NEWS RELEASE
Power+Energy, Inc. Introduces Family Of Hydrogen Separators For Fuel Cell Applications
Membrane systems will extract clean hydrogen from a wide variety of reformed fuels including diesel
IVYLAND, PA../EWORLDWIRE/January 19, 2006
Power+Energy, Inc. (P+E), a leading global supplier of hydrogen membrane systems has introduced a line of commercial hydrogen separators including models that can tolerate and remove sulfur from reformed fuel streams. Based on palladium alloy membranes, the company has developed an entirely new membrane configuration specifically engineered to maximize the recovery efficiency of hydrogen from a mixed gas stream. These separators are designed to be coupled with fuel reformers including methanol, ethanol, natural gas, propane, ammonia, gasoline or diesel fuels. In addition, it will also provide the capability to separate hydrogen from alternative fuels including land-fill gases, synthesis gases, and biomass digesters among others.
The availability of sulfur-compatible hydrogen separation membranes offers substantial benefits for a wide range of fuel cell applications in both military and industrial/commercial applications. A major opportunity exists for fuel cell-based auxiliary power units (APU) for all types of vehicles, many of which have diesel engines. The availability of fuel cell-based APU’s that can operate with standard diesel fuel will open significant opportunities for industry at large. At present, both the complexity of hydrogen separation and the limited availability of sulfur-free diesel fuel are limiting the implementation of fuel cells for auxiliary power applications. This breakthrough will also enable the use of fuel cells for emergency and backup power fueled with commercially available diesel fuel or home heating oil. In addition, these membranes will also enable the use of various renewable and alternative fuels as sources of hydrogen for fuel cells.
P+E exhibited its hydrogen membrane systems at the recent 2005 Fuel Cell Seminar (November 14-17) in Palm Springs, California. At this same conference, the company also presented a technical paper on the performance of its membranes as a membrane reactor. In this mode of operation, the membranes will also complete the conversion of residual carbon monoxide into hydrogen and carbon dioxide (water-gas shift).
About Power+Energy
Power & Energy is headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA. Established in 1993, the company’s mission is to enable the hydrogen economy and promote energy efficiency through the application of micro-channel technologies. The company provides a full range of micro-channel hydrogen purifiers to ultra-high purity users across the U.S., Asia and Europe.
Power & Energy is leading the way to the hydrogen economy with proprietary manufacturing and patented hydrogen purification, separation and generation technologies. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel palladium-alloy hydrogen purifiers purify any grade of hydrogen to nine-nines purity, meeting the most stringent requirements for semiconductor fabrication processes, including light emitting diode manufacture, solar cell manufacture and the manufacture of other compound and silicon semiconductors. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel hydrogen purifiers are also ideal for metallurgy, R&D, and instrumentation applications. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel membrane systems can also be used to efficiently separate hydrogen from reformed fuels and synthesis gas mixtures.
Power & Energy is now applying its hydrogen expertise to the fuel cell vehicle refueling market. Power & Energy has recognized that highly compact, low cost, and efficient hydrogen generators that can convert existing liquid fuels to hydrogen at the refueling station will enable the rapid development of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure that fuel-cell vehicles will require. The company’s expertise in the design and manufacture of micro-channel gas processors provides the basis for this exciting new venture.
For further information, contact Noel Leeson, Power & Energy Inc., 106 Railroad Drive, Ivyland, PA 18974-1449, e-mail sales@powerandenergy.com.