Tokyo Gas Successfully Develops High Performance catalyst for Fuel Processor

Tokyo Gas has successfully developed a high performance catalyst, and drastically improved a fuel process (for reforming natural gas into hydrogen) by using the new catalyst.
The company has a plan to incorporate the new fuel processor into a next generation ENEFARM (residential fuel cell cogenerator).
The new fuel processor is about 2/3 in volume, and almost halved in manufacturing cost when compared with the previous fuel processor).
Those advantages result from significant simplification of the fuel processor structure and use of the new catalyst.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan]

Significant Simplification of Processor Structure
The structure of the previous fuel processor is complicated to improve the reforming efficiency. To cope with this, the company reduces the number of necessary parts to 1/3, and the total welding line length by 40% (when compared with those of the previous one). The reforming efficiency of the new fuel processor is equal to that of the previous one.
Developed High Performance Catalyst
As known, the fuel processor uses a catalyst for promoting the reforming reaction.
To secure required performances, the old fuel processor needs much catalyst.
This results in the large volume of the fuel processor.
Where the new catalyst developed this time was used, the amount of catalyst required for the reforming was reduced by 30% to 50%. This results in considerable reduction of the processor volume and size, and the manufacturing cost.
Tokyo Gas’s Fuel Processor
Tokyo Gas has developed the fuel processor as well as the fuel cell.
October, 2000 – developed a 1-kW fuel processor of 83% (HHV)
November, 2003 – processor structure was redesigned, the reforming efficiency was improved in low output condition, and the weight was halved.
The company has licensed the result of developed technologies to Ebara-Ballard.
An excellent environmentality of the fuel processor was proved in the large-scale demonstration test project of residential fuel cell cogenerators (started from 2005).
The fuel processor technologies developed this time will be licensed to Ebara-Ballard and others.
The Tokyo Gas's next-generation ENEFARM will be launched in the first half of 2010. The new ENEFARM will be featured by size reduction and reduced price.

Press Release = http://www.tokyo-gas.co.jp/Press/20090223-03.html

NexTech Materials Introduces Revolutionary Hydrogen Safety Sensor

NexTech Materials is pleased to announce the launch of its new hydrogen sensor. Designed for hydrogen safety monitoring, this ceramic sensor exhibits a highly sensitive, selective, and rapid response to the presence of hydrogen in ambient air. Prototype sensors have been delivered to strategic partners for validation testing of this revolutionary device. NexTech will begin filling production orders in the fourth quarter of this year.

The NexTech sensor features a compact, rugged design and waterproof connector, and employs a revolutionary chemi-resistive ceramic sensing technology for very reliable hydrogen detection. It accurately measures hydrogen concentrations over a wide range of temperature and humidity variation and provides a repeatable response, even in the presence of other combustible gases. Additionally, the NexTech Hydrogen Sensor is immune to signal saturation upon continuous exposure to low levels of hydrogen, and recovers rapidly and completely upon hydrogen removal, enabling safe generation, distribution, and utilization of hydrogen in wide range of advanced energy and traditional applications.

Field testing of beta prototype sensors is in progress with two companies, both of which are commercializing devices utilizing PEM fuel cells as battery replacements. Target markets include stationary and mobile fuel cell applications, distributed hydrogen generation systems, lead acid battery monitoring, semiconductor fabrication, and many other industrial users of hydrogen gas.

About NexTech Materials
NexTech’s vision is to be a global leader in the development and manufacturing of innovative products for energy and environmental markets. NexTech is a leading developer and supplier of materials, components and services for the fuel cell industry and is dedicated to reducing the manufacturing and operating costs of fuel cells and other electrochemical devices. NexTech’s customers are located in over 35 countries and include leading researchers, developers and manufacturers throughout the world. NexTech Materials, Ltd. was founded as a privately held company in 1994 and has grown into one of Ohio’s leading technology companies. NexTech recently expanded its manufacturing and R&D facilities located in Lewis Center Ohio. NexTech has many products in the pipeline including fuel cell stacks for military and residential power applications, sensors for gas detection and control systems, catalysts for energy conversion systems, and membranes for gas separation devices. For more information, please visit our web site www.nextechmaterials.com.

Contact:
Mr. Tad Dritz
t.dritz@nextechmaterials.com
(614) 842-6606, extension 110
NexTech Materials, Ltd.
404 Enterprise Drive
Lewis Center, OH 43035

Morphic’s Small-scale Wind Turbine in Live Tests

Morphic’s new small-scale wind turbine, SWT20, will now be tested in the toughest possible conditions at the southern end of the island of Öland off the coast of Sweden. The robust 20 kW turbine has been developed for telecom base stations, farms and other demanding applications where reliability and long service intervals are crucial factors. Thanks to Morphic’s advanced blade technology, the turbine is extremely silent and can therefore be used even in built-up areas. During this week SWT20 will also be presented at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, one for the world’s largest telecom expos.

