- Email: [email protected]
Astris unveils production-grade AFC stack
submarines use up their battery power after about two days' cruising under water. In addition, the fuel cell makes no noise and produces no telltale exhaust heat, helping to make the submarine virtually undetectable. The extremely favorable 'signatures', the fuel cell propulsion plant and the vessel's detection and weapon systems ensure that these new submarines w i l l be suited for successful employment in every conceivable area of operations. At the same time, the design allows for high availability and low maintenance cost. Development of the fuel cell propulsion system also furnished H D W with a number of follow-on building contracts. Orders are in hand for export versions of class 214 submarines, with three on order for both the Greek and Korean navies. The Italian navy is building two class 212A boats at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy. Contact: Howaldtswerke-DeutscheWerft AG, Postfach 6309, D-24124 Kiel, Germany.Tel:+49 431 700-0, Fax: +49 431 700 2312, www.hdw.de
More contracts signed for Hexis systems
High-tech spinoff develops bipolar plates
World's first fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid starts up
US-based technology incubator SolarEn International has set up a new company to develop innovative PEM fuel cell stacks and components, targeted at early applications of 3 We-3 kWe PEM fuel cell stacks. H 2 E C O n o m y is the first company to emerge from SolarEn's high-tech incubator. The first products to be announced will be fuel cell stacks, compression-molded bipolar plates, D C / D C converters and fuel cell test stations. The products are based on a proprietary lightweight polymer-graphite composite bipolar plate. Pilot-scale production of the plates began in January 2002, with high-volume production planned for 2003.
The world's first fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid power plant is now generating electricity. The project, led by Siemens Westinghouse and Southern California Edison, has passed a key site acceptance test, and the major endurance phase of its test program is under way. Linked together in a power plant the size of a small house trailer, the hybrid generator is being tested at the National Fuel Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine. The 190 kWe system combines a Siemens Westinghouse SOFC with a microturbine from Ingersoll Rand (formerly NREC). 'In the power industry, efficiency gains of even a few percentage points can make a major economic difference over the life of a generating system,' said Richard Rosenblum, senior VP for transmission & distribution at Southern California Edison, the system's owner and operator. The microturbine is driven by the hot pressurized exhaust from the fuel cells, which increases the efficiency; early test data show electrical efficiencies of approximately 53%.
Contact: H2 ECOnomy,220 S. KenwoodStreet,Suite 305, Glendale,CA 91205-1671,USA.Tel:+I 818 240 4500, Fax:+1 818 240 4501, www.h2economy.com
Astris unveils productiongrade AFC stack
Swiss-based Sulzer Hexis has recendy dosed distribution contracts with three more German utifities, for 114 of its 1 kWe residential SOFC systems. This brings the number of orders received for the pre-series production HXS 1000 Premiere fuel cell systems to 370, well on the way towards reaching the company's target of 400 units by the end of 2003. The latest contracts will see 56 systems delivered to E.ON Energie in Munich, 42 for Thyssengas in Duisburg, and 16 for VNG Verbundnetz Gas in Leipzig. Cooperation with these partners will continue through 2004 and beyond, with mass-production of the systems planned for 2004/5. As the distribution partner utilities are contractually both owners and operators of the Hexis fuel cell systems during the pre-series phase through 2003, the end-users carry no investment or operating risks. System installation, operation and maintenance is subcontracted to local installers. In 2001 Sulzer Hexis closed distribution contracts for a total of 255 systems with the German utilities EnBW Energie BadenWiirttemberg, Oldenburger EWE, and EWR Elektrizit~itswerk Rheinhessen AG Worms. There is also a cooperation project (for one system) with an Austrian consortium comprising Energie AG Ober6sterreich and Ober6sterreichischen Ferngas.
Ontario-based Astris Energi has announced a new alkaline fuel cell product suitable for powering small vehicles, stationary electric energy sources for industry and a range of other applications. The Powerstack T M MC250 system will be commercially available later this year, according to company president, Jiri K. Nor. The new power source - available in stacks rated up to 2.5 kWe each - is based on the company's proven Labcell T M monopolar product line, which it has been supplying for several years. The company added that the new fuel cell series should be of special interest to the group of system integrators in Europe and elsewhere who had planned to use alkaline cells of similar power being developed by Britishbased ZeTek Power, which went into receivership last October. Eight companies have since approached Astris, with contract negotiations near completion with one, and discussions under way with the remainder. Astris had previously announced it is developing its advanced Powerstack BC500, which will be more than twice as powerful as the MC250. That project will continue, but MC250 production will take precedence.
Massachusetts-based Triton Systems has spun-off its Extreme Environment Composites group. The new company, Ceracom, will manufacture ceramic and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), a class of ceramics combined with metal, polymers or fibers to create strong, lightweight and highly durable components used in extreme environments with high temperatures and harsh chemicals. The company has spun-off Ceracom as a wholly owned affiliate to promote technical and business development in ceramic composite technology, targeting the growing extreme environment materials markets. 'This move will result in commercial products such as modules for high-temperature fuel cells, as well as defense applications including rocket nozzles and turbine engine components,' explained TSI chairman, Ross Haghighat.
