GVP tanks pass extreme fire tests, confirm market readiness

Type 3 tank prior to testing. Source (All Images) | Gas Vessel Production (GVP)

Gas Vessel Production (GVP, Buttrio, UD, Italy), a European-based engineering and production company focused on the manufacture and commercialization of the world’s largest high-pressure composite tanks for clean gas transport, has successfully completed a series of full-scale fire tests, demonstrating the high fire resistance and structural integrity of its technology under the most extreme conditions.

GVP’s high-capacity, lightweight Type 3 composite tanks are designed for scalable transport and storage of hydrogen, CNG, CO₂ and other industrial gases. Testing was conducted in compliance with ADR Regulations (Section 6.9.2.7.1.5), one of the most stringent fire test standards for pressure vessels worldwide.

The full-size prototype underwent initial exposure to an oil pool fire, followed by subsequent direct flame contact from multiple LPG burners evenly distributed around the tank. Testing conditions included:

External surface temperatures exceeding 800°C, reaching up to 1000°C
Heat flux greater than 75 kilowatts/square meter
Sustained fire exposure for more than 30 minutes.

According to GVP, the prototype tank’s internal temperature rose by only 1-2°C. In addition, no leaks, venting or structural failure occurred during or after testing. These results further confirmed the robustness and thermal resilience of GVP’s composite tank design, ensuring safe containment even in the most severe fire exposure scenarios.

The fire test concludes the final stage of GVP’s prototype certification program, which already includes extreme pressure performance, resistance to vacuum conditions, high-cycle fatigue durability, optimal blunt impact resistance and high fire safety.

“This milestone confirms the safety and market readiness of our tanks,” says Giovanni Fratti, CTO of GVP. “We’re proud to contribute to the next generation of clean gas logistics.”