Nuvera Installs PowerTap Hydrogen Generation System in Pennsylvania

12 March 2007

Nuvera Fuel Cells, in a joint operation with East Penn Manufacturing Company, a manufacturer of lead-acid batteries, has installed its first PowerTap hydrogen generation system.

Hydrogen generated by the PowerTap system at Topton, PA is powering a fleet of fuel cell-powered forklift trucks. This system has been implemented as part of a field test of the new ReadyPower unit, which combines Nuvera’s fuel cell technology with East Penn’s advanced lead-acid battery design.

PowerTap, developed as part of the Nuvera Total Power Solution (TPS), is a complete hydrogen generation system consisting of two modules, PTG-50, a hydrogen generation unit, and PTH, a cascade storage system, compressor, and indoor dispenser.

PowerTap’s PTG-50 generation module produces hydrogen from natural gas at a rate of 2.4 kg/hr (1,000 SFCH). Nuvera’s proprietary technology in compact steam reforming systems is the core of the PTG-50, which, utilizing pressure swing adsorbtion (PSA) technology, provides hydrogen at a minimum purity of 99.995%. The module contains a remote monitoring system for operation, maintenance, diagnostics, and reliability tests.

The PTH cascade storage, compression, and dispensing module can be used independently from the generation module. The compressor is a hydraulic intensifier that feeds the three-bank cascade storage/dispensing system at a peak operating pressure of 455 Bar (6,500 psig). The cascade storage and dispense system allows for a higher and more consistent fill pressure, up to 350 Bar (5,000 psi), with the average fill time for an industrial forklift taking less than five minutes.

In January, Nuvera announced that it would supply a PowerTap PTH-12 hydrogen refueling system to The Raymond Corporation to support working fuel cell powered forklifts at their manufacturing facility in Greene, NY. (Earlier post.)