Cryoshelter’s second-gen LNG tank moves to HD truck market

Cryoshelter GmbH, an Austrian-based LNG technology company, is introducing its second-generation LNG (liquefied natural gas) tank for heavy duty trucks.

The Cryoshelter cryogenic thermal insulation system relies on two innovations built into the vacuum space in between the cryogenic inner tank and the surrounding outer vacuum shell.

1. The first is the Inner Tank Support (ITS), the structural connection between the inner tank and the outer shell. The Cryoshelter ITS dramatically lowers the heat losses while improving the load bearing capacity by its innovative design and location – the outer circumference at the ends of the tank giving Cryoshelter tanks their flat-end look. The efficiency of the ITS allows the use of the same modular parts so tanks can be built to specification for a wide range of different sizes – from 270 to 750 liters (70 to 200 gal).
2. The second technical innovation is the Cryoshelter Shield Technology, providing 10 times the specific reflective thermal insulation capacity as multi-layer-insulation technologies used in current state-of-the-art LNG tanks, the company said. The shield technology’s suspension system reduces the insulation gap, which in turn increases the fuel capacity up to 20%.

Cryoshelter places the manifold housing – fuel connector, safety valves, etc. – on the side of the tank instead of at the end to provide user-friendly operation and maintenance, the company added. Moving the valves and controls from the end of the tank adds up to 10% fuel capacity, the company noted.

According to the company, the Cryoshelter Second Generation tank includes:

• The largest fuel capacity within a given frame space – adding up to 30% more fuel on board – thus providing extended range beyond that of existing LNG tanks.
• Shield Technology, which increases hold time to more than double the 5-day statutory requirement for ‘hold time’ prior to venting. This provides worry-free operational flexibility in the daily and weekly scheduling of each LNG truck in the fleet and virtually eliminates venting for a broad range of applications.
• User-friendly controls.
• Flexibility in the placement of the manifold housing on the tank.  Customers can choose the position of the housing to perfectly fit into their truck’s configurations for optimized every day operation.