time., firstly a vacuum is created within the test chamber for a gross leak test and then the fuel tank is pressurised ready to undergo the test cycle. Once completed the hydrogen fuel tanks are exhausted of the test gas, which is stored at pressure for reuse.

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Leak Testing High Pressure Hydrogen Fuel Tanks

The Leak Test Process in 7 Simplified Steps

  1. Hydrogen fuel tanks are loaded into leak test chamber
  2. A vacuum is created within the leak test chamber
  3. The initial gross leak test is carried out to the specified pressure
  4. Fill the hydrogen fuel tank with the tracer gas to the specified test pressure
  5. Hold the test pressure and undertake the leak test cycle
  6. Extract the high pressure tracer gas from hydrogen fuel tank for reuse
  7. Unload the fuel tanks from the leak test chamber

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