9/9/05 Fuel cell developements - better storage at normal temperatures

[papau]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050907102549.htm
http://www.dtu.dk/
http://www.dtu.dk/English/About_DTU/News.aspx?guid={E6FF7D39-1EDD-41A4-BC9A-20455C2CF1A7}

Danish Researchers Reveal New Hydrogen Storage Technology

Scientists at the Technical University of Denmark have invented a technology which may be an important step towards the hydrogen economy: a hydrogen tablet that effectively stores hydrogen in an inexpensive and safe material. With the new hydrogen tablet, it becomes much simpler to use the environmentally-friendly energy of hydrogen. Hydrogen is a non-polluting fuel, but since it is a light gas it occupies too much volume, and it is flammable. Consequently, effective and safe storage of hydrogen has challenged researchers world-wide for almost three decades. At the Technical University of Denmark, DTU, an interdisciplinary team has developed a hydrogen tablet which enables storage and transport of hydrogen in solid form.

“Should you drive a car 600 km using gaseous hydrogen at normal pressure, it would require a fuel tank with a size of nine cars. With our technology, the same amount of hydrogen can be stored in a normal gasoline tank”, says Professor Claus Hviid Christensen, Department of Chemistry at DTU.<snip>


ALSO:
http://renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=36228
"The PEM fuel cell technology uses software and a modem to communicate remotely with Loretel Systems technicians. It can notify them of any alarm conditions such as low supply of hydrogen gas or an electrical malfunction via e-mail, BlackBerry or pager.

PEM Fuel cells start at $20,000 plus installation, but require little maintenance and emit only heat and water as byproducts. With alternative battery backup power running at comparable costs, typically requiring significant maintenance and complex disposal techniques, fuel cells are being adopted as an energy alternative, especially in terms of return on investment (ROI) for Midwest telecom and utility companies."


ALSO FOR BACKGROUND:
http://www.azom.com/Details.asp?ArticleID=2971

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells - Conversion Of Hydrocarbon Fuels -

Background
In order to use hydrocarbon fuels in proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems, fuel (e.g., gasoline or natural gas) must first be converted into a hydrogen-rich gas with little or no carbon monoxide (CO). Fuel processors based on multiple catalytic stages are being developed for this application.

Fuel Processors
In order to use hydrocarbon fuels in proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems, fuel (e.g., gasoline or natural gas) must first be converted into a hydrogen-rich gas with little or no carbon monoxide (CO). Fuel processors based on multiple catalytic stages are being developed for this application.

Benefits
· Pt/ceria catalysts are non-pyrophoric and provide high activity at temperatures above 250ºC (see Figures 1 and 2) for excellent start up, operating and shut down performance

· Pt/ceria catalysts can be regenerated by annealing in air (see Figure 3) for long life cycles

· Catalysts can be deposited onto monoliths, using low-cost, high-volume methods that are well established for automotive catalytic converters (see Figure 5)

· Less than six grams of precious metal will be required for a WGS monolith sized for a 50-kilowatt fuel processor based upon kinetics models (see Figure 6).


ALSO AN ACTUAL FUEL CELLED FORK LIFT TRUCK SALE - OF 100 UNITS
http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&actionFor=554513

Ballard Power Systems today announced that it has signed a Supply Agreement with General Hydrogen (Canada) Corporation ("General Hydrogen") to deliver more than 100 Mark9 SSLTM fuel cells, ranging in power output from 4.8 kilowatts to 21.1 kilowatts, for integration into General Hydrogen's power units, currently available for early commercial sales in the lift truck market.

ALSO - LOUSY PERFORMANCE BUT A DIFFERENT FUEL CELL MATERIAL USING TRIAZOL TO REPLACE WATER AS THE PROTON CONDUCTOR

http://www.electronicsweekly.com/Articles/2005/09/05/36178/Imidazolesboostfuelcelloperatingtemperatures.htm

Imidazoles boost fuel cell operating temperatures

Researchers at Georgia Tech have increased fuel cell operating temperatures by replacing water as a proton conductor, but resulting performance is poor.

A team led by Professor Dr Meilin Liu uses triazol, part of a group of chemicals called imidazoles, instead of water in the polymer membrane of PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cells....