The 5th International Fuel Cell Workshop 2009

The 5th International Fuel Cell Workshop 2009 will be held in Kofu, Yamanashi, August 23 and 24.

The Workshop gathers invited oral presentations by top scientists in the PEFC field from the United States, Europe and Asia, including Japan, and contributed posters. An exhibition, with an FC system, FCEVs (including driving demo), and general materials, is also scheduled. The 5th IFCW is sponsored by NEDO, ISE, and University of Yamanashi.

Registration
Date, Location, and Program
Contact
Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Center, University of Yamanashi
Takeda 4, Kofu, Yamanashi 400-8510, Japan
IFCW Organizer, Masahiro Watanabe
FAX: +81-55-254-0371 or +81-55-220-8618
TEL: +81-55-220-8619 (Uchida) or +81-55-220-8707 (Miyatake)
E-mail: ifcw@yamanashi.ac.jp

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New catalyst for residential FC co-generating system

A new catalyst for use with ENEFARM (residential fuel cell co-generating system) was developed by Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Center, University of Yamanashi. The catalyst developed this time belongs to the Catalyst for Selectively Methanating CO. With use of the catalyst newly developed, the fuel processor will be cost-reduced by about 20%, and the fuel processor will be volume-reduced to 2/3 of the current processor.

The results of using the new catalyst in the ENEFARM’s fuel process for converting city gas into hydrogen are:
1) Removal of the residual carbon monoxide by at least 99.9%, and
2) Reduction of size, weight and the amount of used catalyst and simplified structure, and much reduction of cost.
It is sure that the new catalyst will accelerate spread of ENEFARMs the sales of which started on this May.

The results of the study will be presented in Symposium of “2009 NEDO Development Results Report on Fuel Cell/Hydrogen Technologies” (June 30, 2009), and “104th Catalyst Forum” (September 27, 2009).
>> To learn more, contact source or contact fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com
[XYX→＠].

Fuel Cell Nanomaterials Center, University of Yamanashi
Center director: Professor Masahiro Watanabe

TOYOTA’s 2015 FC vehicle is probably fuel-cell hybrid vehicle, much innovated

According to Asahi Shimbun, one of the major newspapers in Japan, TOYOTA is plan to sell a new fuel-cell (FC) hybrid vehicle in or before 2015. The new vehicle will be much improved in performances and endurance when compared with the current one. The company intends to foster the new FC hybrid vehicle into the environmentally friendly vehicle, in addition to the hybrid vehicle and the electric vehicle. To this end, the company has plan to place much emphasis on manufacturing cost reduction in development. [http://www.asahi.com/business/update/0623/NGY200906230026.html]

TOYOTA released the fuel cell hybrid vehicle, “TOYOTA FCHV-adv”, in 2008.
To develop the FCHV, TOYOTA gathered and accumulated a vast amount of data through the demonstration and field tests of the FCHV in various conditions and in different countries, and further made steady research efforts to elucidate the mechanisms causing problems. The fuel cell system was renewed on the basis of the results of the analysis and the research, and the low temperature startup performance was improved and the cruising distance was increased.
[http://www.carmode.net/calendar_detail.php?no=177]

Market research on power & energy system sector, by Fuji-keizai

Fuji-keizai, one of the major market research companies in Japan, publicly released a brief of the market research on the power & energy system sector. The research was conducted during the period from March to May in this year.
The expected and forecast figures of the following items in 2009 and 2017 are tabulated: fuel cell, solar cell,wind power/biomass, secondary batteries/power storage system, heat source equipment, and lighting. For the table, visit Detail-1.
Fuel Cells:
The fuel cell market will grow since the residential fuel cell cogeneration systems will start their sales to general consumers on this May. It is anticipated that the fuel cell market will be driven to rapidly grow by their sales promotion to be conducted.
Solar cells:
Fuikeizai’s forecast figure will be revised upward to a much-increased figure because Prime Minister Aso declared “The Japanese government plans to increase the current number of the solar power generator systems to 20 times by 2020.”
Wind power:
The major electric power companies successively announced plans to aggressively build wind power systems.
Lithium ion batteries:
Full-scale incorporation of the lithium ion batteries into motor vehicles will start from around 2015. Note that the Japanese government has decided to drive development of the electric power storage technologies.
>> To learn more, contact the source or contact fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com
[XYX→＠].

