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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - M-H70 (M-H70 2.0 Hydrogen pressure gas regulators specifically designed for Fuel Cell Vehicles)

Teaser

Summary

Environmental stress to planet earth has stimulated a quest for innovation in the energy system on a global scale. CO2, the main greenhouse gas, is the responsible for a quarter of total EU emissions, with transport being the only sector where emissions have grown over the past 25 years (+22% since 1990). And this situation could be even worse: the Commission has estimated that by 2050 passenger transport will grow more than 50% and freight transport more than 80% compared to 2013 levels. In this context, there is profound interest in fostering a cleaner future for present and future generations: governments around the world are seeking for the right mix of future vehicle technologies that will enable expanded personal mobility and freight transport near zero emission.

Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) powered by hydrogen (H2) are a clean alternative for passenger cars, minibus, buses and trucks for both short and long ranges. However, the market is not fully developed mainly due to technology inefficiencies that increases the cost for the final user and delays in the deployment of infrastructure.

In this regard, Metatron has designed a novel Electronic Fuel Line System (FLS) suited for both light and heavy duty FCV. This FLS is the first of its kind and has been specially designed for the automotive industry allowing to instantly adjust flow and pressure to different drive conditions, monitor performance and predict any issue that could lead to a major failure or compromise safety.

Work performed

Metatron is an Italian supplier of alternative fuel components for automotive OEMs, leader supplier of components, systems and solutions for both Liquid and Compressed Natural Gas automotive industries. Since 2004, Metatron has been integrating hydrogen technology into their product portfolio. Their experience in this sector has led them to identify the high-pressure regulators as the most critical component in FCVs.

In Q4, 2018 the company performed a feasibility study supported by the European commission SME Instrument Phase 1 and validated their technology to bring a reliable and cost effective high-pressure regulator into the market. The prototype proved to be reliable and accurate under dynamic load cycles and the leakage test was also satisfactory, thanks to a design that reduces potential leakage points and eliminates gaskets under tank high pressure. Material selection was also key to optimize weight and corrosion resistance.

The study of financial projections for next 5 years, based on marketing and pricing strategy, showed that the project is profitable and creates substantial revenue increase and new job opportunities.

Final results

Most regulators used in the automotive industry have been designed for other industries and purposes, mainly for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Therefore, they are not suited for vehicles and their usage limits service lifetime of the vehicle, increases maintenance needs, reduce vehicle range, and compromises security. Moreover, actual pressure regulators are mechanical and set-up in factory for clientsâ€™ requirements.
Metatron has developed the second hydrogen pressure regulator specifically designed for the automotive industry while also addressing the market gap for electronic pressure regulators. Electronic features that would enable diagnostics, performance adjustment to different driving conditions to maximize fuel cell efficiency, take preventive actions to avoid major failures and improve accuracy, reliability and durability. MetatronÂ´s M-H70 will pave the way for a wider FCV market uptake contributing to a near to zero emissions transport system.