Chengdu to have the largest single hydrogen storage bottle manufacturing plant in the Asia-Pacific region

Drawing, winding, curing... As the robotic arms keep running, high-pressure hydrogen storage bottles for fuel cell vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "on-board hydrogen storage bottles") roll off the automated production line one by one. On July 2, the reporter saw a busy production scene at Sinoma Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. in Xinjin District.

The relevant person in charge of the company excitedly revealed that Sinoma Science & Technology plans to invest 500 million yuan to build a new automated production line with an annual output of 100,000 hydrogen storage bottles in Tianfu Intelligent Manufacturing Industrial Park. After the project is completed, Sinoma Science & Technology will become the largest single hydrogen storage bottle manufacturing plant in the Asia-Pacific region. At present, the project has been officially approved by the group headquarters and is about to enter the implementation stage.

Chengdu hydrogen storage bottle company won the first place in fierce competition

According to the research data of the authoritative organization in the field of hydrogen energy, Gaogong Hydrogen and Electric Industry Research Institute (GGII), Sinoma Science and Technology has been ranked among the top three in the on-board hydrogen storage bottle market for many years. In 2023, the company will ship 13,000 on-board hydrogen storage bottles, a year-on-year increase of 70%, and won the first place in the domestic hydrogen storage bottle shipment rankings, becoming the No. 1 in the field of on-board hydrogen storage bottles.

According to industry insiders, at present, China's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market is still in the transition stage from demonstration application to commercial development, and the on-board hydrogen storage bottle market has entered a period of rapid development. There are more than 25 domestic companies engaged in the research and development and production of on-board hydrogen storage bottles. As more companies enter this field, the market is gradually developing from concentration to dispersion.

"The current on-board hydrogen storage bottle market shows a trend of increasing number of participating companies and decreasing market concentration, and the competition is becoming increasingly fierce. Under such circumstances, we can achieve substantial growth against the trend, which is inseparable from the company's focus on technological innovation over the years." The relevant person in charge of Sinoma Science and Technology proudly stated that in March this year, the world's first "Chengdu-made" hydrogen energy urban train completed its operation test, with a speed of 160 kilometers per hour and a maximum range of more than 1,000 kilometers. "This hydrogen energy urban train is equipped with our Sinoma hydrogen storage bottles."

Chengdu is the first city to realize the localization of carbon fiber

Under the leadership of the relevant person in charge of the company, the reporter came to the plate drawing workshop, where Sinoma Technology's flagship product - Type III hydrogen storage cylinder is being produced. “Type III hydrogen storage cylinders use our Sinoma Technology’s original metal liner plate-drawing process. Compared with the traditional aluminum tube manufacturing liner process, it has significant advantages in weight control, bottom safety, product performance, etc. , can strictly control the consistency of hydrogen cylinder products and achieve 'zero leakage' at the bottom," the person in charge said.

In the production of on-board hydrogen storage bottles, carbon fiber is an important material for winding hydrogen storage bottles. The reporter learned that previously, on-board hydrogen storage bottles were mostly wound with high-strength carbon fiber from Japan's Toray, and Sinoma Technology took the localization of carbon fiber as the key research focus. From multifilament strength testing to resin formula regulation, yarn path optimization, and layer structure design, after a large number of tests and verifications, it successfully solved the key problems of matching between domestic carbon fiber and resin, strength conversion rate, etc., and became the first domestic company to realize the application of T700 and T800 grade domestic carbon fiber in hydrogen storage cylinders.

It is understood that the company has invested an additional 500 million yuan to build an automated production line for 100,000 hydrogen storage bottles. It will add advanced equipment such as a four-axis three-station winding machine, a curing furnace, a rotomolding machine, a threading machine, a pipe bending machine, and an airtightness testing machine to realize the digitalization of multiple processes and chains and create an automated, intelligent, and digital green factory. After the project is completed, it will drive local employment of more than 120 people and increase the annual output value by more than 500 million yuan.