Fuji-Keizai

Motor-driven vehicles world market forecasts, by Fuji-keizai

Fuji-keizai forecasted the world market of motor-driven vehicles, including electric vehicles, fuel cells vehicles, hybrid vehicles, etc.
The market scale of the motor-driven vehicles will reach 12 cho 1265 oku-yen in 2015. [cho = 10,000 oku-yen, 1 oku-en = 100, 000, 000 yen]
Hybrid vehicles:
Fuji-keizai forecasts the world market scale of the hybrid vehicles in 2015.
The expected figures of strong hybrid, mild hybrid and EV (electric vehicle) in 2015 are 4 cho 4,500, 5 cho 700, and 7,700. [The monetary unit of those figures = oku-yen, for example, 139 means 139 oku-yen, and oku-yen = 100, 000, 000 yen.]
It has been considered that the hybrid vehicle will be an interim vehicle till real commercialization of the fuel cell vehicle. However, it is now the favorite for the environmentally friendly vehicle.
The market scale of the hybrid vehicle is forecast to be 3 cho 7169 oku-yen in 2010, 12 cho 3899 oku-yen in 2011, and 12 cho 1465 oku-yen in 2015. The number of the vehicles will reach 11,120,000 in 2015. The price of the vehicle will rapidly drop since the number of market participants will increase and the mass production plants will be built.
Batteries:
The market scale in 2015 will reach 5,000 oku-yen, and the number of batteries will be 433,000,000.
>> To learn more, contact the source or contact fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com
[XYX→＠].

Organic thin film solar cell, remarkably improved by DNP

Improvement: The energy conversion efficiency of a large solar cell of 50 mm2 size (square in shape) exceeds 4 percent.
The figures result from the research efforts of Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP). DNP successfully presents one of effective solutions to the problem left unsolved that the energy conversion efficiency decreases as the solar cell size increases.

Sample shipping of the new solar cell will start in 2012. Commercialization of the cell will start in or before 2015.

The organic thin-film solar cell having about 5 percent (conversion efficiency) has been known. The solar cell size is small, about 2 mm2.
If the size of this solar cell is increased to 50 mm2, the conversion efficiency is about 0.1 percent at most.

To solve the problem, the DNP’ researcher established a hypothesis that the conversion efficiency decrease resulting from its size reduction might be due to the electrical energy loss that is created by heat, which is generated in the transparent conductive film when electric power generated is led to the peripheral electrodes.
A try was made to form an auxiliary electrode having a specially designed opening in the transparent conductive film by a modified photo-etching process. Provision of the auxiliary electrode such structured reduces resistance in the electric power path to the peripheral electrode, and reduces the loss by heat generated.
>> To learn more, contact the source or contact us at fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com
[XYX→＠].

New solar cell backseat, not using aluminum

Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) has revealed a new solar cell backseat with extremely high water-vapor barrier property.
With this solar cell backseat, the solar cell manufacturing field has entered a post-aluminum foil era.

No aluminum foil is used. The price is low. Water-vapor barrier property: 0.01g/cm2・day. The price: comparable with that of the previous aluminum-foil based backseat.
The sample shipping of the new backseat will start soon. 500 million Yen (target sales amount) will be reached in 2012.
A new converting process, developed anew, enables the formation of the new backseat. The converting process uses a non-oxide vapor deposited film having high water-vapor barrier property and an adhesive having high weather resistance

As known, use of the aluminum foil for the solar cell backseat is a common practice particularly in the thin film solar cell and the crystal solar cell because high water-vapor barrier property is essentially required for the solar cells. The process to electrically insulate the ends of the aluminum foil is also essential to eliminate a chance of electrical contact of the aluminum foil with the wires led from the solar cell. This is a serious workload.
>> To learn more, contact the source or contact us at fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com
[XYX→＠].

