Author: Luxfer Cylinders

An investment of more than £1million in Luxfer Gas Cylinders’ European base in Nottingham has been announced, which will establish a new alternative fuel production facility to support ‘virtual’ gas pipelines that can distribute hydrogen across the UK and Europe. The Nottingham manufacturing base produces up to one million cylinders each year and is home to alternative fuel specialists who have embedded world-first hydrogen-powered systems into buses, trucks, trains, boats, tractors and even drones.

Building hydrogen storage and transport capability

This new purpose-built facility will produce Multiple Element Gas Containers (MEGCs). Available in 20-foot, 40-foot and 45-foot solutions, the G-Stor® Hydrosphere range can store between 0.5 and 1.4 tonnes of clean gas and transport it to where it’s needed, opening up access to hydrogen for companies targeting greener operations.Mark Lawday, Vice President and General Manager of Luxfer Europe, explains: “This investment is the natural next step in continuing to build our European hydrogen capability and support the development of the hydrogen economy, which is going to be essential in enabling all of us to reach our decarbonisation goals in Europe in 2030 and beyond.”With appropriate filling speeds and maximum gas capacity critical to suit different virtual gas pipeline requirements, Luxfer has drawn upon the engineering excellence of its global teams in the UK, Canada and North America, and can offer its trusted G-Stor® Pro Type 3 cylinder, or the newly launched G-Stor® Go Type 4 technology.Mark adds: “Thanks to our industry-leading G-Stor® Pro Type 3 and G-Stor® Go Type 4 core cylinder technology, combined with decades of experience in alternative fuel systems design and development, we have a product range to provide customers with a choice of technology, module capacities and features, to match current and future needs.”Ownership of core cylinder technology is fundamental to being able to meet customer needs, explains Nick Herbert, Sales Director at Luxfer Europe: “Because we can control the precise diameter of our cylinders through our proprietary liner manufacturing process, we can start with a blank piece of paper. It gives us the ability to develop the most efficient cylinder geometry to optimise our MEGC designs and deliver customers exceptional value.”

Alternative fuel hub to benefit community

Luxfer Gas Cylinders has been operating for over 80 years and has sites across the world, but makes Nottingham its European base, where it employs over 230 people from the region. The new hub will see a number of additional jobs created at the Colwick site, as the facility steps up its operation.Tom Randall, Conservative MP for Gedling, attended the event to mark the beginning of the development of the Colwick site. He said: “Climate change is one of the key challenges for our society, and I have long believed that new technologies are the key to achieving our goal of reaching net zero by 2050.“I am particularly proud that a local company is playing its part in our country’s path to net zero emissions. This new facility at Luxfer Gas Cylinders will help make hydrogen more affordable and accessible, and it will create new jobs in our community. This investment is a vote of confidence in our future, as well as demonstrating confidence in Colwick and in Nottinghamshire. I want to thank Luxfer for its leadership in this important area. It will help to make our country a cleaner and more prosperous place.”The investment is just the latest commitment from Luxfer Gas Cylinders to support the hydrogen economy and champion alternative fuel adoption though virtual pipeline solutions.The company launched its G-Stor® Pro Bundle – a multiple cylinder package (MCP) comprised of a modular, interconnected system of cylinders, earlier this year. It helps meet demand for smaller volumes of hydrogen gas, as a crucial stepping stone in the hydrogen supply chain.

The upcoming months are pivotal for the UK Government as it defines the role of hydrogen in its future energy strategy. Amid mounting pressure to stay on track to reach Net Zero, Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee, has underscored the importance of practical and feasible hydrogen storage solutions.While hydrogen is not a catch-all solution, the Committee's report highlights its vast potential. Hydrogen can significantly contribute to clean energy solutions across several sectors. These include industrial clusters, transport, shipping, and aviation. For more than two decades, Luxfer Gas Cylinders has been at the forefront of these sectors, innovating with partners to make hydrogen storage and use more efficient.Despite the persistent challenges of infrastructure, pioneers like Luxfer Gas Cylinders are developing solutions that can have an immediate impact on emissions reduction.

Meeting hydrogen demand through virtual gas pipelines

Virtual gas pipelines are emerging as a flexible and promising solution for transporting hydrogen to areas of need. As an industry leader, Luxfer has made significant progress in making hydrogen more accessible. It has accomplished this on a large scale by offering 20-foot, 40-foot, and 45-foot Multiple Element Gas Containers (MEGC), each capable of storing between 0.5 and 1.4 tonnes of the gas.But Luxfer recognised a gap in the market - a shortage of small to medium-scale gas transportation solutions across different gaseous elements for a variety of applications. With a background in innovation design for change the Luxfer team, led by alternative fuel design manage Kevin Gilbert, focused on applying its knowledge of fuel systems and bulk gas modules into a format capable of meeting smaller volume demands.

Introducing the G-Stor™ Pro Bundle: A leap forward in hydrogen storage

Luxfer’s latest innovation is the G-Stor™ Pro Bundle, a new solution for hydrogen storage. The system, which became market-ready in less than a year, comprises Luxfer's trusted Type 3 G-Stor™ Pro H2 cylinders. These cylinders are stacked horizontally and deliver a larger volume of gas within a similar footprint to other options.Features of the G-Stor™ Pro Bundle include:- A nine-cylinder bundle, designed to provide a steady and high volume of hydrogen- A lightweight, durable frame that seamlessly integrates onto trucks and trailers- Five cylinder sizes, ranging from 150 to 322 litres- Five variations of hydrogen storage capacity, from 32.1kgs to 84.3kgsDesigned for where a volume of gas is required to be fed at a regular flow rate and pressure, without an interruption, the system offers practical applications for industrial use such as refineries, small scale H2 refuelling stations, manufacturing sites, portable power generators, and more.It benefits from overpressure valves, which guarantee safe operation throughout its life cycle, and demonstrate Luxfer’s ongoing commitment to safety at the forefront of innovation.

Deploying multiple cylinder packages (MCPS) into our own operation

Innovation has always been part of Luxfer's DNA. And with a motivation to interrogate how we can improve processes and limit the environmental impact of our own operation, an opportunity arose to deploy the G-Stor™ Pro Bundle at our Nottingham UK headquarters.During the manufacture of Luxfer’s Type I and Type II cylinders, a large hydraulic ram uses nitrogen to shape a solid aluminum billet into the hollow shell of a cylinder.Within our expanding alternative fuel facility, we also have a large liquid nitrogen tank, which pressure tests our fuel systems.  As a result of a recent trial, we have readied two G-Stor™ Pro Bundles that will feed our manufacturing press, replacing the rental model currently used.

Benefits of Luxfer implementing the G-Stor™ Pro Bundle

Benefits of implementing the G-Stor™ Pro Bundle include:- Reduction in nitrogen costs through the use of gaseous nitrogen instead of liquid nitrogen- Increased pressure containment by 150 bar, resulting a change from using four multiple-cylinder packages to feed the press, to only two- Better use of space through the horizontal stacking of cylinders

Luxfer’s legacy in gas containment and the future of hydrogen storage

With an 80-year history in gas containment and an impeccable safety record, Luxfer Gas Cylinders stands at the forefront of hydrogen storage, with alternative fuel representing the fastest-growing division across the Luxfer Group.Luxfer strives to help companies progress towards their sustainability goals during uncertain times by offering advanced technological solutions. It is hoped that economic decisions in the next few months will bolster confidence in hydrogen as a fuel of choice, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and setting a clear path to a low-carbon economy by 2050.To keep updated on the projects Luxfer Gas Cylinders is working on with international partners in this rapidly evolving sector, view our latest news: https://www.luxfercylinders.com/news/