Colorado company produces tanks that are one-third the weight of standard tanks
Loveland, Colorado (July 12, 2010) - Lightning Hybrids Inc. (LHI) today introduced their lightweight high pressure composite bladder accumulators for hydraulic and other energy storage applications.
LHI's composite tanks are one-third the weight of standard steel accumulators and offer significant energy savings due to weight reduction, increased safety due to a higher than standard burst pressure factor, and cost savings because they are easier and less expensive to ship and install since weight and mounting hardware is minimized
The patent-pending tanks were engineered by Lightning Hybrids specifically for use in the company's HyPER Assist™ hydraulic hybrid vehicle application. Though it quickly became evident that there are other uses for these lightweight energy storage tanks such as emergency vehicles, forestry, agricultural and mining mobile equipment, among others.
"Our lightweight accumulators enhance the performance and efficiency of a variety of hydraulic systems," stated Dan Johnson, LHI's CEO, "in addition, they add a higher dimension of safety and reliability over standard steel accumulators."
Structural Composites Industries, a subsidiary of Worthington Industries, manufactures the accumulators for Lightning Hybrids. SCI is a world-recognized leader in high pressure tank manufacturing with an impeccablesafety record and has managed the certifications required for these high-pressure tanks.
Lightning Hybrids' accumulators are 6,000 PSI bladder accumulators and range in size from 10 to 30 gallons. They are a Type 3 tank and consist of an aluminum lining and a spun carbon fiber wrapped shell, encompassing a nitrogen gas compression bladder. LHI's carbon fiber wrapped vessels are considerably lighter than their steel counterparts. For example, a 15 gallon accumulator weighs 115 pounds compared to 465 pounds for a steel accumulator. LHI's accumulators are made and assembled in the U.S.A. Orders are currently being taken with delivery 60 days from receipt of order.
About Lightning Hybrids Inc.
Lightning Hybrids is an innovative automotive research and manufacturing company based in Loveland, Colorado. We focus on hydraulic solutions for vehicles - ranging from the fuel efficient HyPER Assist™ retrofit system to lightweight composite accumulators and hydraulic-hybrid sports sedans. The HyPER Assist™ (Hydraulic Propulsion & Energy Recovery) is a hydraulic hybrid system for fleet vehicles that delivers more than 40 percent improvement in fuel economy by regenerating braking energy and decreases greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent. Our high pressure composite bladder accumulators for hydraulic and other energy storage applications are safer and weight only one-third the amount of standard steel accumulators.
For more information about Lightning Hybrids, please visit www.lightninghybrids.com
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Hybrid hydraulic systems first appeared in the 1960s, actually dating back further than hybrid gas-electric systems. At the time, because hydraulic accumulators were made of steel they were too heavy for practical use. Additionally, these early hydraulic systems were much more difficult to control due to the changing viscosity of the hydraulic fluid depending on the temperature.
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