World’s only commercial hydrogen fuel cell showcases 440kW power rating

HyAxiom Inc. , a Connecticut-based manufacturer of stationary fuel cell solutions, is exhibiting the PureCell Model 400, the only commercially available fuel cell that runs on 100 percent hydrogen, at the ongoing . In our search for cleaner sources of energy, solar and wind power occupy power and have assumed high priority, and efforts are on to scale them.

However, the approach has its limitations since renewable energy is not available around the clock and an alternate approach to fill the power demand is required, which is not derived from fossil fuels. Stationary can generate energy on demand by oxidation of hydrogen or hydrogen-containing fuel. The process can generate electricity and heat, both of which have industrial applications.

While this might sound similar to fossil fuels, hydrogen-based fuel cells do not use combustion and therefore lead to lower emissions. A pure hydrogen-based fuel cell produces only water as a byproduct. HyAxiom’s hydrogen fuel cell The Connecticut-based company has a range of fuel cell designs that use natural gas or a combination of natural gas and liquified petroleum gas for generating electricity in a combustion-free manner.

Additionally, the company also boasts of a fuel cell that runs purely on hydrogen. According to its webpage, the PureCell Model 400 Hydrogen fuel cell runs entirely on hydrogen without generating any unwanted emissions. This is the world’s only commercially available hydrogen fuel cell and has a power rating of 440kW.

In addition to the electricity, the fuel cell also produces 352 kW (1. 2 MMBtu/ hr) of heat that can be used for space heating or other applications. Put together, the fuel cell has an efficiency of 90 percent, the company claims.

This makes it ideal for use at locations such as commercial buildings, universities, and hostels. The operation of the fuel cell also does not require any water input, making it usable in remote locations as well. Making your own hydrogen While the PureCell 400 Cell can work only on alone, the paucity of green hydrogen is a major roadblock toward its adoption.

HyAxiom also plans to address this by introducing its own Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Electrolyzer that can break up water molecules to produce hydrogen for fuel cells. The electrolyzers can be used in tandem with solar or wind power plants to produce green hydrogen for fuel cells or blended with natural gas as feedstock to reduce the environmental footprint of combined cycle power plants. HyAxiom claims that its PEM electrolyzers have an efficiency of 75 percent and can be easily scaled from 1 MW to 100+ MW without any major design modifications prior to installation.

The electrolyzer is also being demonstrated at CES 2024, a first for trade shows, giving visitors a glimpse at the system. Additionally, the company will also display its maritime solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) that can aid long-haul vessels to meet stricter emission requirements at reduced costs. The utility of these fuel cells has been demonstrated through a 50MW plant set up in Korea in 2020.

.