- Email: [email protected]
Gasket guidance document for fuel cells is released
ISSN 1350-4789
May 2007 www.worldpumps.com
Gasket guidance document for fuel cells is released Seal manufacturer The US Fuel Cell Council has published guide- published test methods as well as input from the receives Queen’s Award lines for testing seal materials for fuel cells. The Council notes that reliable gaskets are critical to the operation of fuel cell systems. “As fuel cell manufacturers continue to improve system reliability, the importance of durable seals becomes more pronounced,” said Robert Wichert, USFCC Technical Director. “Use of this document will facilitate standard language pertaining to sealing systems, definitions, materials, and test methods. It is intended to enable successful material selection by addressing key performance metrics.” The document, developed by the USFCC’s Gasket Focus Group and available free from its website, is intended to be a resource for anyone working with gasket design, specification, and qualification. The document covers the basics of gaskets definitions and chemistries where it defines terms such as compression set and stress relaxation, and outlines recommended testing practices for seal material qualification. The information and recommendations were assembled based on extensive review of
membership of the US Fuel Cell Council. The USFCC Gasket Focus Group was formed as a subset of the Materials and Components Working Group to identify key characteristics and performance metrics of seals for PEM fuel cell systems. Contact: US Fuel Cell Council, 1100 H Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, USA, Tel: +1 202 293 5500, Email: [email protected], Web: www.usfcc.com
Editor’s comment: This guide is concerned specifically with polymer electrolyte (PEM) fuel cells and hence concentrates on low temperature sealing materials. It reviews the common elastomers plus other materials such as adhesives and epoxy. It specifies many of the standard ASTM test methods for elastomer materials one would expect to see for seal materials. It also includes some of more specific interest to applications such as fuel cells, such as outgassing performance, which will be of concern to avoid contamination. It does not recommend any values or limits for test results.
Garlock UK gets a new MD Stuart Phythian has been appointed Managing Director of the UK operation of Garlock. The UK division of the company is based in Halifax and is part of the Garlock EMIA operations. It has direct responsibility for sales in UK, Middle East, South Africa, Egypt and Libya. Stuart was formerly General Manager for the Garlock Middle East Operation, based in Dubai, UAE. His in-depth knowledge of the company and market sectors will direct the growth strategy of the company throughout the region. “The past three years in the Middle East have been very productive for Garlock and we’re now firmly established as a key player in the market,” says Stuart. “Garlock’s range of engineered products including strong brand names will assist in providing specific sealing solutions to the vast number of major engineering projects in the oil & gas, petrochemical & research sectors across
the EMIA region. The increased training requirements of end users and governmental regulations on sealing are also addressed by our Pan-European service team, providing LDAR, joint integrity, audits and installation/selection training for many of our key customers.” He continues: “The groups operation continues to develop with year on year growth with offices in Dubai and Egypt, representatives in Saudi Arabia, Libya, Kuwait and the UAE, we expect more growth in this region. This promises to be an interesting time for us with on-going product innovation continuously addressed to make sure we meet or exceed customer requirements.” Contact: Garlock Ltd, Premier Way, Lowfields Business Park, Elland, West Yorkshire HX5 9HF, UK. Tel: +44 1422 313600, Fax: + 44 1422 313601, Email: [email protected], Web: www.garlock.eu.com
Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd, of Blackburn, UK has received a 2007 Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade. The company which started trading in 1974 now has 158 employees. The award is in recognition of the company work in the design and manufacture of high performance sealing solutions for the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, semiconductor and chemical processing industries. Overseas sales go to over 24 countries on four continents with main markets in the USA, Norway, France, Germany, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea with Japan and China becoming increasingly important. In 2006, threequarters of total sales went overseas and over the past three years export sales have increased by 98%. Contact: Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd, Greenbank Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 3EA, UK. Tel: +44 1254 295 403, Web: www.prepol.com
Contents News
1–6
Company News
5–6
In Brief
5
Meetings Update
6
Features: What have our features covered in the last 12 months? Optimizing total system cost by balancing unit cost against real cost
11–13
Patents
14–16
Events Calendar
ISSN 1350-4789/07 © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
