Optimal design considering structural efficiency of compressed natural gas fuel storage vessels for automobiles

The shape and thickness of the dome were investigated with the aim of optimizing the type II CNG storage vessels by using a finite element analysis technique. The thickness of the liners and reinforcing materials was optimized based on the requirement of the cylinder and dome parts. In addition, the shape of the dome, which is most suitable for type lI CNG storage vessels, was proposed by a process of review and analysis of various existing shapes, and the minimum thickness was established in this sequence： metal liners, composite materials and dome parts. Therefore, the new proposed shape products give a mass reduction of 4.8 kg（5.1%）

Plant Dynamics Evaluation of a MONJU Ex-vessel Fuel Storage System during a Station Blackout

The prototype fast breeder reactor ＂MONJU＂ has an EVSS （ex-vessel fuel storage system） which consists mainly of an EVST （ex-vessel fuel storage tank） and an EVST sodium cooling system. EVST sodium cooling system consists of three independent loops. During the normal operation, the primary sodium in the EVST is circulated by natural convection and the secondary circulation in the EVST sodium cooling system is powered by electromagnetic pumps. When an SBO （station blackout） occurs, all the pumps and blowers are tripped. Therefore, it was necessary to evaluate the cooling ability by the natural circulation of sodium in the EVST sodium cooling system and air through the air cooler during the SBO. In this study, an analysis and evaluation of the plant dynamics for the spent fuel and the EVSS structural integrity during an SBO were performed. When the number of cooling loops was not changed and natural circulation occurred in only two loops, the sodium temperature in the EVST increased to approximately 450 ~C. However, the structural integrity of the EVSS was maintained. The analytical results, therefore, help clarify the number of necessary cooling loops for efficient decay heat removal and sodium temperature behavior in an SBO.

System integration of China's first PEMFC locomotive

In the face of growing environmental pollution, developing a fuel-cell-driven shunting locomotive is a great challenge in China for environmental protection and energy saving, which combines the environmental advantages of an electric locomotive with the lower infrastructure costs of a diesel-electric locomotive. In this paper, the investigation status and the development trend of the fuel-cell-driven shunting locomotive were introduced. Through innovation of the power system using fuel cells, an experiment prototype of a fuel-cell shunting locomotive was developed, which would reduce the effects on the environment of the existing locomotives. This was the first locomotive to use a proton exchange membrane fuel-cell （PEMFC） power plant in China. From October 2012, we started to test the fuel-cell power plant and further test runs on the test rail-line in Chengdu, Sichuan. The achieved encouraging results can provide fundamental data for the modification of the current individual fuel cell locomotives or further development of the fuel-cell hybrid ones in China.

Operational Robustness Studies of Solid Oxide Electrolysis Stacks

Stacks of solid oxide cells which can be run as both electrolysers and fuel cells have been tested for robustness towards simulations of stress conditions which are likely to occur during operation of solid oxide electrolysis systems, for which the energy supply comes from renewable sources, such as wind mills and solar cells. Such conditions are thermo mechanical stress conditions as well as loss of fuel and air supply. The cells have Ni/YSZ （yttria stabilized zirconia） fuel electrodes, YSZ electrolytes, and LSCF （lanthanum strontium cobalt ferrite） oxygen electrodes with a CGO （cerium gadolinium oxide） barrier layer. In the stacks, the cells are separated by chromium rich steel interconnects. The robustness tests of stacks are one step in the development of a SOEC （solid oxide electrolysis cell） core; the core component in a SOEC system, including one or more SOEC stacks, heaters, heat exchangers, insulation, and feed troughs.