New motor drive system for hybrid-electric vehicles, co-developed by Yasukawa and Mazda

Yasukawa Electric Corporation, in cooperation with MAZDA, has successfully developed a new motor drive system for hybrid-electric vehicles. The motor drive system has been applied to Mazda's Premacy Hydrogen Hybrid Rotary Engine. The motor drive system is made up of IPM (interior permanent magnet) motors, IPM generator and a power control unit.

Hybrid system: of the series hybrid type.
Power control unit: High efficiency, small size, two inverters combined, one for the wheel driving motors, and the other for the generator to extract optimum electric power from the engine
Generator: newly developed
Electronic winding switching techniqu: newly developed, and is applied to the inverter for driving the motors. The electronic winding switching technique is based on the winding switching techniques, which have been developed in the stage where the company developed industrial motor drive for machine tools.
This newly developed winding switching technique significantly increased the motor efficiency in medium- and high-speed ranges.
>> To learn more, contact the source or contact us at fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com [XYX→＠].

Yasukawa Electric Corporation
Mazda Motor Corporation

Aquafairy’s micro fuel cell = $50, and cartridge = $1

Fuel is not methanol, and non-toxic and non-poisonous.
Fuel is combination of water and hydrogen generation agent.
Light, small, and satisfactory charging capacity:
Volume ≑ 20 cm3
Weight ≑ 20 g, 35 g (when attached with cartridge)
Output power ≑ 3.0 W
Charging capacity ≑ 5 Whr

What the user has to do for operating the fuel cell is to simply set a cartridge containing hydrogen generation agent and water to the fuel cell.
The company started the sample shipping from this April, and will start sales of the fuel cells toward general users on April 2010.
At the present stage the company seems to have no plan to sell the products overseas.

If interested, please read “108: Aquafairy's PEFC Charger is Ready for Mass Production” of News2008-4, and, if necessary, contact us at fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com　[XYX→＠].

Aquafairy Corporation: Kyoto based company founded on June 30, 2006. The company develops and sells micro fuel cells using unique hydrogen generators in collaboration with NTT DOCOMO.
url: http://www.aquafairy.co.jp/

Patent Administration Annual Report 2009, disclosed by JPO

“Patent Administration Annual Report 2009” was disclosed on June 12, 2009.
The annual report describes the present status and direction of the Japanese policies on Intellectual properties, trends and analysis on domestic and overseas policies on intellectual properties, statistics information, and the like.
JPO = Japan Patent Office

Annual report outline:
1. The number of patent applications for countries outside Japan increased, but the number of domestic patent applications decreased.
2. The number of primary examination for patent applications increased to 340,3000. This results from employing fixed-term examiners and outsourcing the prior art researches work
3. Effort has been made to increase the number of countries, which accept the setting-up of “Patent Prosecution Highway” with Japan, to assist Japanese patent applicants to acquire patent rights in countries outside Japan.
4. In the university sector in the intellectual property fields, the number of patent applications decreased, but the number of licenses increased.
The intellectual property activity in the university sector has entered a new phase.
To assist the sector to cope with the new situation, JPO (Japan patent office) has sent professionals expertised in producing and licensing intellectual properties to the sector.
>> To learn more, contact us at fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com　[XYX→＠].
Press release material-1
Press release material-2

NGK successfully develops high efficiency SOFC

The stationary SOFC stack used in the test was: the output power = 700 W and the operation temperature = 800 degrees of centigrade.
The test results were:
Power generation efficiency = 63% (LHV),
Fuel utilization efficiency = 90%
Will be used at:
Homes, offices, shopping centers, etc.

The SOFC has a unique structure based on the sophisticated ceramic technology. As known, NGK has excellent ceramic technologies, cultivated through many years of study and experiments.
>> To learn more, contact us at fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com　[XYX→＠].

