Applying a 70 MPa hydrogen storage system

Context

70 MPa is the mainstream pressure level for on-board hydrogen storage. Higher pressure stores more hydrogen, but it also raises the bar for valves, piping, frames and safety validation. A storage system has to fit the vehicle’s boundaries, the regulations and the test program all at once, and a problem in any single part gets amplified at the system level.

My role

As a Product Application Engineer (PAE) intern in R&D, my work spanned requirements, design and validation:

• Breaking down customer requirements and the relevant regulations, and mapping them to deliverables;
• Technical definition and selection of key components, with input to the system concept and P&ID;
• System simulations with the European team, such as filling, defueling and pipe rupture;
• Building and maintaining the BOM and DV BOM, and following up on shock, vibration and EMC tests and customer feedback.

Approach

My main contribution was connecting three activities that used to run separately: simulation, assembly and testing.

1. Calibrate the simulation model with test data so its key results match the measurements;
2. Use a one-dimensional system model to locate problems, such as an abnormal pressure drop at a check valve;
3. Bring the findings back into design discussions and push for the corresponding improvements.

Engineering inside a company taught me that a theoretical result is only the starting point. Manufacturing, assembly, testing, safety and cross-team collaboration all have to be considered at the same time.

Results

• Supported the storage system through requirements, component selection, simulation and testing;
• The internship ended in July 2024. In September 2026 I presented the project for review, and the committee unanimously rated it Excellent.

Customer information, drawings and specific parameters are withheld for confidentiality.