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A new hydrogen fueling protocol called MC Multi Map (MC-MM) was developed to reduce hydrogen station operating costs. With the MC-MM, the number of fueling control maps has increased from before and precise switching among them according to circumstances has achieved relaxation of precooling temperatures. Fueling control maps for hydrogen stations are created in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) protocol, but with the MC-MM, greater accuracy of mapping is necessary, so steps were taken to revise the boundary conditions prescribed by the SAE. The creation of fueling control maps for a hydrogen fueling protocol used to require outsourcing of map analysis. However, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory research institute in the US has made a hydrogen fueling simulation called H2FillS publicly available on the Web so that analysis of fueling control maps can now be performed by anyone.

In this study, in order to relax the pre-cooling regulations at hydrogen fueling stations, we develop a software algorithm to simulate an actual hydrogen fueling process to Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) tanks. The simulation model in the software consists of the same filling equipment found at an actual hydrogen fueling station. Additionally, the same supply conditions (pre-cooling temperature, pressure and mass flow rate) as at a hydrogen fueling station were set to the simulation model. Based on the supply conditions, the software simulates the temperature and pressure of hydrogen in each part of filling equipment. In order to verify the accuracy of the software, we compare the temperature and pressure simulated at each stage of the filling process with experimental data. We show that by using the software it is possible to accurately calculate the hydrogen temperature and pressure at each point during the fueling process.

A low fuel consumption tire with an affordable price that is applicable for small motorcycles marketed mainly for India and Southeast Asian countries was developed. Two contradicting requirements, which are reduction of the rolling resistance and retention of the wet grip performance, were satisfied by applying a method based on viscoelastic properties of the tread rubber. Regarding the composition of compound of the tread rubber, the amounts of carbon black and oil were reduced instead of using silica. In addition, a polymer having a high glass transition temperature was employed. Moreover, response to the roll motion, which is unique in motorcycles, was made satisfactory to the requirement by modifying the dynamic modulus E* of the tread rubber. With those measures, the rolling resistance was reduced by more than 15% to conventional tires while maintaining the basic performances such as tire grip and stability in maneuvering.

A new hydrogen fueling protocol named MC Formula Moto was developed for fuel cell motorcycles (FCM) with a smaller hydrogen storage capacity than those of light duty FC vehicles (FCV) currently covered in the SAE J2601 standard (over than 2kg storage). Building on the MC Formula based protocol from the 2016 SAE J2601 standard, numerous new techniques were developed and tested to accommodate the smaller storage capacity: an initial pressure estimation using the connection pulse, a fueling time counter which begins the main fueling time prior to the connection pulse, a pressure ramp rate fallback control, and other techniques. The MC Formula Moto fueling protocol has the potential to be implemented at current hydrogen stations intended for fueling of FCVs using protocols such as SAE J2601. This will allow FCMs to use the existing and rapidly growing hydrogen infrastructure, precluding the need for exclusive dispensers or stations.