Automotive fuel containment is a critical factor in vehicle safety. Changes in fuel formulation and regulations on emissions, together with the development of new types of fuel have brought immense challenges to automotive engineers and the industry supply chain. The polymer industry has responded with innovations in fuel-contact materials and processing technology to match the high performance requirements in automotive systems.

Materials have to be chemical-resistant to basic automotive fuels, but also to the additives and variations in formulation. The under-the-bonnet environment is very demanding. Design issues also include processability and crashworthiness of materials. There are test methods and software available to assist in selecting suitable materials.

The End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV) has placed further expectations on car manufacturers. Recycling of fuel-contaminated and multilayer materials is an issue.

There are many research programmes underway looking at alternative fuels from the new biodiesels and LPG to alcohols. Fuel cell technology is developing fast and places new demands on materials.

This event brought together experts to discuss the latest developments and provided a useful discussion forum for automotive engineers and manufacturers; fuel system component manufacturers; polymer R&D specialists and material suppliers.


SESSION 1. FUEL SYSTEM DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Paper 1: Fuel system design and operating requirements
Ralf Grnbaum, Volkswagen AG, Germany

Paper 2: Global automotive fuel formulation & quality
Dr. John Price and Dr. Ian Roberts, Intertek Caleb Brett, UK

SESSION 2. FUEL TANKS

Paper 3: Single material plastic fuel tanks
Henrik Eriksson, Polykemi AB, Sweden

Paper 4: Fuel containment - special challenges for the rotomoulding industry
Dr Nick Henwood, Matrix Polymers, UK

Paper 5: Tensile and creep behavior of a layered blow-molded fuel tank material
Prof P. Mallick and Y. Zhou, University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA

Paper 6: Successfully recycling multi-layer plastic fuel tanks
Jrg Woidasky, Fraunhofer-Institute for Chemical Technology, Germany

SESSION 3. MATERIAL ADVANCES

Paper 7: High performance materials and applications - developments for fuel systems
Jim Doty, Solvay Advanced Polymers, Germany

Paper 8: EVAL resins beyond the plastic fuel tanks
Didier Houssier & David Smits, EVAL Europe NV, Belgium

SESSION 4. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS IN FUEL SYSTEMS

Paper 9: Polymer materials for automotive fuel cells - functions and further requirements
Dr. Christop Wannek and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Stolten, Institute for Materials and Processes in Energy Systems, Germany

Paper 10: On-board vehicular hydrogen storage via hydrostatic pressure retainment
Gregory A. Banyay and Bhavin V. Mehta, Ohio University, USA

SESSION 5. FUEL LINES

Paper 11: LP3000D tubing
Gary Klinger, ITT Industries, USA

Paper 12: Recent advances in fluorosilicone rubbers for turbocharger hose liners
Dave Lawson, Rob Drake, Steve Robson & Steve James, Dow Corning, UK

Paper 13: Fluoroelastomers for fuel contact applications
Christian Daniels, DuPont Performance Elastomers, Switzerland

Paper 14: Modified ETFE & nylon12 to improve barrier performance in automotive fuel line systems
Phil Spencer, Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers UK Ltd

SESSION 6. TESTING OF FUEL SYSTEM COMPONENTS

Paper 15: Fuel system leakage software
Dr Emily Ho, BHR Group Ltd, UK

Paper 16: Fuel emission testing for low emission components
Dr Nickie Smith (ne Dale), MERL, UK

Paper 17: Diffusion and chemical resistance of reinforced polymers
ir. drs. Sijmon van der Wal, Diffusion-polymers.com