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GM Makes Strides in Gaining Regulatory Approval for Hydrogen Demonstrations
by Patrick Serfass, National Hydrogen Association
(Photos courtesy GM)
For the last several months, General Motors Corporation (GM) has initiated and developed an impressive variety of hydrogen projects which have been approved by government and regulatory bodies around the world to insure that they demonstrate high safety standards. This article reviews those projects and the regulatory approvals that have been obtained thus far. The project topics include: the HydroGen3 minivan, liquid hydrogen refueling, compressed hydrogen storage and a 10kW stationary fuel cell unit.
 HydroGen3
On March 11, GM announced two first-ever approvals by the Japanese to drive their liquid-hydrogen-fuel cell vehicle on public roads in Japan. Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) formally granted permission to drive on Japanese roads and the High Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan (KHK) approved the use of the HydroGen3’s liquid storage system.
The certifications were for the HydroGen3 fuel cell vehicle which is GM’s 3rd generation fuel cell vehicle based on the Opel Zafira MPV minivan. HydroGen3 is also GM’s first entry in the Japan Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstration Project which is directed by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). The vehicle has a top speed of 100 mph (160 kph) and stores up to 4.6 kilograms of liquid hydrogen at -253˚ C onboard (the energy equivalent of about 4.6 gallons of gasoline) with a driving range of about 250 miles—the highest range of any fuel cell vehicle in Japan, according to their press release.
Two weeks ago, two HydroGen3s also passed the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles safety and emission inspection as “Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles.” As a result, the vehicles are now ready to be registered in Washington. The H3s, as they are commonly called, will be in Washington initially for two years as a part of GM’s Technology Tour and the operation of a new hydrogen refueling station which GM and Shell plan to open this Fall. GM expects the fuel cell vehicles could provide up to 10,000 test drives to legislators, regulators, environmentalists and other policy makers. As a part of this effort, the National Hydrogen Association has been working with GM to obtain any necessary permits and approvals for Ride and Drive activities and will have a report available to its members describing the results of this work in the coming months.
 Liquid Hydrogen Refueling
In April, a General Motors release announced another project for liquid hydrogen--an initiative with BMW Group to jointly develop liquid hydrogen refueling devices. The project, which remains open to include other carmakers as well, is focused on a specific means for accelerating the development of hydrogen distribution and on-board storage.
“The collaborative work will center on setting global standards, establishing specifications for suppliers and finding the best technical and cost-effective solution,” according to Christoph Huss, BMW’s head of Science and Traffic Policy.
“In the long term, we are expecting a nationwide network of 10,000 hydrogen filling stations in Germany,” Huss said. “Even today, however, we have to start working on a standard so that customers will not be confronted with various systems. Standardizing the refueling coupler is a must. Liquid hydrogen provides the most convenient way [to transport] hydrogen fuel before a hydrogen pipeline infrastructure is in place. By teaming together, we will help bring about the liquid hydrogen infrastructure faster.”
GM and BMW’s goal is to have affordable and compelling hydrogen vehicles for sale by 2010. They recognize that there needs to be a concentration now, on storage and handling technology, to achieve this goal.
Future liquid-hydrogen coupling units will follow draft specifications by the European integrated Hydrogen Project (EIHP). The EIHP’s drafts are the basis for the United Nations’ Economic Commission of Europe (ECE) regulations for hydrogen-powered vehicles currently being negotiated.
Dr. Udo Winter, chief engineer at GM Fuel Cell Activities shared a commonly-held opinion in the hydrogen industry on cooperation and harmonizing development efforts: “Hydrogen can be established as the fuel of the future faster if companies, such as BMW and GM, cooperate in the development and standardization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.”
Hydrogen Storage
In addition to liquid hydrogen technologies, GM is also exploring compressed hydrogen and metal hydrides as options for storing the energy carrier in its vehicles. For compressed hydrogen, GM and QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies recently received certification from Germany’s Technical Inspection Association (TÜV, Technischer Überwachungs-Verein) for their 10,000 psi (700 bar) hydrogen storage system. The German safety institute typically approves new technologies in vehicles, and certifies high-pressure tanks in accordance with industry standards in Europe and North America.
The system was also validated according to the EIHP who develops global regulations for hydrogen storage, testing and certifications. Previously, certification had been obtained for storage systems up to only 5,000 psi (350 bar).
According to their press release, GM believes the new 10,000 psi system will increase the range of the (compressed gas) HydroGen3 by 60-70 percent compared to the preceding 5,000 psi system. The storage tank’s design incorporates a one-piece permeation-resistant, seamless liner, a high-strength carbon composite over wrap, and an impact-resistant outer shell.
 Stationary Fuel Cells
In addition to transportation applications, GM (who develops their own fuel cells) created a stationary electric generator run by hydrogen fuel cells. The unit has a 10-kilowatt stack which produces hydrogen from natural gas. Although GM did not mention any specific approvals for this application which was first announced in August 2001, GM believes that the stationary applications will be an important transitional step to the development of fuel cells in vehicles, the hydrogen infrastructure and public acceptance of this relatively new technology.
“It gets people comfortable with fuel cells before they get introduced in vehicles where the requirements will be much more demanding,” said Larry Burns, GM’s vice president for research and development and planning. GM believes that fuel cells likely will be marketed for stationary applications before they are widely available in vehicles.
The NHA applauds the efforts General Motors has made in developing hydrogen projects and looks forward to hearing from others who are developing projects which make use of existing and developing codes, standards, and certification processes.
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