Fuel cell trials start at BOC
4 Jul 2003
BOC has started trials of fuel cells to power two of its facilities in the UK. The trials, at its fabrication technology centre in Wolverhampton and its St Helens site, will test a variety of different hydrogen sources to establish which type of hydrogen supply is most suitable for a variety of customers.
The Wolverhampton fuel cell is a 100W system supplied by Intelligent Energy, which will power a gas analyser and alarm system 24 hours a day. In St Helens, a 500W cell from Avista Labs will provide back-up power for the whole plant.
The trials are the UK representatives for a series of fuel cell trials at BOC facilities worldwide, using cells designed for applications such as remote power, domestic uses, standby power and portable electricity supply. The firm is developing a new range of hydrogen packages and supply systems for these units, ranging from small high-pressure composite cylinders to large manifolded cylinder packs.
BOC's global director for hydrogen energy, John Carolin, explained that the company expects demand for fuel cells to surge in the near future.
'There has been a substantial growth in the activity around fuel cells over the past few years, and they are getting close to offering distinct technical and commercial advantages over existing technology in certain niche areas, with the promise of larger mass markets to follow,' he says. 'BOC is supporting these developing markets and is positioning itself as a safe and reliable supplier of fuel cell hydrogen.'
Safety is a key factor in these tests. Although BOC says that hydrogen is safe, if not safer than liquefied petroleum gas or petrol, it behaves very differently from hydrocarbons and presents a different set of potential hazards. These need to be managed, but Carolin claims this will not pose problems for BOC or its potential customers.
