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Sika Advanced Resins (Baar, Switzerland) is unveiling Ullit’s (Diors, France) composite tank for trucks that run on compressed natural gas (CNG). The tank, designed with a tailor-made epoxy system designed by Sika Advanced Resins, is said to help reduce pollution in urban traffic.

The tank, which contains up to 320 L of CNG, is the same size as a conventional diesel fuel tank. According to Ullit, the resin that Sika developed for the tank is adaptable to a variety of design constraints including pressures up to 700 bar. The resin also has been designed to withstand the cyclic pressurization loads on the filament-wound tanks. In combination with carbon fiber, the resin is said to provide mechanical resistance for different tank shapes. The combination, Sika says, reduces the weight of the tank by a factor of four.

The tank is also intended to support the environment by reducing pollution. A recent study reportedly shows that the use of vehicles running on natural gas rather than diesel or gasoline helps considerably to reduce pollution. For CNG engines, the study indicates a 75-90% decrease in fine particles and nitrogen oxides. CO₂ emissions are 7-16% lower, which reduces the noise of an engine by 50%.