The experiences from the KTH ECO cars team will contribute to the ongoing development program on this next generation platform which is also being developed for reformate fuels.

The Shell Eco-marathon challenges high school and college student teams from around the world to design, build and test energy efficient vehicles. With annual events in the Americas, Europe and Asia, the winners are the teams that go the farthest distance using the least amount of energy.

- We have a global potential customer base, where we cooperate with numerous companies in many industries.” says Torbjörn Assarsson, President & CEO of PowerCell. Mutual confidentiality agreements prevent revealing specific details, but customers include industries involved in telecom stations, material processing and automotives for example.
- Further new and unexpected applications may also develop for us that even lie beyond our current market and sphere of strategic planning.
- I am convinced that fuel cell technology is on the threshold of a wide breakthrough  although the market and this whole new industry remain dynamic. It is an exciting but demanding task of creating a new business that I think will significantly challenge our flexibility and adaptability.
The world’s third largest industrial investment in fuel cells went to PowerCell last year. As the new fuel cell test center, the largest of its kind in Northern Europe,  continues to be built up in the Hisingen area of Gothenburg, , cross-border cooperation continues in parallel aiming at developing a new national fuel cell cluster in Sweden.
- We are of course very pleased that our new facility will become a fuel cell center for customers, companies, research institutes, universities and colleges, “says Torbjorn Assarsson.

Looking ahead
While PowerCell powers ahead towards fuel cell manufacturing and commercialization,, future product development continues. For example, we are combining the fuel cell stack with our fuel conversion processor in an APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) system for backup power of telecommunication stations, trucks and ships when the primary engine is not operating.
- Different fuels such as diesel, gasoline or biofuels, reformed into hydrogen, drive the fuel cells . The efficiency is high. A complete APU system will produce electricity with the only waste products being water, heat and a reduced amount of carbon dioxide while toxins such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide or particulates are completely eliminated.

“We create quiet environment-friendly electricity, period.” says Torbjörn Assarsson.

Power Cell Company Summary

Power Cell is a company in Gothenburg, which produces and sells fuel cell stacks (provide electricity from hydrogen and oxygen) as well as develops new technology in fuel conversion and power units. The company is jointly owned by Volvo Technology Transfer, OCAS Ventures, Midroc New Technology and Fourier transform.

This article is published 2010-11-20 at Dagens Industri. Search for “Vätgas och Bränsleceller” or read the article in Swedish here.

PowerCell stack platform design

Features:                                                                                                                      

•   – Fast start up power                                                                                                                         
•   – Compact design for high power density                                                                                                 
•   – Scalability
•   – Patented design
•   – Robust construction
•   – High fuel efficiency
•   – Liquid-cooled
•   – Runs on both reformate and hydrogen gas
•   – Zero emissions 

Basic data:

•   – RATED GROSS POWER (kW): 1 – 7
•   – OPERATING AMBIENT TEMPERATURE (C): 0-70C
•   – DESIGNED LIFETIME 10 000h
•   – CAN HANDLE GASES WITH AT LEAST 40% H2 AND UP TO 50 PPM CO 
•             

 PowerCell Sweden AB was founded as a spin-off from Volvo Group in 2008 with the objective of bringing fuel cell and fuel converter technology to full commercialization. Powercell recently moved into a 5000 sqm facility in Gothenburg Sweden that combines laboratories, research & development and production under one roof.

PowerCell and Volvo are executing a feasibility study on a 30kW Range Extender (reformer / fuel cell) for electric cars. The advantage of a Range Extender is that it combines all the benefits of  a pure electric car with the range of a conventional car. When the car’s battery is discharged to a predetermined level, the fuel cell starts automatically. Unaware to the driver, the car is driven by the electric motor with the average power being supplied by the fuel cell, maintaining the battery charge. The battery provides maximum power for overtaking. For the customer, the car always has the same performance.

The fuel is regular gasoline, converted to hydrogen by reforming with special catalysts at elevated temperatures. PowerCell’s fuel cell then converts the hydrogen into electrical energy, which powers the car and recharges the battery while driving. The system is quiet and vibration free.
This unique solution allows one to fill fuel at any gas stations. The driver is not dependent on hydrogen stations that are otherwise necessary for hydrogen fuel cell cars.

Range Extender

The combination of reformer/ fuel cell delivers extremely low emissions. In comparison with an internal combustion engine, PowerCell’s solution shows a drastic decrease in emissions. NOx (nitrogen oxides), SOx (sulphur oxides), CO (carbon oxide) and particulate emissions are completely eliminated by PowerCell’s Range Extender, while providing lower fuel consumption.

With support from the Swedish Energy Agency, the first phase is now under way, which comprises of (feasibility study) comprehensive design calculations and solutions.

