LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.,
Sept. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Air Products (NYSE: APD) research in hydrogen storage has led to a
"compression-less hydrogen fueling station" featuring specialized
composite cylinders. This composite storage advancement,
developed through joint work and an exclusive supply agreement with
Structural Composites Industries, LLC (SCI), significantly lowers
the cost of dispensing gaseous hydrogen and fueling station
infrastructure by eliminating the need for on-site hydrogen
compression. Air Products will launch its first retail
compression-less station in 2010 at a location to be announced as
part of its California
initiative.
The key to the cost effective "compression-less hydrogen fueling
station" is a composite pressure vessel (CPV) trailer. The
CPV trailer is connected directly to the fuel dispensing unit,
making the delivery vehicle an integrated part of the fueling
station. The proprietary and certified CPVs are an industry
advancement and allow for gaseous hydrogen delivery in greater
quantities depending on hydrogen demand. The CPV concept
transports hydrogen for fueling at well over 350 bar/5,000 psi and,
importantly, can be reliably increased at a station for 700
bar/10,000 psi hydrogen vehicles with greater flexibility and at
lesser cost through this advancement.
"This new, low cost concept is game changing technology. It
allows hydrogen fueling to be placed on most existing gasoline
forecourts thus potentially eliminating the infrastructure issue,"
said Ed Kiczek, global director -
Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products. "CPV hydrogen
delivery becomes more similar to traditional fuels and can mirror
the gasoline model. Decreased cost factors including
infrastructure, delivery and dispensing of gaseous hydrogen will
lower the price tag for hydrogen as an alternative fuel and make it
competitive with traditional fuels."
John Coursen, product manager at
SCI said, "SCI's expertise in storage materials combined with Air
Products' hydrogen experience was critical to solving this
infrastructure concern. We continue to work with Air Products to
extend the technology capabilities and commercialize these products
globally."
The composite storage and CPV trailer can also be paired to
develop and support hydrogen ground storage at retail stations much
like the current gasoline model. Air Products has several
station concepts incorporating modular and expandable CPV
technology and has developed an entire portfolio of global patents
and additional patents pending related to the compression-less
advancement. Details on Air Products' hydrogen fueling
station technologies are at www.airproducts.com/h2energy.
"When combined with Air Products' patented dual liquid and
gaseous hydrogen delivery trailer introduced last year, the system
portfolio offers unprecedented value in cost and reliability of
supply," said Kiczek.
The CPV technology is best positioned to take advantage of low
cost gaseous hydrogen supply from large hydrogen production plants,
pipelines, off-gas hydrogen and renewable sources, and existing
liquid hydrogen supply networks serving industrial gas markets.
Beyond hydrogen powered transportation vehicles, this
application also may offer significant advantages for the material
handling and mass transit markets.
Air Products, the leading hydrogen supplier to refineries to
assist in making cleaner burning transportation fuels, has unique
experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. These varied
fueling applications provide an opportunity to assess consumer
experiences, evaluate product performance and advance product
improvements. In fact, in certain market applications,
fueling rates at several individual sites of over 10,000 refills
per year are occurring. The company has placed over 120
hydrogen fueling stations in the United
States and 18 countries worldwide. Cars, trucks, vans,
buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers,
material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled
with Air Products' trend-setting technologies that involve Air
Products' know-how, equipment and hydrogen. Use of the
company's technology is increasing and is currently at 200,000
hydrogen fills per year.
Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and
is on the forefront of hydrogen energy technology development.
Air Products has an extensive patent portfolio with over 50
patents in hydrogen dispensing technology. Air Products
provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen, and HCNG (hydrogen/compressed
natural gas) fueling, and has developed a variety of enabling
devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied
pressures. Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a
site via truck, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass
conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is
solar and wind driven.
About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE: APD) serves customers in industrial, energy,
technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio
of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance
materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940,
Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets
such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare
services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and
adhesives. The company is recognized for its innovative
culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the
environment. In fiscal 2009, Air Products had revenues of
$8.3 billion, operations in over 40
countries, and 18,900 employees around the globe. For more
information, visit www.airproducts.com.
About Structural Composites Industries LLC
Structural Composite Industries is subsidiary company of
Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WOR) and is a manufacturer of
composite pressure vessels for use in the aerospace, commercial
aviation, natural gas vehicle, hydrogen vehicle, and bulk gas
transport industries. SCI and its predecessor companies have
manufactured over 3.8 million composite pressure vessels since
1957. For more information, visit
www.worthingtonindustries.com.
***NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements.
Actual results could vary materially, due to changes in current
expectations.
SOURCE Air Products
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