2008年10月30日木曜日

CPI Uses Hrein Energy's Technology of Hydrogen Storage for Hydrogen Influstructure Project

Hrein Energy, Inc. (Hokkaido-based company) signed a contract with the Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) to cooperatively promote the hydrogen influstructure project.
Hrein provides its proprietary technology of hydrogen storage to the CPI and the enterprises participating in the hydrogen influstructure project.
Under the contract, both parties will construct an energy supply system for supplying hydrogen gas to hydrogen vehicles and fuel cells in England, and in future, the entire region of EU.
[News release from Hrein Energy, The Hokkaido Shimbun Press., etc.]

The Hrein's hydrogen storage technology stores hydrogen into a liquid organic hydride under the conditions of normal temperature and normal pressure.
The organic hydride may be handled like kerosene, etc. With this feature, the hydrogen transportation is easy, a large amount of hydrogen can be stored, and the conventional kerosene influstructure may be used almost as it is.
The organic hydride as a hydrogen storage medium is fairly superior to high-pressure hydrogen and liquid hydrogen in hydrogen supply and transportation cost.
The organic hydride has many profitable characteristics, which are preferable for the hydrogen storage medium.
1) The content of hydrogen is very high. #1
2) Reaction gently proceeds.
3) Reaction is reversible. The organic hydride is recyclicable: The hydrogenation- and dehydrogenation reactions of the organic hydride can be alternatively repeated.
4) No by-product is produced in the reaction.

#1: The target figures of the hydrogen contents (volume, weight) exceed the target figures of the hydrogen storage medium, set by United States Department of Energy (DOE) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufactures, Inc. (AAMA).
See "Characteristics of organic hydrides"

Keywords: CPI, Hrein Energy, Hydrogen Storage, organic hydride, hydrogen influstructure project, hydrogen vehicles, fuel cells, England, EU, Hokkaido.

2008年10月23日木曜日

Aquafairy's PEFC Charger is Ready for Mass Production

Aquafairy Corporation has remarkably improved the fuel cell charger for mobile devices, and completes its mass production technology and the building of a mass production line, which is capable of producing 250,000 units/month.
The weight of the fuel cell charger developed this time is almost the half of that of the previous one.
The manufacturing cost of the fuel cell charger is almost equal to that of the currently used charger.
The weight of the fuel cell charger is 1/10 or lower of that of the alkaline dry cell, but is capable of supplying electric power equal to that of the alkaline dry cell.
The company has a plan to start shipping of samples of the new fuel cell chargers on April, 2009, and to really commercialize the chargers till April of 2010.

The fuel cell charger receives hydrogen directly from a hydrogen generator cassette, which is attached to the fuel cell.
The hydrogen generator cassette, based on the Aquafairy's propriety technology, contains the metal hydrogen generating agent and water. Hydrogen is generated by adding water to the hydrogen generating agent.
A fuel cell, which uses Al (aluminum) particles and generates hydrogen through the reaction of Al with water, is being developed by Hitachi Maxell and Muroran Institute of Technology. The Hitachi Maxell exhibited the improved fuel cell of this type in CEATEC JAPAN 2008.

Fuel cell charger has the following specifications:
Output power - 3 watts
power generation capacity - 5 Wh
Weight - about 20 grams
Size - 55 mm deep x 40 mm wide x 9 mm high
Volume = 20 cm3

Sources: The Sankei Shimbun, Sankei Digital & THE NIKKAN KOGYO SHIMBUN,LTD, etc.

Keywords: Aquafairy, PEFC, fuel cell charger, mass production technology, metal hydrogen generating agent, water, cassette

Panasonic's Micro DMFC is Halved in Size

A ratio of output power/(device) volume is remarkably increased.
The volume of the micro DMFC incorporated into the note PC is about 1/2 when compared with the previous one manufactured by the company.
The size of the DMFC charger is approximately 105 mm x 148 mm.
The charger has two ports for the output terminals, and is capable of supplying electric power to different mobile devices concurrently.
Photos: click here.