7–10
15
May 2007 www.worldpumps.com
Gasket guidance document for fuel cells is released Seal manufacturer The US Fuel Cell Council has published guide- published test methods as well as input from the receives Queen’s Award lines for testing seal materials for fuel cells. The Council notes that reliable gaskets are critical to the operation of fuel cell systems. “As fuel cell manufacturers continue to improve system reliability, the importance of durable seals becomes more pronounced,” said Robert Wichert, USFCC Technical Director. “Use of this document will facilitate standard language pertaining to sealing systems, definitions, materials, and test methods. It is intended to enable successful material selection by addressing key performance metrics.” The document, developed by the USFCC’s Gasket Focus Group and available free from its website, is intended to be a resource for anyone working with gasket design, specification, and qualification. The document covers the basics of gaskets definitions and chemistries where it defines terms such as compression set and stress relaxation, and outlines recommended testing practices for seal material qualification. The information and recommendations were assembled based on extensive review of
membership of the US Fuel Cell Council. The USFCC Gasket Focus Group was formed as a subset of the Materials and Components Working Group to identify key characteristics and performance metrics of seals for PEM fuel cell systems. Contact: US Fuel Cell Council, 1100 H Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, USA, Tel: +1 202 293 5500, Email: [email protected], Web: www.usfcc.com
Editor’s comment: This guide is concerned specifically with polymer electrolyte (PEM) fuel cells and hence concentrates on low temperature sealing materials. It reviews the common elastomers plus other materials such as adhesives and epoxy. It specifies many of the standard ASTM test methods for elastomer materials one would expect to see for seal materials. It also includes some of more specific interest to applications such as fuel cells, such as outgassing performance, which will be of concern to avoid contamination. It does not recommend any values or limits for test results.
Garlock UK gets a new MD Stuart Phythian has been appointed Managing Director of the UK operation of Garlock. The UK division of the company is based in Halifax and is part of the Garlock EMIA operations. It has direct responsibility for sales in UK, Middle East, South Africa, Egypt and Libya. Stuart was formerly General Manager for the Garlock Middle East Operation, based in Dubai, UAE. His in-depth knowledge of the company and market sectors will direct the growth strategy of the company throughout the region. “The past three years in the Middle East have been very productive for Garlock and we’re now firmly established as a key player in the market,” says Stuart. “Garlock’s range of engineered products including strong brand names will assist in providing specific sealing solutions to the vast number of major engineering projects in the oil & gas, petrochemical & research sectors across
the EMIA region. The increased training requirements of end users and governmental regulations on sealing are also addressed by our Pan-European service team, providing LDAR, joint integrity, audits and installation/selection training for many of our key customers.” He continues: “The groups operation continues to develop with year on year growth with offices in Dubai and Egypt, representatives in Saudi Arabia, Libya, Kuwait and the UAE, we expect more growth in this region. This promises to be an interesting time for us with on-going product innovation continuously addressed to make sure we meet or exceed customer requirements.” Contact: Garlock Ltd, Premier Way, Lowfields Business Park, Elland, West Yorkshire HX5 9HF, UK. Tel: +44 1422 313600, Fax: + 44 1422 313601, Email: [email protected], Web: www.garlock.eu.com
Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd, of Blackburn, UK has received a 2007 Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade. The company which started trading in 1974 now has 158 employees. The award is in recognition of the company work in the design and manufacture of high performance sealing solutions for the pharmaceutical, oil and gas, semiconductor and chemical processing industries. Overseas sales go to over 24 countries on four continents with main markets in the USA, Norway, France, Germany, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea with Japan and China becoming increasingly important. In 2006, threequarters of total sales went overseas and over the past three years export sales have increased by 98%. Contact: Precision Polymer Engineering Ltd, Greenbank Road, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 3EA, UK. Tel: +44 1254 295 403, Web: www.prepol.com
Contents News
1–6
Company News
5–6
In Brief
5
Meetings Update
6
Features: What have our features covered in the last 12 months? Optimizing total system cost by balancing unit cost against real cost
11–13
Patents
14–16
Events Calendar
ISSN 1350-4789/07 © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This journal and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
7–10
15