Hydrogen Reference Gas Composition for ISO 14687 Calibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current hydrogen gas mixtures for fuel cell electrical vehicles do not fully comply with the ISO 14687:2019 standard, lacking reactive gases like formaldehyde and formic acid, and their concentrations do not match the required thresholds, making it difficult to find a commercial gas standard for calibration and quality control of hydrogen fuel.

Innovation Solution

A hydrogen gas composition is developed that includes specific contaminants (excluding ammonia or formaldehyde) with stable concentrations, allowing for the creation of a calibration or quality control composition that can remain stable for at least 100 days, simplifying project management and reducing costs by using fewer gas cylinders.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple separate gas cylinders are used to cover all ISO 14687:2019 contaminants, then complete coverage of all gas contaminants is achieved, but project management complexity and shipping costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage of gas contaminantsVSAvoidnumber of gas cylinders
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate gas cylinders containing different contaminants into a single integrated hydrogen gas composition. This unified composition contains all 14 ISO 14687:2019 contaminants (NH3, HCHO, H2S, HCOOH, CO, CO2, CH4, N2, Ar, He, O2, H2O, and halogenated compounds) at their respective threshold limits, eliminating the need to manage and ship multiple separate cylinders while maintaining complete contaminant coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Adaptability or versatility

If reactive gases like formaldehyde and formic acid are included at ISO 14687:2019 threshold limits, then complete compliance with the standard is achieved, but gas mixture stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance with ISO 14687:2019VSAvoidstability of gas mixture
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent carefully controls the concentration parameters of reactive contaminants (formaldehyde and formic acid) to be at or near the ISO 14687:2019 threshold limits while adjusting other compositional parameters to maintain stability. The composition achieves compliance by including these reactive gases at regulated concentrations while using a hydrogen matrix and specific stabilizing conditions to prevent degradation, thus resolving the conflict between standard compliance and mixture stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If a single gas composition contains all contaminants at ISO 14687:2019 threshold limits, then complete calibration capability is achieved, but difficulty in detecting and measuring individual contaminants increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecalibration capabilityVSAvoiddetection of individual contaminants
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a gas composition where each contaminant maintains its local chemical identity and detection characteristics within the hydrogen matrix. By controlling the concentration of each contaminant at its specific threshold limit and ensuring they do not interact chemically, the composition allows analytical equipment to detect and measure each contaminant individually using their respective detection methods, thus maintaining calibration capability while providing comprehensive coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4178908B1Contaminated hydrogen gas composition and its use as a reference for hydrogen fuels
Publication Date: 2024.06.12 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP4178908B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4178908B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4178908B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a hydrogen gas composition comprising specific gas contaminants at threshold limit values (as listed in the ISO 14687:2019 standard). The invention also concerns a metal cylinder such as an 5 aluminium cylinder comprising a hydrogen gas composition according to the invention. The hydrogen gas composition of the invention may be used as a calibration composition and/or quality control composition for controlling hydrogen fuels.