HySTAT^™ STORAGE MODULE

The HySTAT Storage Module is composed of one or more vessels mechanically connected and electronically controlled by the station's software. The storage module receives hydrogen either directly from the HySTAT Hydrogen Generator or from a separate storage tank. Hydrogen flow is scaled by customer requirement.

The HySTAT Storage Module can be provided with either steel or composite vessels. Both options can be made available in either buffer or cascade configuration, depending on customer requirements.

A buffer storage system stores the required amount of hydrogen using a simple configuration consisting of a series of interconnected tanks that are filled and emptied as if they were one large tank. Hydrogen enters the system via a single control valve, and is delivered from the rack through another control valve.

During delivery, the pressure inside all the tanks drops simultaneously. This means that, to attain a certain desired pressure, the initial pressure in the tanks must be higher than the desired delivered pressure, or that the fill is assisted by simultaneous operation of a booster compressor.

A cascade system consists of storage tanks arranged in a series of "banks" managed by a control system that determines which bank is able to receive or deliver hydrogen. When hydrogen is required, the first bank delivers hydrogen until the pressure inside this bank equals that of the receiving tank.

As the pressure equalizes, the next bank begins to deliver its store of hydrogen, and so on. By automatically sequencing the banks in this manner, some hydrogen is always kept at a higher pressure so that more complete vehicle fills can be obtained from the same volume of hydrogen storage.