Periodic Reporting for period 2 - THOR (Thermoplastic Hydrogen tanks Optimised and Recyclable) Reporting period: 2020-07-01 to 2021-12-31 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project THOR aims at developing a cost-effective thermoplastic composite pressure vessel for hydrogen storage both forvehicle and for transportation applications. Thermoplastics appear as a promising solution to the challenges faced byconventional tanks in terms of compatibility with hydrogen service and with mass automotive market requirements.The use of thermoplastic materials, advanced numerical modeling techniques and innovative manufacturingprocesses will boost the performance, improve safety, enable optimized tank geometry and weight (reductionof 10%) and reduce the cost for mass production (400€/kg of H2 stored for 30 000 tanks/year). A series of testsextracted from demanding automotive standards will validate all the requirements and demonstrate that thermoplastictanks outperform thermoset ones. The consortium is representative of the hydrogen supply chain, from technologydeveloper to manufacturer and end-user enhancing market uptake: a disruptive technology provider with successfulcommercial experience of thermoplastic tanks (COVESS), an ambitious Tier One supplier targeting a wide marketintroduction towards all OEMs (FAURECIA), an industrial gas expert with a long history related to hydrogen anda complementary end-user of tanks for hydrogen supply and refueling station operations (AIR LIQUIDE). Thiscore industrial team is limited in purpose to avoid possible future commercial conflicts of interests and backed upwith top research expertise to address all the identified challenges: an innovation center for material research withimportant tank scale testing capacity (CSM), a technology center in the fields of composite materials, manufacturing,automation, and testing (SIRRIS), academic teams with strong experience of composite materials and non-destructivetesting (NTNU) and of thermo-mechanical materials behavior under fire aggression (CNRS) and a technical centerwith an innovative recycling technology for thermoplastic composites (CETIM-CERMAT). Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far The objective of THOR is to develop a consolidation process to manufacture high pressure monolithic structure vessels with tape. Accordingly, the research activities of the THOR project focus on the following five main objectives that perfectly respond to the call FCH-01-3-2018 titled “Strengthening of the European supply chain for compressed storage systems for transport applications”.• Objective 1: Materials selection and development of an improved consolidation process for high pressure Hydrogen tank.• Objective 2: Numerical tools.• Objective 3: Tank performance.• Objective 4: Increased safety and operational capacity.• Objective 5: Mass production and market introduction. Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far) • Objective 1: Materials selection and development of an improved consolidation process for high pressure Hydrogen tank. Selection of Thermoplastic regarding the expected performances (burst pressure, costs, durability, temperature range, productivity)• Objective 2: Numerical tools. Correlation of the modeling & the tests results to adapt modelisation software so that to optimize the pressure vessel design• Objective 3: Tank performance. 10 % weight reduction with the same performances, extended temperature in usage (goal of -60 °C and + 100 °C), avoid the liner collapse.• Objective 4: Increased safety and operational capacity. Integration of sensors in the tank skin so that we could identify weakness & fire. Leak before burst design.• Objective 5: Mass production and market introduction. Decrease the production time so that the costs of the tank 400 €/kg of H2. Related documents Leuven Meeting, 16-17012020.png Sensors systems applied to detect localized heating (NTNU).png Mechanical testing with optical fibers (NTNU).png Characterizing optical fiber sensors under combined thermal-mechanical loading (NTNU).png
