- Email: [email protected]
QuestAir purifier at Tokyo hydrogen station
NEWS the end of October. An auxiliary heater provides additional heating power on demand. The goal of the pilot trials is to gain operating experience in a situation as near to ‘reality’ as possible. The pilot project will also expand Axpo’s knowledge of state-of-the-art fuel cell technology.
petroleum gas. The purified hydrogen will be used to fuel FCVs participating in the JHFC project. The Senju station, the result of a joint venture between Tokyo Gas and Nippon Sanso, has sufficient capacity to fuel a single fuel cell bus or five fuel cell cars per day.
Contact: Sulzer Hexis Ltd, Winterthur, Switzerland. Tel: +41 52 262 63 11, www.hexis.com
Contact: QuestAir Technologies Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 1134, www.questairinc.com
Or contact: Axpo Holding AG, Baden, Switzerland. Tel: +41 56 200 3777, www.axpo.ch
University of Bergen, Prototech collaboration In Norway, Prototech and the University of Bergen (UoB) have started an extensive collaborative project to develop and test materials, components and processes for high-temperature SOFCs. The three-year ‘MSOFC’ collaboration is intended to strengthen fundamental research in SOFC technology, and support product-oriented development at Prototech. There are three research elements to the project, which is financed by the Research Council of Norway. The stability and performance of fuel cell materials will be studied using molecular dynamics simulations, supported by experimental work. The second will focus on experimental testing of fuel cell components and entire cells in dedicated experimental facilities at both UoB and Prototech. The third will concentrate on modeling entire stacks, including gas flow to and from the stack and the thermal and chemical processes taking place in the stack. Contact: Prototech AS, Bergen, Norway. Tel +47 55 57 41 10, www.prototech.no Or contact: Professor Alex C. Hoffmann, Department of Physics, University of Bergen, Norway. Tel: +47 5558 2876, Email: [email protected], www.fi.uib.no/eindex.html
For more information on the JHFC, go to: jhfc.jp
Finmeccanica, EnerTAD for MCFC development Italian technology group Finmeccanica, via its Iritech corporate venture capital subsidiary, is to collaborate with Milan-based renewable energy company EnerTAD to develop molten carbonate fuel cell technology for electricity generation. EnerTAD and Gepafin will share an initial stake of 6.3% in Ansaldo Fuel Cells SpA, which is currently 100% owned by Iritech. EnerTAD subsequently plans to increase its share in Ansaldo Fuel Cells to 23% through further capital increases. It will pay 1.5m for its initial stake. The Ansaldo Fuel Cells program will focus on developing a number of pilot plants with a total power capacity of 10 MWe by 2006, at the same time finalizing industrial manufacturing processes. The basic product consists of a 500 kWe generator, using hydrogen from natural gas, biomass or other hydrocarbons, including a diesel-fired version for naval applications. This generator will also provide the basis for plants with a power of several MWe. Ansaldo Fuel Cells was set up in 2001 by Iritech, via a spin-off from Ansaldo Ricerche, which had been involved in fuel cell research since the 1980s. It is based in Genova, as are its laboratory and development center. The test unit production plant will be based in Terni. Contact: Ansaldo Fuel Cells, Genova, Italy. Tel: +39 010 655 8427, www.ansaldofuelcells.com
QuestAir purifier at Tokyo hydrogen station Canadian-based QuestAir Technologies has installed a HyQuestor® hydrogen purification system as part of the Senju Hydrogen Station in Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan. The station – operated by Tokyo Gas – is part of the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell (JHFC) Demonstration Project, and is the first hydrogen fueling station in metropolitan Tokyo. The HyQuestor system use QuestAir’s advanced pressure swing adsorption technology to purify hydrogen reformed from liquefied 8
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Or contact: EnerTAD SpA, Milan, Italy. Tel: +39 02 62631, www.enertad.it
Starck, Webasto develop automotive SOFC stacks In Germany, H.C. Starck GmbH and Webasto Thermosysteme GmbH will jointly develop high-temperature SOFC stacks for automotive auxiliary power units. The partners also plan to establish a basis for later series production. Global automotive supplier Webasto has been developing an APU system based on