One of our time’s biggest challenges is to meet the need for secure electricity and to do so using renewable sources of energy. This applies equally to the industrialized world and developing countries. There, some 1.6 billion people currently live without electricity and another 1 billion live in areas with uncertain access to electricity.
Morphic’s new small wind turbine, SWT20, has been developed for demanding applications in areas where access to electricity is uncertain, such as telecom base stations or farms, hotels and other small businesses. Here wind power can be used as sole source of energy or as a complement to a diesel generator.

SWT20 is the second generation of small-scale wind turbines developed by Morphic. The first SWT20 to be installed has been operating outside Morphic’s head office in Karlskoga since late 2008.

This week another turbine was raised at an organic farm on southern Öland, for testing in the toughest possible wind conditions. Further wind power contracts are in the pipeline.

SWT20 has been designed for a useful life of 25 years with five-year service intervals. It has duplicate security systems and can be controlled remotely, guaranteeing secure operation and control. The turbine has a direct-drive generator and no gearbox, a component which often causes problems. The blades are made from carbon fiber and have been designed to move through the wind almost noiselessly. SWT20 can be mounted on a tower or mast and can supplement an already existing telecom mast. It has been developed according to the IEC 61400 standard (wind class 2).
For more information, please visit here.

This is Morphic:
Morphic is a Swedish engineering group operating in the areas of fuels cells, wind power, fuel cell energy systems and engineering technology. The Group has about 230 employees and conducts operations in six countries – Sweden, Norway, Japan, Greece, Italy and Switzerland. Morphic Technologies’ B shares have been listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange since March 4, 2008, and the number of shareholders is about 28,800.

Further Advanced Micro SOFC Module

Features:
* Operates within a range from 450 to 550 deg. of centigrade
* 1 cm3 (size)
* Natural dispersion of air employed for air supply
* Quick start and stop performance is secured
* 2W/cm3 (power generation density) at 550 deg. of centigrade

If you want to read more, please feel free to contact us at:
http://www.fcpat-japan.com/AboutUs.htm
We don't accept free-mail addresses.
free-mail addresses はご遠慮ください。

nano tech 2009 International Nanotechnology Exhibition & Conference

The world’s largest Nano-technology Exhibition & Conference will be held on
February 18 to 20, 2009, at Tokyo Big Site. The number of exhibitors will exceed 50,000. You can meet the cutting-edge technologies and products in those fields.
No admission fee is required if you register in advance at the web site.

Date&Time:
February 18(Wed.) - 20(Fri.), 2009, 10:00 - 17:00
Venue:
East Exhibition Hall 3,4,5,6 & Conference Tower, Tokyo Big Sight, Japan
Organized by: nano tech executive committee
Secretary General:
Mr.Takahiro Matsui, Executive Officer, ICS Convention Design, Inc.
Supported by: Cabinet Office Government of Japan
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science & Technology
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry
Embassy of the United States of America
The Australian Embassy
British Embassy Trade & Investment Department
Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium
Embassy of Canada
Embassy of France - Economic Department
Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (Tekes)
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany
Embassy of Islamic Republic of Iran in Tokyo
Italian Trade Commission
Embassy of the Republic of Korea
The Netherlands Embassy
Embassy of Spain - Econimic and Commercial Office
Embassy of Switzerland
National Institute of Information and Communications Technology
National Institute for Materials Science
RIKEN
Japan Science and Technology Agency
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization
Japan External Trade Organization
National Institute for Environmental Studies
The Federation of Economic Organizations
Nanotechnology Business Creation Initiative
In cooperation with: The Japan Society of Applied Physics, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan, The Chemical Society of Japan
Size of Exhibition: 603 Companies, 909 Booths
Expected number of visitors: 50,000
Admission fee: 3,000 Japanese Yen（Free admission with online registration）
Concurrent Exhibition:
Nano Bio Expo 2009
ASTEC2009
METEC'09
neo functional material 2009
Convertech JAPAN 2009
PRINTABLE ELECTRONICS 2009

My Eye-Catching News 2-2

1: Fujikura Ltd. revealed a methanol fuel cell having a remarkably improved power generation density. The power generation density is about 5 times of the conventional methanol fuel cell. The output power of the fuel cell is 8 times (20 watts) of the conventional fuel cell.
[THE NIKKAN KOGYO SHIMBUN, LTD.]

