FuelCellsWorks

On July 24, 2008, a hydrogen plant in Europe – the first to use a metal foil catalyst substrate in place of ceramic pellets – achieved expected performance at startup with minimal correction; reactions were observed to operate at exact equilibrium. The novel catalyst – the Stackable Structural Reactor (SSR) from Catacel Corporation – has, as of today, achieved 17,500 hours problem-free operation; performance remains indistinguishable from new.

The novel catalyst - the Stackable Structural Reactor (SSR®) from Catacel Corporation.

The novel catalyst – the Stackable Structural Reactor (SSR®) from Catacel Corporation.

The SSR is made from a special grade of high temperature steel alloy foil coated with a reforming catalyst. It was designed by Catacel to resolve the deficiencies of traditional catalyst-impregnated ceramic media; namely inefficient heat transfer and degradation of performance due to “crushing to powder” after repeated startup/shutdown cycles.

The 250-m3/hr European hydrogen plant was built to supply a Borcelik steel facility with hydrogen gas for annealer and coating line operations. Upon startup, furnace temperatures registered lower than a comparable older plant operating at the Borcelik location with conventional ceramic media. Performance was again evaluated in April 2009. No discernable change from initial performance was observed. At this time, the old plant was restarted to perform a similar evaluation; furnace temperatures and fuel consumption rates were observed to be considerably higher than the new plant.

While principally anecdotal with respect to confidentiality constructs, the results of the Borcelik installation suggest Catacel’s SSR as a practical alternative to ceramic catalyst media and to lower-cost hydrogen production via:

Improved heat transfer equating to lower furnace temperatures equating to less fuel consumption;

Durable metal foil design with greater catalytic surface area equating to longer life and lesser degradation of catalytic activity during its useful life;

In retrofit plants, improved heat transfer equating to greater throughput yield from existing equipment equating to avoidance of additional capital investment;

In new plants, improved heat transfer and longer life equating to fewer and/or shorter reformer tubes equating to reduced construction cost.

Furthermore, tests conducted in collaboration with the NASA Glenn Research Center (Cleveland, Ohio) have demonstrated 30% heat transfer improvement over ceramic media.

Only a single metal centre is needed to catalyse the reduction of oxygen to produce water, according to researchers in the US.

Daniel Nocera and colleagues at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown for the first time that single centre cobalt porphyrins anchored on carbon nanotubes and containing a proton transfer group efficiently catalyse the reduction of oxygen. It could open the door to more efficient fuel cells in the future.

 Reducing oxygen to water is a key reaction involved in releasing stored energy from hydrogen fuel cells which has previously required expensive bimetallic catalysts. Nocera’s porphyrins are more efficient than existing cobalt catalysts and are made easily in two steps, so could invigorate the design of future fuel cells using cobalt over its more costly metal cousins.

Original publication: Robert McGuire Jr., Dilek K Douglas, Thomas S Teets, Jin Suntivich, Yang Shao-Horn and Daniel G Nocera, Chem. Sci., 2010

Intelligent Energy, the global clean power systems company, today announced the appointment of Masataka Yamakawa as General Manager, Sales and Business Development for Japan and Asia. Yamakawa joins having worked for many years at leading Japanese trading firm, Mitsui & Co., where he gained extensive experience in the business development of distributed generation systems.     

Yamakawa’s career in the energy and communication sectors has focused on the business development of fuel cells, PV and renewable energy. He has long been associated with Intelligent Energy’s growth in Asia, having worked alongside the company since 2002, supporting successful partnerships with Japanese companies and now as an Intelligent Energy employee opening a Japanese office in Osaka.  

“Any environmental contributions I can make towards saving our planet is a lifetime ambition of mine and I am delighted to be in a position to pursue such a mission with Intelligent Energy,” explained Yamakawa. “The growing clean technology sector in Japan represents an immensely exciting opportunity for Intelligent Energy to contribute to a cleaner, greener environment and capitalise on the significant commercial opportunities that exist in this market.”

As a rising clean technology “tiger”, Japan aims to generate 20 percent of its electricity by 2020 through the rapidly growing renewable energy sector. The country’s burgeoning clean technology sector should also receive a further boost from global investments in clean technology which are set to rise by 35% this year according to research firm Datamonitor.

“Masataka’s close association with Intelligent Energy in Japan and his extensive business development experience in distributed generation systems makes him the perfect fit for expanding Intelligent Energy’s operations in Japan, ” said Dr Henri Winand, CEO at Intelligent Energy. “Intelligent Energy is currently making some key additions to its global commercial team and the addition of Masataka will further accelerate Intelligent Energy’s plans for global growth.”

About Intelligent Energy
Intelligent Energy is a clean power systems company, with a range of leading fuel cell and hydrogen generation technologies. The company is focused on the provision of cleaner power and low carbon technologies. Intelligent Energy partners with leading companies globally, in the transportation, oil and gas, aerospace, defence, distributed generation and portable power markets. Current partners and customers include Scottish & Southern Energy plc, and The Suzuki Motor Corporation. Intelligent Energy’s successes in recent years include the development of the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell motorbike and supplying the fuel cell system to Boeing which powered the world’s first manned fuel cell aircraft. The company is currently leading a consortium to deliver a fleet of zero-emissions Fuel Cell Hybrid London taxis for introduction in London for 2012.

ka, Japan and Loughborough UK–