Cylinders and conversion kits provider Cenergy Solutions is working with compressed natural gas fuel station ReFuel, at CleanWorld’s biomethane plant, to store as much as four times more natural gas at low pressures with its adsorbent natural gas (ANG) storage system.

ReFuel currently stores biomethane in two 20 000 gallon storage tanks. It is believed that they can store up to four times more biomethane gas in these tanks with an ANG system. ReFuel contacted Cenergy Solutions to field test the ANG system as a way to enhance its storage volume as production increases over time.

Cenergy Solutions COO Gary Fanger says, “The results exceeded my expectations. This test was conducted with our Generation I ANG cylinders. With our Generation II ANG cylinders, I expect the storage to substantially exceed the first test results.”

Cenergy Solutions and ReFuel are testing to see the effects on the storage system if the 20 000 gallon tanks are converted.

Cenergy Solutions ANG systems allow facilities and vehicles to store significantly more natural gas at lower pressures. Ongoing testing of this patent pending technology is taking place in compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, biomethane plants and natural gas storage containers.

Cenergy Solutions announced in January that it has successfully completed its first round of field tests at the CleanWorld and ReFuel CNG station in California, in the US.

The results showed that four times more biomethane was stored in the same size ANG cylinder, compared with a conventional CNG tank without an adsorbent. Cenergy Solutions is continuing to do cycle testing to determine if the ANG will continue to perform at this level over time.

ReFuel is pioneering the use of biomethane, or renewable natural gas (RNG), as a fuel in natural gas engines by working with advanced technology companies to efficiently bring
RNG to market.

Cenergy Solutions’ ANG technology can be applied to virtually any type of natural gas storage system, including CNG vehicles, fueling stations, natural gas transport trucks and stationary natural gas storage. Cenergy is now retrofitting existing Department of Transport- (DoT-) compliant natural gas cylinders with their proprietary ANG system. This equipment will also make it possible to use low pressure – 350 psi to 500 psi – tanks that are lighter and can be conformed to fit in various areas of empty space in a vehicle.

The ANG technology creates the opportunity for conformable, low pressure CNG storage tanks for full-scale natural gas vehicle-hybrid deployment in the US and across the world, but the lower-pressure ANG tank also allows a more rapid market growth of a global CNG refuelling infra- structure to be conveniently and cheaply deployed.

Cenergy’s technology can create a market for compact, affordable, low-pressure CNG home refuelling appliances that will allow consumers to conveniently fill their vehicles at home by connecting directly to its utility gas line.

It will also allow for CNG refuelling equipment to be more easily and cost effectively added to the network of public gas stations and truck stops, owing to the significantly lower capital investment associated with lower compression requirements.

Cenergy Solutions is focused on bringing cutting-edge natural gas equipment and storage to market. Cenergy currently sells DoT-compliant cylinders and US Environmental Protection Agency-compliant natural gas conversion systems for vehicles. Cenergy Solutions aims to make natural gas and biogas economically available for power plants, vehicles, well head storage and virtual pipelines to facilitate cleaner air and improved economy and energy independence.