Contact: Sulzer HexisAG, Hegifeldstrasse 30, Postfach 65, CH-8404Winterthur,Switzerland.Tel:+41 52 262 6311, Fax:+41 52 262 6333, www.hexis.com
Contact: Astris Energi Inc, 2175-6 Dunwin Drive, Mississauga,Ontario L5L lX2, Canada.Tel: +1 905 608 2000, Fax:+I 905 608 8222, www.astrisfuelcell.com
Contact: Triton SystemsInc, 200 TurnpikeRoad, Chelmsford,MA 01824, USA.Tel:+1 978 250 4200, Fax:+1 978 250 4533, www.tritonsystems.com
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Contact: National FuelCell ResearchCenter, Universityof California-lrvine,EngineeringLaboratory Facility, lrvine, CA 92697-3550,USA.Tel:+1 949 824 1999, Fax:+1 949 824 7423, www.nfcrc.uci.edu
Triton spin-off to focus on ceramic composites
Fuel Cells Bulletin No. 44
More contracts signed for Hexis systems
High-tech spinoff develops bipolar plates
World's first fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid starts up
US-based technology incubator SolarEn International has set up a new company to develop innovative PEM fuel cell stacks and components, targeted at early applications of 3 We-3 kWe PEM fuel cell stacks. H 2 E C O n o m y is the first company to emerge from SolarEn's high-tech incubator. The first products to be announced will be fuel cell stacks, compression-molded bipolar plates, D C / D C converters and fuel cell test stations. The products are based on a proprietary lightweight polymer-graphite composite bipolar plate. Pilot-scale production of the plates began in January 2002, with high-volume production planned for 2003.
The world's first fuel cell/gas turbine hybrid power plant is now generating electricity. The project, led by Siemens Westinghouse and Southern California Edison, has passed a key site acceptance test, and the major endurance phase of its test program is under way. Linked together in a power plant the size of a small house trailer, the hybrid generator is being tested at the National Fuel Cell Research Center, University of California-Irvine. The 190 kWe system combines a Siemens Westinghouse SOFC with a microturbine from Ingersoll Rand (formerly NREC). 'In the power industry, efficiency gains of even a few percentage points can make a major economic difference over the life of a generating system,' said Richard Rosenblum, senior VP for transmission & distribution at Southern California Edison, the system's owner and operator. The microturbine is driven by the hot pressurized exhaust from the fuel cells, which increases the efficiency; early test data show electrical efficiencies of approximately 53%.
Contact: H2 ECOnomy,220 S. KenwoodStreet,Suite 305, Glendale,CA 91205-1671,USA.Tel:+I 818 240 4500, Fax:+1 818 240 4501, www.h2economy.com
Astris unveils productiongrade AFC stack
Swiss-based Sulzer Hexis has recendy dosed distribution contracts with three more German utifities, for 114 of its 1 kWe residential SOFC systems. This brings the number of orders received for the pre-series production HXS 1000 Premiere fuel cell systems to 370, well on the way towards reaching the company's target of 400 units by the end of 2003. The latest contracts will see 56 systems delivered to E.ON Energie in Munich, 42 for Thyssengas in Duisburg, and 16 for VNG Verbundnetz Gas in Leipzig. Cooperation with these partners will continue through 2004 and beyond, with mass-production of the systems planned for 2004/5. As the distribution partner utilities are contractually both owners and operators of the Hexis fuel cell systems during the pre-series phase through 2003, the end-users carry no investment or operating risks. System installation, operation and maintenance is subcontracted to local installers. In 2001 Sulzer Hexis closed distribution contracts for a total of 255 systems with the German utilities EnBW Energie BadenWiirttemberg, Oldenburger EWE, and EWR Elektrizit~itswerk Rheinhessen AG Worms. There is also a cooperation project (for one system) with an Austrian consortium comprising Energie AG Ober6sterreich and Ober6sterreichischen Ferngas.
Ontario-based Astris Energi has announced a new alkaline fuel cell product suitable for powering small vehicles, stationary electric energy sources for industry and a range of other applications. The Powerstack T M MC250 system will be commercially available later this year, according to company president, Jiri K. Nor. The new power source - available in stacks rated up to 2.5 kWe each - is based on the company's proven Labcell T M monopolar product line, which it has been supplying for several years. The company added that the new fuel cell series should be of special interest to the group of system integrators in Europe and elsewhere who had planned to use alkaline cells of similar power being developed by Britishbased ZeTek Power, which went into receivership last October. Eight companies have since approached Astris, with contract negotiations near completion with one, and discussions under way with the remainder. Astris had previously announced it is developing its advanced Powerstack BC500, which will be more than twice as powerful as the MC250. That project will continue, but MC250 production will take precedence.
Massachusetts-based Triton Systems has spun-off its Extreme Environment Composites group. The new company, Ceracom, will manufacture ceramic and ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), a class of ceramics combined with metal, polymers or fibers to create strong, lightweight and highly durable components used in extreme environments with high temperatures and harsh chemicals. The company has spun-off Ceracom as a wholly owned affiliate to promote technical and business development in ceramic composite technology, targeting the growing extreme environment materials markets. 'This move will result in commercial products such as modules for high-temperature fuel cells, as well as defense applications including rocket nozzles and turbine engine components,' explained TSI chairman, Ross Haghighat.
Contact: Sulzer HexisAG, Hegifeldstrasse 30, Postfach 65, CH-8404Winterthur,Switzerland.Tel:+41 52 262 6311, Fax:+41 52 262 6333, www.hexis.com
Contact: Astris Energi Inc, 2175-6 Dunwin Drive, Mississauga,Ontario L5L lX2, Canada.Tel: +1 905 608 2000, Fax:+I 905 608 8222, www.astrisfuelcell.com
Contact: Triton SystemsInc, 200 TurnpikeRoad, Chelmsford,MA 01824, USA.Tel:+1 978 250 4200, Fax:+1 978 250 4533, www.tritonsystems.com
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Contact: National FuelCell ResearchCenter, Universityof California-lrvine,EngineeringLaboratory Facility, lrvine, CA 92697-3550,USA.Tel:+1 949 824 1999, Fax:+1 949 824 7423, www.nfcrc.uci.edu
Triton spin-off to focus on ceramic composites
Fuel Cells Bulletin No. 44