720101Home refuelling unit for CNG cars and vansClosedGRD Development of PrototypeInnovate UKThe use of CNG (compressed natural gas) as a road fuel is a well established technology and there are now over 12 million vehicles worldwide using CNG as a road fuel. The use of CNG results in lower vehicle emissions, less CO2 impact, reduced fuel costs and is seen as a way of diversifying away from oil. Biomethane, a ‘non fossil’ source of methane can also be used as the source for the CNG. As with all alternative fuels, the growth of the CNG market can be constrained by the rate at which the refuelling infrastructure is created leading to potential users of CNG becoming frustrated. To help overcome this, gasfill Limited’s vision is to develop and bring to market a low cost, easy to install, low maintenance slow fill CNG refuelling unit that can be used anywhere in the world. The target market is seen as the domestic market. gasfill have developed an innovative 3 stage oil less compressor that allows natural gas to be compressed from the domestic supply line pressure of 21mbar up to the on vehicle storage pressure of 200bar using a normal single phase electrical supply. This compressor has been patented in the UK and patent applications in the USA and Europe are .well advanced. The compressor has been used in a proof of concept technology demonstrator CNG refuelling unit to obtain lifetime performance data and to obtain feedback from potential users. Based on this feedback a cost and performance specification for a refuelling unit suitable for the domestic market has been developed. The aim of this project is to develop a ‘near market’ prototype which meets the specification and which will be used to facilitate exhaustive testing, manufacturability and robustness assessment required of a pre production unit prior to market launch. It is anticipated that the project will result in a slow fill home refuelling unit for CNG vehicles that will have the potential for high volume sales worldwide.