Polymers in automotive fuel containment

Rapra Technology has published the programme for the Second International Conference on Polymers in Automotive Fuel Containment.

Rapra Technology has published the programme for the Second International Conference on Polymers in Automotive Fuel Containment, to be held at the Crowne Plaza Schweiserhof Hotel in Hanover, Germany on 6th and 7th December 2005.

Automotive fuel containment is a critical factor in vehicle safety.

Ralf Grunbaum from Volkswagen will kick off the conference with an outline of fuel system design and operating requirements.

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.

Intertek Caleb Brett will be discussing global variations in fuel and its predictions for the future.

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.

For example, in many vehicles the hot exhaust pipe runs close to the fuel tank and the fuel lines run exposed under the chassis.

Design issues also include processability and crashworthiness of materials.

The polymer industry has responded with innovations in fuel-contact materials and processing technology to match the high performance requirements in automotive systems.

Experts on automotive materials such as Solvay Advanced Materials, Dow Corning, Asahi Glass Fluoropolymers and DuPont Performance Elastomers will be presenting details of their latest developments.

Matrix Polymers is presenting the issues for rotational moulders with the advent of the tighter EU regulations.

Professor Mallick, from the USA, has researched blow moulded fuel tanks.

Polykemi of Sweden has developed single material fuel tanks and ITT industries will be talking about its latest fuel lines.

There are test methods and software available to assist in selecting suitable materials.

MERL have worked extensively on developing low emission components.

The BHR Group has new software to detect fuel system leakage.

Sijmon van der Waal will be discussing diffusion and chemical resistance in polymers.

The End of Life Vehicle Directive (ELV) has placed further expectations on car manufacturers.

Recycling of fuel-contaminated and multilayer materials is an issue, which the Fraunhofer Institute has recently addressed in its collaborative project on recycling multilayer fuel tanks.

Jorg Woidasky will be discussing this work at the conference.

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.

There are several papers on the future for fuel systems in cars including an overview of polymers in fuel cells from Professor Detlef Stolten and two papers from the USA on very high strength materials with potential for hydrogen storage applications.

This event aims to bring together experts to discuss the latest developments.

Polymers in Automotive Fuel Containment 2005 will provide a useful discussion forum for automotive engineers and manufacturers, fuel system component manufacturers, polymer R and D specialists and materials suppliers.

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