A commercial adsorbed natural gas (ANG) low pressure storage and delivery system, whose technology could lead to significant re-duction in carbon emissions on a global scale and which will be made available to markets first in the US and then internationally, has at its heart Nuchar FuelSorb activated carbon monoliths.

The company working to deliver the system is New Jersey (US)-based Adsorbed Natural Gas Products (ANGP) Inc. The firm devel-oping and manufacturing the activated carbon monoliths is MWV Specialty Chemicals, part of a coalition that will expedite ANGP’s system to markets.

MWV Specialty Chemicals has been commercially manufacturing activated carbon for over 100 years and is the global market leader in evaporative emissions capture technology used on gasoline fueled automobiles.

“Our 40 plus years of commercial success in capturing gasoline evaporative emissions in the automotive market has advanced our technology for the capture and release of hydrocarbons. Combined with our long history of activated carbon development and global manufacturing infrastructure, we’re uniquely qualified to support the successful commercialisation of ANG technology for on-board low pressure natural gas storage in all classes of motor vehicles,” said Ed Woodcock, vice president, carbon technologies, MWV Specialty Chemicals, based in North Charleston, SC (US).

“Working with the support of our world-class coalition, we are on track to offer a game-changing automotive system that will en-able more rapid adaptation of natural gas vehicles in the United States and, eventually, the international market,” said Bob Bonelli, ANGP co-founder and chief executive officer. “ANGP’s adsorbed natural gas storage and delivery system will provide significant economic value to the market. Low pressure is truly an enabling technology that will offer more flexible options for natural gas storage while dramatically lowering the cost of compression on a per gasoline gallon equivalent (GGE) basis,” he added.

ANG technology is the use of a highly porous adsorbent material to densely store natural gas molecules at low pressures (900 psi and below). Under controlled depressurisation, these molecules release and exit the storage system in response to the demand of the vehicle’s engine. The University of Missouri (MU) has been working on advancing ANG technology through research in activated carbon. ANGP holds and exclusive license to MU developments

The second key member of the coalition is Worthington Industries, based in Columbus, Ohio, a global leader in compressed natu-ral gas (CNG) cylinder development and manufacturing. Its engineers are working with ANGP and MWV Specialty Chemicals’ tech-nical staff to design and manufacture a fully certified pressure vessel incorporating the activated carbon monoliths.

“Worthington is pleased to be working with ANGP and the coalition to bring commercial ANG low pressure storage systems to the market,” said Wayne Powers, general manager of Worthington Industries Alternative Fuels business. “Our strength is the con-sistent, reliable performance of our cylinder products due to decades of experience safely and efficiently storing and transporting alternative fuels. It’s a great opportunity to apply our unique expertise to this project.”

Another key member of the coalition is Aspen Compressor, LLC, of Marlborough, Mass (USA).

Aspen Compressor is a 2005 spin off of Aspen Systems, Inc. (founded in 1984). With its rich history of four decades of innovation in aerospace, automotive, advanced materials, and other sectors, Aspen Compressor is the global leader in miniature rotary compres-sors. One of their groundbreaking, miniature compressors is a key component of ANGP’s creative fuel extraction and pressurisation system (FEPS, patent pending), designed to be the first natural gas “fuel pump” to assure complete and responsive fuel flow in re-sponse to the driver’s demand.

Dr Kang Lee, founder and chief executive officer of Aspen Compressor, LLC, and Aspen Systems, Inc, said, “It is exciting to be part of this coalition and working on a technology that can make a meaningful impact to transform an industry, leading to significant reduction in carbon emissions on a global scale.”

Dr Lee was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2012 for his inno-vative technical and commercial achievements on flexible aerogel-based superinsulation, which was one of only two technologies selected each year in the world for the technologies and products that were originally developed for NASA’s space exploration, but already in widespread use worldwide.

One of the early members of ANGP’s commercial coalition is Midwest Energy Solutions, Inc. Founded in 2009, Midwest Energy So-lutions designs and builds natural gas fueling stations. Midwest also has significant experience in on-board natural gas vehicle con-version systems and technology. They provided extensive, hands-on support in configuring and implementing ANGP’s demonstra-tion bi-fuel vehicle, helping to fine tune ANGP’s adsorbed natural gas storage and delivery system integration.

“Our company has enjoyed working with ANGP over the years and assisting with our fueling experience and on-board system ex-perience,” said Michael Batten, founder and president of Midwest Energy Solutions, Inc. “We look forward to participating in the coalition’s commercial ANG system rollout by addressing the low pressure fueling infrastructure aspects of successfully bringing ANG technology to market.”

“There are credible people and companies who have attempted to bring adsorbed natural gas technology to the commercial mar-ket. What sets ANGP apart is our unique development and manufacturing coalition in combination with our market-sensitive ap-proach,” said Bonelli. “In order to successfully commercialise a new technology, you must first fully understand the economic value proposition that will capture the market. Then, you have to refine the technology collaboratively with the most capable suppliers to reliably deliver that economic value. Finally, you have to be prepared to professionally respond to anticipated demand with these suppliers’ global manufacturing capabilities,” he added.

ANGP also recognises and values its close working relationship with the University of Missouri. ANGP secured the exclusive li-cense for the University’s intellectual property related to activated carbon-based adsorbed natural gas storage technology for the automotive market.