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Microcell delivers first 1 kW automotive core
fUelCELLS An International Newsletter
BULLETIN
www.fuelcellsbulletin.com
ISSN 1464-2859 February 2007
Raymond wins funding for forklifts, Nuvera to refuel
T
he Raymond Corporation in upstate New York, a leading forklift manufacturer, has been awarded a $750 000 contract by the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) to research hydrogen fuel cell applications in electric forklifts. Furthermore, Nuvera Fuel Cells will supply a PowerTap PTH-12 hydrogen refueling system to Raymond’s manufacturing facility, to refuel various fuel cell forklifts in an indoor setting. Beginning in 2007, Raymond’s manufacturing facility in Greene, NY will become a ‘living lab’, operating hydrogen fuel cell powered Raymond forklifts. The company will also develop the necessary infrastructure for indoor fast-fill hydrogen refueling systems. The program will study the performance of hydrogen in electric forklifts, and demonstrate the safety of a hydrogen-fueled forklift environment. Expected outcomes include a working indoor refueling system that meets all required codes and standards, and documented best practices for the design and application of indoor refueling systems. ‘By using our own facility as a test lab, we can streamline the development process and learn firsthand the requirements for using fuel cell pow-
ered forklifts in a manufacturing environment,’ says Michael Field, vice president for R&D. He adds that both manufacturing and R&D personnel will work on the program. Nuvera’s PowerTap PTH-12 is a three-bank cascade storage, compression and dispensing system, able to provide useable hydrogen either from a third-party gas distributor or from the Nuvera PowerTap hydrogen generation system. The compressor is a hydraulic intensifier that feeds the system at a peak operating pressure of 455 bar (6500 psig). The system provides a consistent fill pressure, up to 350 bar (5000 psi), with an average fill time for a forklift under 5 min. Raymond has been working with several fuel cell manufacturers, although no specific developers have been identified with respect to the NYSERDA program. Canadian company Cellex Power is field-testing fuel cell powered forklifts at two Wal-Mart distribution centers in Ohio [FCB, November 2006]. These vehicles employ Ballard Mark 9 SSL stacks, which are also being used in power modules for forklifts offered by another Canadian company, General Hydrogen, and being trialed in forklifts from the likes of Nissan [FCB, November 2006]. And Toronto-based Hydrogenics is supplying units to Still in Germany for use in its forklifts [FCB, September 2006].
Microcell delivers first 1 kW automotive core
U
S-based Microcell has delivered the first 1 kW fuel cell core for automotive applications based on its novel microfiber architecture. The ‘core’ is a cluster of easily removable, tube-like PEM fuel cell units with integrated current collection and heat-exchange. ‘This first-generation automotive fuel cell core packs an unprecedented cathode surface area of approximately 3300 cm2 in a volume of 1 liter,’ says president/CEO Ray Eshraghi. ‘This translates into highly compact fuel cells for automotive applications.’ The design and construction of larger 50–100 kW units will be
based on the modularity of these cores. At the center of the company’s technology is the ‘microcell’ design concept. This is differentiated from other technologies by its plugand-play core technology, and by the extrusion-based scalable process for cost-effective large-scale production. It incorporates all the critical components of a planar PEM fuel cell in a single fiber (the ‘microcell’). The microcell is about 500–1000 µm in diameter, and produced via an automated extrusion process. Contact: Microcell Corporation, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Tel: +1 919 858 8500, www.microcellcorp.com
Contents NEWS PwC sees public fuel cell firms hit higher revenues in 2005, still no profits Battelle debuts multi-purpose fuel cell power BASF acquires PEMEAS Samsung shows smallest fuel cell yet for mobile charger, laptop station Neah testing 16-cell stack architecture EPS Electro7 receives CE certification Medis signs distribution agreement, receives UL certification InnovaTek, Chevron to develop bio-diesel processing technology Proton Power wins first order from L-3 Hoku trims fuel cell unit, as it refocuses on solar CFCL links with French firms, plans German site Fuel cells back up New York communications Wärtsilä-led consortium wins marine SOFC funds SFC/DuPont portable fuel cells pass DOD review Arizona chemists use inorganic liquids as fuel cell electrolytes Casio unveils electro-osmotic pump for RMFC Millennium, Protonex demo fuel cartridge, deliver more P2 systems H2 Logic fuel cell system for TH!NK cars Brewery exercises option to buy FCE power plants EC funds transatlantic collaboration between Plug Power, Vaillant Ceres meets key targets NIST, Bilkent team see ethylene for H2 storage IdaTech in reseller deal with C&D Technologies Voller APU closer to commercialization HydroGen test facility commissioned AFC Energy hits 1500 h electrode performance Pure Energy signs MOU with Indian institute Experimental wind-to-hydrogen system at NREL Ardica to establish branch in Mississippi Canadian conference aiming for international partnerships NEWS FEATURE Coated GDLs suit different anode/cathode requirements in DMFCs FEATURE Catalyzed microelectrode mediated by polypyrrole/Nafion® composite film for microfabricated fuel cell applications REGULARS In Brief Research Trends Patents Events Calendar
2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10
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12–15 3, 5, 7, 9 16–17 17–19 20
ISSN 1464-2859/07 © 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.
