ZEM: Zero-hazard gas storage by multisensing optical monitoring system

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 01.0158

Key words (English)

Gas tanks; ccomposite matrials; fiber optic sensors; Economic Aspects; Environmental Protection; Industrial Manufacture; Innovation; Technology Transfer; Safety

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: G1RD-CT-2001-00543

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.3.1 Innovative products, processes and organization

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: C.R.F. Orbasso (I)

Abstract (English)

The ZEM project addresses the development of a monitoring system to verify the integrity of composite high pressure tanks for natural gas or hydrogen. Stationary and mobile applications will be considered and a demonstrator related to vehicle propulsion will be developed. Currently proposed inspection techniques of composite vessels involve off-vehicle visual inspection and pressure testing which is labour intensive and requires expensive equipment. The proposed approach, based on fibre optic sensors, facilitates simple but detailed evaluation of the structural integrity, monitored on-line during tank refuelling.

The project focuses in particular fibre optic sensors and their embedding in the material, composite tank manufacturing, signature recognition algorithms and interrogation methods.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 01.0158