Phase 2, which is pending approval, comprises a plan to build two Volvo C30 Electric Range Extender vehicles with half of the batteries to be replaced by PowerCell’s reformer/fuel cell system. The battery range is 60-70 km while further range is provided by the Range Extender. The cars will have the same range between refueling as a conventional car. Volvo Cars and Power Cell have jointly applied for grants from the Swedish Energy Agency for Phase 2.

Phase 2 has the goal to have two prototype cars based on the Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric ready for testing in everyday traffic in 2012. The project will be evaluated and reported to the Swedish Energy Agency at the end of 2012.

PowerCell is also developing pure hydrogen powered fuel cells for specific markets, especially for fleets that have access to local hydrogen stations.

Thanks to the Swedish Energy Agency’s support, Power Cell and Volvo Cars are implementing the Phase 1 feasibility study. This collaboration enhances competitiveness for both companies as well as numerous Swedish suppliers. The automotive industry is facing the greatest transformation in automotive history. A transformation which is exciting, necessary and high paced.

SWEDISH

PowerCell och Volvo Cars har beviljats forskningsstöd från Energimyndigheten

Elbilar är det mest kraftfulla verktyget för att minska oljeberoendet. En elbil med Range Extender ger det bästa av två världar. De dagliga körningarna täcks av batteriet. På långresor kopplas Range Extendern in.

Power Cell och Volvo Personvagnar gör en förstudie av en 30kW Range Extender (reformer/bränslecell) för elbilar. Fördelen med en Range Extender är att den rena elbilens alla fördelar kombinerad med räckvidden hos en konventionell bil.

När bilens batteri har laddats ur till en förutbestämd nivå startar bränslecellen automatiskt. Föraren fortsätter sin färd, bilen drivs av den elektriska motorn och genomsnittseffekten levereras från bränslecellen för att hålla batteriet laddat. Batteriet ger maxeffekt för tex omkörningar. För kunden innebär det att bilen alltid har samma prestanda.

Bränslecellen drivs av vätgas som produceras i en reformer, inbyggd i bilen. Bränslet är vanlig bensin som tillsammans med vattenånga omvandlas till vätgas, det sker i katalysatorer under hög temperatur.  En bränslecell omvandlar vätgas till elektrisk energi, som driver bilen och laddar batteriet under färd. Systemet är tyst och vibrationsfritt.

Den unika lösningen gör att man kan fylla bränsle på alla bensinstationer. Föraren är inte beroende av vätgasstationer som annars är nödvändigt för bränslecellsbilar.

Range Extender

Kombinationen reformer/bränslecell ger extremt låga emissioner. I jämförelse med en förbränningsmotor påvisar PowerCells lösning drastiskt lägre emissionsnivåer. NOx (kväveoxider), SOx (svaveloxider), CO (koloxid) och partiklar är helt eliminerade. PowerCells Range Extender ger samtidigt lägre bränsleförbrukning.

Med stödet vi erhållit från Energimyndigheten kan den första fasen nu genomföras, där detaljerade teoretiska lösningar och beräkningar tas fram. 

I fas två, som inte är beslutad, planeras för två Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric med Range Extender. Halva batteriet ersätts av reformer/bränslecell från PowerCell. Räckvidden vid batteridrift är 6-7 mil och därefter kan färden fortsätta med hjälp av Range Extendern. Bilarna kommer att ha samma räckvidd mellan tankning som en konventionell personbil. Volvo Personvagnar och PowerCell har gemensamt sökt stöd från Energimyndigheten för fas två. Målet för fas två är att ha 2 prototypbilar klar för testning 2012, hela projektet ska utvärderas och rapporteras till Energimyndigheten mot slutet av 2012.

PowerCell utvecklar även vätgasdrivna bränslecells-system för vilken det finns en marknad, till exempel för bilflottor som har en eller flera lokala vätgasstationer. 

Tack vare Energimyndighetens stöd kan PowerCell och Volvo Personvagnar genomföra förstudien. Det ger båda företagen och många svenska underleverantörer nya möjligheter och en stärkt framtida konkurrenskraft. Fordonsindustrin står inför  den största omvandlingen i bilens historia. Det är spännande, det är nödvändigt och har stor potential.

From the left: Åsa Torstensson, Ministry of Entreprise, Energy and Communications. Torbjörn Assarsson, President and CEO. Andreas Carlgren, Minister for the Environment. 

24^th of May 2010, PowerCell Sweden AB moved into a new facility.

This will allow PowerCell to realize the ambitious growth plan to become one of the major suppliers of fuel cell technology.

The new 5000m² facility in Gothenburg, combines laboratories, offices and production under one roof.

This state of the art facility will be Sweden’s biggest design and research centre for H2 related products.

______________________________________________________________________________

 
World Hydrogen Conference

17^th to 19^th of May 2010, PowerCell Sweden AB participated in WHEC, World Hydrogen Conference, in Essen Germany.