High Pressure Hydrogen Generators

A Sustainable Future, a Practical and Working Reality

Direct energy conversion of chemical potential from/to electric power is a key part of the energy future. In that future, pollution associated with energy consumption is either eliminated or concentrated and controlled at centralized locations. Society’s transportation requirements will be fulfilled by fuel cell vehicles where water is its only effluent.

Our hydrogen (H₂) generators produce pure hydrogen fuel from water and electric power at efficiencies approaching 90% (HHV basis). Working with key private and public sector partners (U.S. DOE, General Motors, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Parker) we are pushing the boundaries of our proton exchange membrane technology to improve efficiency, costs, reliability and durability to make this vision of a sustainable future, a practical and working reality.

Our experimental generators produce hydrogen at pressures from ambient to as high as 200 bar (3000 psi) without external gas compression. Eliminating or reducing mechanical compression requirements improves system availability and reliability but requires specialized expertise that few companies can match.

We have fabricated and operated large prototypes that operate at pressures of 85 bar (1250 psi), eliminating up to three compressor stages. Economic considerations tend to favor mechanical gas compressors beyond these moderately high pressures.

	Current Technology	Future Technology
Max Current Density (kA/m2)	20	25
Hydrogen Pressure (bar)	85	50
Cell Voltage	2.0	1.7
Max Production Rate (kg/hr)	0.333	0 – 5.0
Max Stack Power (kW)	20	228
Production Efficiency (kW-hr/kg)	60	45.7

Click on a photo to see a larger version.