MC Formula is an SAE J2601 standard fueling protocol, available in the 2020 edition of SAE J2601. MC Formula calculates a dynamic pressure ramp rate using adaptive feedforward control based on the measurement of pressure and temperature at the dispenser in order to minimize the fueling time. The end of fill pressure target is also continuously and dynamically calculated throughout the fill.

MC Formula delivers the fastest fueling possible for the conditions under which the fueling occurs by automatically adjusting to changes in the fuel delivery temperature. If the fuel delivery temperature is getting colder, the fueling time will be reduced, and if the fuel delivery temperature is getting warmer, the fueling time will be increased, all according to a precise formula. These gradual adjustments not only minimize the fueling time, but also allow the station to continuously adapt to changes in fuel delivery temperature. Other fueling protocols use fuel delivery temperature categories, which can cause step changes in the stations fueling performance. Additionally, MC Formula allows the station to cool the hydrogen only as much as is needed to achieve a target fueling time, meaning as ambient temperatures decrease, the cooling system can be set at a warmer temperature. This is more efficient and can decrease the cost of energy needed for pre-cooling.

The benefit of using MC Formula to the FCV customer is less time spent fueling. The benefit to the station manufacturer is enhanced design flexibility, along with potentially lower capital and energy costs, and higher energy efficiency. And the benefit for the station owner/operator is higher customer satisfaction.

The MCFVC was developed by Honda and programmed by Wenger Engineering. MCFVC is programmed in MATLAB, but is compiled as a windows program file. It is installed just like any other windows application file, but during the installation process, it installs MATLAB Runtime which runs in the background. Once installed on your PC, you can load hydrogen station fueling data into the MCFVC tool for analysis.

The MCFVC can be used to validate that a hydrogen station is applying the MC Formula fueling protocol, as defined in 2016 version of SAE J2601, correctly. It can be utilized as a data analysis tool to determine compliance with the MC Formula fault test, protocol function test, and fueling evaluation test requirements as defined in Chapter 10 of CSA HGV 4.3.  Finally, it can also be used to assist with the initial programming of MC Formula into a dispenser PLC, as all of the equations are listed and can be copied from the tool, and all the correctly calculated parameters of the MC Formula protocol can be exported to a file, the values of which can then be compared to the station calculated values.