high-temperature fuel cells for some years, while H.C. Starck and its majority-owned subsidiary InDEC [FCB, June] produce SOFC cells, components and materials. Under the agreement, Starck will provide SOFC cells optimized for the specific operating conditions in Webasto’s system. The partners will also work closely with the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies & Sintered Materials (IKTS) in Dresden. The IKTS will help the partnership to integrate the single SOFC cells into stacks, and qualify the stacks for automotive applications. Contact: H.C. Starck GmbH, Goslar, Germany. Tel: +49 5321 7510, www.hcstarck.com Or contact: Webasto AG, Stockdorf, Germany. Tel: +49 89 85794-0, www.webasto.com Or contact: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies & Sintered Materials, Dresden, Germany. Tel: +49 351 2553 519, www.ikts.fraunhofer.de
Tokyo Motor Show’s FCV highlights The recent 37th Tokyo Motor Show saw the debut of an array of fuel cell vehicles from Japanese automakers, with both Honda and Toyota exhibiting new fuel cell concept cars featuring new stacks developed in-house. Honda introduced the Kiwami fuel cell sedan. Unlike its existing, Ballard-powered Honda FCX, the Kiwami features a new high-performance stack developed in-house at Honda, offering startup at temperatures down to –20°C [see page 3]. Honda’s fuel cell system combines the new stack and DC motor with a next-generation hydrogen storage system. An H-shaped layout for the control unit, ultracapacitor, stack, hydrogen storage unit and other components creates a low center-of-gravity and lower vehicle height. Toyota Motor’s new Fine-N concept fuel cell hybrid vehicle is powered by the company’s own newly developed extra-thin fuel cell, the ‘FCHV Stack’, and Li-ion batteries. Toyota claims a range of 500 km, nearly twice that of existing models, through higher hydrogen tank pressure and greater fuel cell efficiency. The reduced stack dimensions also allow a more spacious interior. Nissan showcased its Effis fuel cell electric city commuter car, only 3 m long. This small size was achieved by installing a thin Li-ion cell, developed in-house, under the car floor, saving space and weight. Nissan also announced that it will launch its first production fuel cell car by March 2004. Based on the X-Trail SUV, the vehicle will be equipped with a hybrid system combining fuel cells and an electric motor, and will initially be available through leasing. Suzuki exhibited its first hydrogen FCVs: the 4 m-long, six-seater Mobile Terrace minivan and
December 2003
petroleum gas. The purified hydrogen will be used to fuel FCVs participating in the JHFC project. The Senju station, the result of a joint venture between Tokyo Gas and Nippon Sanso, has sufficient capacity to fuel a single fuel cell bus or five fuel cell cars per day.
Contact: Sulzer Hexis Ltd, Winterthur, Switzerland. Tel: +41 52 262 63 11, www.hexis.com
Contact: QuestAir Technologies Inc, Burnaby, BC, Canada. Tel: +1 604 454 1134, www.questairinc.com
Or contact: Axpo Holding AG, Baden, Switzerland. Tel: +41 56 200 3777, www.axpo.ch
University of Bergen, Prototech collaboration In Norway, Prototech and the University of Bergen (UoB) have started an extensive collaborative project to develop and test materials, components and processes for high-temperature SOFCs. The three-year ‘MSOFC’ collaboration is intended to strengthen fundamental research in SOFC technology, and support product-oriented development at Prototech. There are three research elements to the project, which is financed by the Research Council of Norway. The stability and performance of fuel cell materials will be studied using molecular dynamics simulations, supported by experimental work. The second will focus on experimental testing of fuel cell components and entire cells in dedicated experimental facilities at both UoB and Prototech. The third will concentrate on modeling entire stacks, including gas flow to and from the stack and the thermal and chemical processes taking place in the stack. Contact: Prototech AS, Bergen, Norway. Tel +47 55 57 41 10, www.prototech.no Or contact: Professor Alex C. Hoffmann, Department of Physics, University of Bergen, Norway. Tel: +47 5558 2876, Email: [email protected], www.fi.uib.no/eindex.html
For more information on the JHFC, go to: jhfc.jp