2: Pony Electric Co., Ltd has developed a new power converter designed in use for fuel cells.
Unique features:
1) A novel and creative soft switching technology is used.
2) The energy loss is reduced by 20 percents when compared with that of the conventional converter.
The new technology based prototype converter is under performance evaluation.
[THE NIKKAN KOGYO SHIMBUN, LTD.]
Pony Electric Co., Ltd.：http://www.pony-e.jp/Corp.htm

3: Ultra Compact Gas-Liquid Separator for Heat Pump Systems
Most conventional gas-liquid separator is of the tubular type which utilizes gravity or centrifugal force. It is limited in its installation place because of its large volume.
The gas-liquid separator developed this time utilizes a surface tension, which is dominant when the thickness or the cross section diameter of the separator is small. With use of the surface tension, the volume of the gas-liquid separator is reduced to be 1/7 of the conventional tubular gas-liquid separator.
The fact shows that the gas-liquid separator will satisfy the demands of size-reduction, power- and cost-saving.
It is demonstratively proved that the gas-liquid separator is capable of separating gas and liquid even in the case of a mass flow of 100 g/s. Accordingly, it is allowed to design the gas-liquid separator in accordance with real machine conditions.
The gas-liquid separator has a structure suitable for mass production and its design is also suitable for mass production. It is expected that the gas-liquid separator is applied not only to refrigeration and air conditioning, but also to the heat-pump systems using the gas-liquid two-phase flow in various fields, including chemistry, food, medical science, automobile, and energy equipment.
[Copyright by FuelCell japan: http://www.fcpat-japan.com/]
[NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization)]

Major City-Gas Companies and Oil Companies Jointly Issue a Statement on Start of ENEFARM Sales

Sale of residential fuel-cell cogeneration systems (ENEFARMs) will start in this year.
Four major city gas companies and two major oil companies, which will be distributors of ENEFARMs#1, issued a joint statement, including cooperation by the companies for the sale and spread of ENEFARMs, before actual start of ENEFARM sales.
A web site will be formed and co-used by those companies for the purposes of PR and sale promotion.
The web site is here.
#1: ENEFARM: see “news item No. 78 in News 2008-3”


The price of the ENEFARM ranges from 3,000, 000 yen to 3,500,000 yen#2.
The government subsidy is the half of the price of a purchased ENEFARM (the upper limit of the subsidy is 1,400,000 yen).
The customer will save 50,000 yen to 60,000 yen per year in gas and electricity charges.
#2: 1 USD = about 90 yen.

The ENEFARM manufactured by Panasonic or Ebara-Ballard is exampled to provide easy understanding.
Power generation unit output = 300W to 1kW
Hot-water supply unit capacity = 200L
Retail price = 3,460,000 yen
Panasonic will start the sale of ENEFARM in May this year,
and Ebara-Ballard will start it in July.
In case where a purchaser receives a maximum of subsidy of 1,400,000 yen from the government, he/she must pay about 2,000,000 yen
With further technology development of the fuel cells and increase of the number of purchased ENEFARMs, the price will lower soon while depicting a sharply descending curve.

The ENEFARM is a next-generation clean energy generator having a mission to escape from the fossil-fuel field, and has attractive features that are not found in the conventional equipment.
Examples of them are:
1) CO2 emission is considerably reduced (about 40% or higher).
2) Overall energy efficiency is very high (70% or higher).
3) At least the necessary amounts of electricity and hot water are secured
even at the disaster area (if the primary fuel is LPG or petroleum and ENEFARM itself is not damaged).
4) No noisy sound is generated.
5) Others

We are now requested to tackle with the global warming issue.
The ENEFARM market is a virgin soil. And it is large even if it is limited to the domestic market. I hope that the number of purchased ENEFARMs will steeply increase.

Many sales approaches to sell ENEFARMs have actually started.
SECOM Co., Ltd., a major security service company in Japan, is plan to sell ENEFARMs. The rental-sales method is employed. The rental fee is about 20,000 yen/month. Asahi Kasei Homes Ltd. will sell single family houses combined with ENEFARMs.
ENEOS will build a new sales network for selling ENEFARMs on the basis of the established sales network for gasoline and LPG
Tokyo Gas has a plan to sell 42,000 ENEFARMs till 2013.
Incidentally, a target number of ENEFARMs to be sold in this year is about 5,000.
The Japanese government worked out a policy to list up environment products and parts and to impose no duty on them.
SwedenHouse Co., Ltd. launched a new model of single family house combined with a hybrid energy generator including an ENEFARM and a solar power generator.
HONDA seems to determine the development of a hybrid energy generator designed for home use, which is a combination of a residential FC cogenerator and a solar energy generator. The HONDA’s final target is to establish a distributed power supply system in which electricity and hydrogen, which are to be supplied to FCV and fuel cell energy generator, are both generated and stored in each home.
This article has been prepared on the basis of news reported by major medias in Japan.