Radium Engineering 20-0606 - Radium Engineering R10A Fuel Cell - 6 Gallon

Radium Engineering 20-0606 - Radium Engineering R10A Fuel Cell - 6 Gallon.

Radium Engineering offers top of the line fuel delivery solutions for the motorsports market, including fuel cells. Many consider fuel cells as a simple metal container, when in fact a proper motorsports fuel cell is more complex. A basic aluminum, stainless, or mild steel container is more susceptible to fracturing in the event of a collision. This would create leak(s) and could lead to a dangerous fire situation. Even a minor fender bender or the flexing of the chassis during hard driving could create enough force to distort and crack the metal container. Fuel weighs nearly 7 lbs per gallon. With a 15 gallon fuel cell that is 100 lbs of fuel sloshing, flexing the walls, and applying strain to the welds. When that much weight is subject to g-loading, the resulting forces are very large and can damage a poorly designed metal container. Furthermore, the thermal expansion created by elevated fuel, exhaust, and ambient temperatures put excessive stress on the can. Lastly, chemical compatibility, weld quality, and corrosion are concerns when using a metal container for fuel storage. In short, Radium Engineering does not recommend these types of fuel containers on performance vehicles.

Radium Engineering fuel cell enclosures are made from lightweight aluminum, but other brands may use steel or other materials. The enclosure is the first part of the fuel cell to absorb damage and help prevent a catastrophe. This layer is similar to the construction of a helmet. The outer enclosure aids in safety but is not the most critical part. FIA and SFI specifications do not cover the outer can material alloy or thickness, only the internal bladder. Other governing bodies require a certain outer can thickness. For instance, SCCA requires a fully enveloped enclosure comprised of 0.036? steel or 0.059? aluminum.

The fuel cell bladder contains the fuel and protects from spills. The bladder must be resilient against impacts, punctures, and tears. The material also needs to be flexible enough to prevent cracking or fuel leakage in the case of impact and thermal expansion. These requirements have led to the development of different high-tech bladder materials used in the industry. Radium Engineering chose to only focus on molded polymer bladders as they have the best chemical compatibility and still meet all the structural testing requirements put forth by SFI and FiA.

The foam baffling is essentially a large open-cell sponge inside the fuel cell and serves several purposes. If catastrophic failure were to happen, this porous foam helps absorb the fuel and prevent an explosion. It also suppresses explosion potential by preventing fuel vapor buildup inside the cell. As an added benefit, it helps prevent fuel slosh which can cause fuel starvation. Fuel cell foam is a wear part and should be inspected periodically to ensure integrity. Loss of elasticity or degradation of any kind are signs the foam should be replaced.

INCLUDED

• -Seamless Polymer Bladder
• -Explosion Suppressing Anti-Slosh Foam
• -Powder Coated Aluminum Enclosure
• -Anodized Aluminum Nut Ring
• -Removable Inspection Plate
• -Viton 6x10 24-bolt Gaskets, x2
• -Stainless Steel Hardware
• -Certification of Conformance

IMPORTANT-Read Before Purchasing

• 1. All fuel cell sales are final and cannot be returned or exchanged.
• 2. If ordering a fuel cell with an FCST, the products will be shipped assembled.