Finmeccanica, EnerTAD for MCFC development Italian technology group Finmeccanica, via its Iritech corporate venture capital subsidiary, is to collaborate with Milan-based renewable energy company EnerTAD to develop molten carbonate fuel cell technology for electricity generation. EnerTAD and Gepafin will share an initial stake of 6.3% in Ansaldo Fuel Cells SpA, which is currently 100% owned by Iritech. EnerTAD subsequently plans to increase its share in Ansaldo Fuel Cells to 23% through further capital increases. It will pay 1.5m for its initial stake. The Ansaldo Fuel Cells program will focus on developing a number of pilot plants with a total power capacity of 10 MWe by 2006, at the same time finalizing industrial manufacturing processes. The basic product consists of a 500 kWe generator, using hydrogen from natural gas, biomass or other hydrocarbons, including a diesel-fired version for naval applications. This generator will also provide the basis for plants with a power of several MWe. Ansaldo Fuel Cells was set up in 2001 by Iritech, via a spin-off from Ansaldo Ricerche, which had been involved in fuel cell research since the 1980s. It is based in Genova, as are its laboratory and development center. The test unit production plant will be based in Terni. Contact: Ansaldo Fuel Cells, Genova, Italy. Tel: +39 010 655 8427, www.ansaldofuelcells.com
QuestAir purifier at Tokyo hydrogen station Canadian-based QuestAir Technologies has installed a HyQuestor® hydrogen purification system as part of the Senju Hydrogen Station in Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan. The station – operated by Tokyo Gas – is part of the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell (JHFC) Demonstration Project, and is the first hydrogen fueling station in metropolitan Tokyo. The HyQuestor system use QuestAir’s advanced pressure swing adsorption technology to purify hydrogen reformed from liquefied 8
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Or contact: EnerTAD SpA, Milan, Italy. Tel: +39 02 62631, www.enertad.it
Starck, Webasto develop automotive SOFC stacks In Germany, H.C. Starck GmbH and Webasto Thermosysteme GmbH will jointly develop high-temperature SOFC stacks for automotive auxiliary power units. The partners also plan to establish a basis for later series production. Global automotive supplier Webasto has been developing an APU system based on
high-temperature fuel cells for some years, while H.C. Starck and its majority-owned subsidiary InDEC [FCB, June] produce SOFC cells, components and materials. Under the agreement, Starck will provide SOFC cells optimized for the specific operating conditions in Webasto’s system. The partners will also work closely with the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies & Sintered Materials (IKTS) in Dresden. The IKTS will help the partnership to integrate the single SOFC cells into stacks, and qualify the stacks for automotive applications. Contact: H.C. Starck GmbH, Goslar, Germany. Tel: +49 5321 7510, www.hcstarck.com Or contact: Webasto AG, Stockdorf, Germany. Tel: +49 89 85794-0, www.webasto.com Or contact: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies & Sintered Materials, Dresden, Germany. Tel: +49 351 2553 519, www.ikts.fraunhofer.de
Tokyo Motor Show’s FCV highlights The recent 37th Tokyo Motor Show saw the debut of an array of fuel cell vehicles from Japanese automakers, with both Honda and Toyota exhibiting new fuel cell concept cars featuring new stacks developed in-house. Honda introduced the Kiwami fuel cell sedan. Unlike its existing, Ballard-powered Honda FCX, the Kiwami features a new high-performance stack developed in-house at Honda, offering startup at temperatures down to –20°C [see page 3]. Honda’s fuel cell system combines the new stack and DC motor with a next-generation hydrogen storage system. An H-shaped layout for the control unit, ultracapacitor, stack, hydrogen storage unit and other components creates a low center-of-gravity and lower vehicle height. Toyota Motor’s new Fine-N concept fuel cell hybrid vehicle is powered by the company’s own newly developed extra-thin fuel cell, the ‘FCHV Stack’, and Li-ion batteries. Toyota claims a range of 500 km, nearly twice that of existing models, through higher hydrogen tank pressure and greater fuel cell efficiency. The reduced stack dimensions also allow a more spacious interior. Nissan showcased its Effis fuel cell electric city commuter car, only 3 m long. This small size was achieved by installing a thin Li-ion cell, developed in-house, under the car floor, saving space and weight. Nissan also announced that it will launch its first production fuel cell car by March 2004. Based on the X-Trail SUV, the vehicle will be equipped with a hybrid system combining fuel cells and an electric motor, and will initially be available through leasing. Suzuki exhibited its first hydrogen FCVs: the 4 m-long, six-seater Mobile Terrace minivan and
December 2003