Kolon Spaceworks Sets its Sights on the Global Mobility Parts and Materials Market

▷ Acquired R134 certification from the European Commission for hydrogen tanks for self-developed mobility

▷ Internalized entire value chain from intermediate material development to molding 

Kolon Spaceworks, equipped with advanced materials technology for space and defense, is expanding its business into the field of mobility parts and materials to enhance its competitiveness and capture the global market. 

On July 7, Kolon Spaceworks announced that its self-developed 54-liter hydrogen fuel tank (hereinafter, hydrogen tank) has obtained R134 certification from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE). The R134 certification is a sales qualification for high-pressure vessel products established by the ECE, and with the completion of this certification, Kolon Spaceworks has effectively entered the market for hydrogen tanks used in various hydrogen mobility systems such as hydrogen electric vehicles. R134 certification is granted to hydrogen storage systems that pass rigorous evaluations to verify their safety, including the tank's airtightness in the event of a collision, explosion protection, and thermal stability.

To celebrate this milestone, the company held an R134 certification ceremony at the headquarters of Authorized Testing Inc. (ATI) in Los Angeles, California on the 6th (local time). ATI is a global testing organization. The certification ceremony was attended by Ahn Sang-hyun, CEO of Kolon Spaceworks, as well as representatives from TÜV SÜD, a leading German certification organization, and ATI, which conducted the main tests for this certification.

In particular, the hydrogen tank developed by Kolon Spaceworks has demonstrated high technical capabilities as it has internalized the entire value chain of the manufacturing process from intermediate material development to molding. The 'plastic liner', the container that supports the inside of the existing hydrogen tank, which was made mostly in Japan, has now been replaced with a material developed by Kolon ENP, a subsidiary of Kolon Group. The composite intermediate material, which is responsible for the rigidity of the hydrogen tank, is also made of Towpreg, which was developed by Kolon Spaceworks. Towpreg is a material made by infiltrating epoxy resin into carbon fiber with outstanding strength.

The molding process uses a ‘dry winding' process, which is easy to mass produce owing to its high levels of quality uniformity and productivity. Dry winding refers to the process of winding the plastic liner, the inner container of the hydrogen tank, with Towpreg at high speed, and is recognized as a superior method in terms of productivity and work efficiency compared to the existing ‘wet winding’ method.

With this certification, Kolon Spaceworks plans to expand its business into the space and defense sectors as well as the mobility sector. Previously, Kolon Spaceworks successfully supplied pressurized tanks for launch vehicles of Innospace, a private space launch company. The company plans to apply this know-how to the mobility field to accelerate the expansion of its business portfolio.

“This certification is the result of global recognition of the technology and product reliability of our mobility hydrogen storage solutions,” said Ahn Sang-hyun, CEO of Kolon Spaceworks. ”Leveraging this, we will expand our business portfolio in the overall mobility hydrogen storage sector.”

Kolon Spaceworks was launched in July by Kolon Group, which has long experience and unrivaled technology in the field of composite materials. In line with its mission to provide solutions (works) for products applied in various spaces, the company provides integrated technology solutions from product design to manufacturing using advanced materials in a wide range of fields including aviation, mobility, defense and space.

[Notes]

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE) R134 Certification

This is a technical standard for high-pressure hydrogen tanks for vehicles destined for Europe, established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, an economic cooperation organization of 56 member states in Europe. In addition to hydrogen tanks, the UN ECE also requires the automotive industry to meet other technical standards such as security and connectivity. 

TÜV SÜD

TÜV SÜD is a global technical services company headquartered in Germany that provides testing, certification, auditing and training services to ensure safety, quality and sustainability in a wide range of industries. TÜV SÜD was founded in 1866 and is a globally trusted provider of testing, certification, auditing and training services, and is trusted worldwide to help organizations comply with technical standards and manage risk.

Authorized Testing Inc. (ATI)

ATI is a global certification and testing organization headquartered in the United States that provides services to verify quality, safety, and reliability. It specializes in the certification of high-performance technology products such as composite materials and hydrogen fuel tanks, and provides verification to international standards based on state-of-the-art testing facilities and rigorous processes.