BULLETIN
www.fuelcellsbulletin.com
ISSN 1464-2859 February 2007
Raymond wins funding for forklifts, Nuvera to refuel
T
he Raymond Corporation in upstate New York, a leading forklift manufacturer, has been awarded a $750 000 contract by the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) to research hydrogen fuel cell applications in electric forklifts. Furthermore, Nuvera Fuel Cells will supply a PowerTap PTH-12 hydrogen refueling system to Raymond’s manufacturing facility, to refuel various fuel cell forklifts in an indoor setting. Beginning in 2007, Raymond’s manufacturing facility in Greene, NY will become a ‘living lab’, operating hydrogen fuel cell powered Raymond forklifts. The company will also develop the necessary infrastructure for indoor fast-fill hydrogen refueling systems. The program will study the performance of hydrogen in electric forklifts, and demonstrate the safety of a hydrogen-fueled forklift environment. Expected outcomes include a working indoor refueling system that meets all required codes and standards, and documented best practices for the design and application of indoor refueling systems. ‘By using our own facility as a test lab, we can streamline the development process and learn firsthand the requirements for using fuel cell pow-
ered forklifts in a manufacturing environment,’ says Michael Field, vice president for R&D. He adds that both manufacturing and R&D personnel will work on the program. Nuvera’s PowerTap PTH-12 is a three-bank cascade storage, compression and dispensing system, able to provide useable hydrogen either from a third-party gas distributor or from the Nuvera PowerTap hydrogen generation system. The compressor is a hydraulic intensifier that feeds the system at a peak operating pressure of 455 bar (6500 psig). The system provides a consistent fill pressure, up to 350 bar (5000 psi), with an average fill time for a forklift under 5 min. Raymond has been working with several fuel cell manufacturers, although no specific developers have been identified with respect to the NYSERDA program. Canadian company Cellex Power is field-testing fuel cell powered forklifts at two Wal-Mart distribution centers in Ohio [FCB, November 2006]. These vehicles employ Ballard Mark 9 SSL stacks, which are also being used in power modules for forklifts offered by another Canadian company, General Hydrogen, and being trialed in forklifts from the likes of Nissan [FCB, November 2006]. And Toronto-based Hydrogenics is supplying units to Still in Germany for use in its forklifts [FCB, September 2006].
Microcell delivers first 1 kW automotive core
U
S-based Microcell has delivered the first 1 kW fuel cell core for automotive applications based on its novel microfiber architecture. The ‘core’ is a cluster of easily removable, tube-like PEM fuel cell units with integrated current collection and heat-exchange. ‘This first-generation automotive fuel cell core packs an unprecedented cathode surface area of approximately 3300 cm2 in a volume of 1 liter,’ says president/CEO Ray Eshraghi. ‘This translates into highly compact fuel cells for automotive applications.’ The design and construction of larger 50–100 kW units will be
based on the modularity of these cores. At the center of the company’s technology is the ‘microcell’ design concept. This is differentiated from other technologies by its plugand-play core technology, and by the extrusion-based scalable process for cost-effective large-scale production. It incorporates all the critical components of a planar PEM fuel cell in a single fiber (the ‘microcell’). The microcell is about 500–1000 µm in diameter, and produced via an automated extrusion process. Contact: Microcell Corporation, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. Tel: +1 919 858 8500, www.microcellcorp.com
Contents NEWS PwC sees public fuel cell firms hit higher revenues in 2005, still no profits Battelle debuts multi-purpose fuel cell power BASF acquires PEMEAS Samsung shows smallest fuel cell yet for mobile charger, laptop station Neah testing 16-cell stack architecture EPS Electro7 receives CE certification Medis signs distribution agreement, receives UL certification InnovaTek, Chevron to develop bio-diesel processing technology Proton Power wins first order from L-3 Hoku trims fuel cell unit, as it refocuses on solar CFCL links with French firms, plans German site Fuel cells back up New York communications Wärtsilä-led consortium wins marine SOFC funds SFC/DuPont portable fuel cells pass DOD review Arizona chemists use inorganic liquids as fuel cell electrolytes Casio unveils electro-osmotic pump for RMFC Millennium, Protonex demo fuel cartridge, deliver more P2 systems H2 Logic fuel cell system for TH!NK cars Brewery exercises option to buy FCE power plants EC funds transatlantic collaboration between Plug Power, Vaillant Ceres meets key targets NIST, Bilkent team see ethylene for H2 storage IdaTech in reseller deal with C&D Technologies Voller APU closer to commercialization HydroGen test facility commissioned AFC Energy hits 1500 h electrode performance Pure Energy signs MOU with Indian institute Experimental wind-to-hydrogen system at NREL Ardica to establish branch in Mississippi Canadian conference aiming for international partnerships NEWS FEATURE Coated GDLs suit different anode/cathode requirements in DMFCs FEATURE Catalyzed microelectrode mediated by polypyrrole/Nafion® composite film for microfabricated fuel cell applications REGULARS In Brief Research Trends Patents Events Calendar
2 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10
11
12–15 3, 5, 7, 9 16–17 17–19 20
ISSN 1464-2859/07 © 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.