Adsorbent-Enhanced Methane Storage for Alternate Fuel Powered Vehicles

The Adsorbent Enhanced Methane Storage program started in 1983 to determine if Compressed Natural Gas could be stored more effectively than by the standard high pressure tank, it was initiated by the New York Gas Group and the New York Energy Research and Development Authority and has been joined by the Gas Research Institute. The work has been conducted by two Divisions of Union Carbide Corporation.

The program determined that activated carbon adsorbent has the greatest methane storage potential of the known adsorbents and identified five critical issues to be addressed in the development program:

• Contamination
• Heat Management
• Adsorbent Capacity
• Encapsulation
• Safety

Four program phases have identified and solved some of the critical issues.