Comparison of High Pressure Hydrogen Storage Cylinders for Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

Due to the flammability, explosiveness, strong leakage properties of hydrogen, as well as issues such as “hydrogen embrittlement” that can affect hydrogen storage materials, onboard hydrogen storage systems pose certain safety risks. Common international standards include the UN/ECE/WP.29/AC.3 HFCV “Global Technical Regulation on Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles” (known as GTR) and ISO 19881 “Gaseous hydrogen - Cylinders for on-board storage as a fuel for automotive vehicles”. By comparing domestic and international standards, the paper aims to facilitate the integration of Chinese cylinder manufacturers into the international market, while helping Chinese technical personnel understand the international market’s technical requirements for cylinders and clarify the direction of scientific research and development. Starting from the characteristics of hydrogen, this paper briefly analyzes the current technical key points of hydrogen storage containers and compares the standards for high-pressure hydrogen storage cylinders both domestically and internationally. The paper summarizes and compares Chinese standards with international standards in terms of design, hydrogen storage materials, and testing requirements. From the results of the comparison, it appears that the current Chinese standards are generally in line with the international draft standard ISO/CD 19881. However, there is a need to expand the scope in terms of the overall performance standards such as pressure, volume, and temperature adaptation of the gas cylinders.