Nissei accelerates development of fuel cells in use for industrial robots

"Nissei accelerates development of the industrial robot and the fuel cell for driving the robot. This results from the fact that with the recent economic turndown, the order of company’s major products, including gear boxes and gears, sharply fell down (Nikkei).”

Nissei has developed and manufactured fuel cell products t hat are optimized for motor driving. The motor frequently experiences instantaneous and abrupt load variations during its operation. Such variations reduce the service life of the fuel cell. The problem was successfully solved by coupling the electric double layer capacitor..
To learn more, contact the source or me = fcj-1XYXfuelcelljpn.com　[XYX→＠].

About NISSEI CORPORATION: Aichi-based auto-parts company.
Major products: gearmotors and linear actuators, small fine-pitch gears, die-cast parts

Co-development of SiC power device prototypes and their applied system

AIST collaborates with Fuji Electric Advanced Technology for developing SiC power device mass-production prototypes and for demonstration-testing its applied systems, with intention of establishing the production technique of the SiC power device chips to stably and quickly supply the device chips the amount of which is required for the inverter development.

AIST = Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
SiC = silicon carbide

In current situations of calling for co2 reduction and power saving, much attention has been paid to the SiC power device having its advantageous features of large capacity and low loss, and also to the inverter using such SiC power devices.
The SiC power device per se has been developed to satisfactory levels, but the inverter using the SiC power devices remains in unsatisfactory levels.
This results from the following reasons. The companies having developed the SiC power devices are different from those having developed their applied systems. On account of this, it is difficult to stably and quickly supply reliable and high-quality SiC power devices. This impedes the development of the inverter using a number of SiC power devices. To put the SiC inverter into practice, it is essential to form SiC inverter prototypes and to demonstration-test the prototype inverters.
Source: AIST’s press release
References:
1) Significantly improved next generation power semiconductor device
- About 70% reduction of power loss is realized in 11 kW SiC inverter -
http://www.mitsubishielectric.co.jp/news/2009/0218-d.htm
２）SiC power device technology
http://www.jeita.or.jp/japanese/exhibit/06MrTakami.pdf
3) SiC devices and their application technologies
Shin－ichi Kinouchi, Hiroshi Nakatake, Masayuki Imaizumi
http://www.mitsubishielectric.co.jp/giho/0507/0507107.pdf
４）World’s first high power module containing SiC semiconductor devices designed for next generation electric vehicle, co-developed by Honda R&D and ROHM
http://www.rohm.co.jp/news/080911.html
5) What's SiC?
Shinano Electric Refining Co., Ltd.
http://www.shinano-sic.co.jp/en/w_sic.html

To learn more, contact news source or us.

TEPCO uses Alstom’s wind turbines for new wind firm

Alstom’s wind turbines will be employed for a first wind firm project of TEPCO, which will be built at Higashi Izu in Shizuoka prefecture.
Alstom will supply, install, and operate 11 Eco74 wind turbines at the wind firm.
The total output power of the wind power generators is about 18 megawatts. The operation of the wind power generation system will start in October 2011.
The successful order from TEPCO proved that Alstom’s design techniques completely satisfied the strict requirements of “Building Standards Law” in Japan, including requirements on seismic criterion and turbulence measure.
Related link 1
Related link 2
To learn more, contact me = fcj-1@fuelcelljpn.com (plan to use SSL)
TEPCO = Tokyo Electric Power Company, largest electric power company in Japan

Succeeded in recycling co2 into methane by using methanogen

Professor Kozoh Satoh (petroleum engineering) in Tokyo University successfully converted co2 into methane as the main component of the natural gas, in a condition equivalent to a state in which co2 is buried deep in the earth (Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2009, May 21, 2009). The new technology presents the possibility of putting a recycling system to recover and recycle emitted CO2 into practice.
To learn more, please contact the source or us = infonenryo@gmail.com
Source: http://mainichi.jp/select/science/news/20090522k0000e040077000c.html