Hydrogen Pressure Sensor for Fuel-Cell Vehicles

Fuel-cell vehicles are among the automotive industry’s research efforts to reduce the dependence on petroleum. Monitoring the high pressure in the hydrogen storage tank(s) for a minimum of 10 year life expectancy is just one of the challenges in bringing these vehicles to volume production. With it’s recently introduced AST 2000H2 Hydrogen ASIC Pressure Sensor, American Sensor Technologies thinks this is one problem area that has been solved. The sensor is already certified for use by European and Asian automobile manufacturers as on-board hydrogen sensors for fuel cell vehicles. Anticipated volume production for these vehicles will begin in the 2014/2015 timeframe.

Exposure to hydrogen can result in hydrogen embrittlement in metals, especially high strength steel. To reduce the chance of embrittlement caused by long-term exposure to hydrogen, AST 2000H2 sensors are constructed from a version of high strength 316L stainless steel wetted parts that promote long life and resistance to media corrosion. In addition, the company’s proprietary Krystal Bond Technology that utilizes inorganic bond, free from glue line failure and outgassing reduces long-term drift to just 0.25% per year.

For more information about American Sensor Technologies’ AST 2000H2 Hydrogen ASIC Pressure Sensor, click here.