ISE to Use Eaton Fuel Cell Cathode Blower for H2 Buses in Vancouver and London

6 January 2009

ISE Corp. recently selected Eaton’s Fuel Cell Cathode Blower (earlier post) for use in its hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses to be delivered to BC Transit, Vancouver in 2009 and to Transport for London (TfL) by 2010.

Eaton’s Fuel Cell Cathode Blower is an electrically driven version of the company’s automotiveTwin Vortices Series (TVS) supercharger. For fuel cell applications, the TVS supercharger is mated to a highly efficient brushless motor that spins the supercharger at high-speeds, efficiently moving air through the fuel cell where the oxygen in the air is combined with hydrogen to generate electricity.

The Eaton TVS supercharger is an all-new Roots-type positive displacement supercharger that features twin four-lobe rotors that are twisted 160 degrees. By comparison, the original Eaton supercharger features three lobes twisted 60 degrees. The fourth lobe and added twist creates a smooth, highly efficient flow of air with improved noise and vibration characteristics.

ISE will supply 8-9 hydrogen-powered buses to Transport for London (TfL), five of which will generate power using fuel cells along with 20 hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses to BC Transit.

Eaton fuel cell cathode blowers will also be used in a fuel cell vehicle demonstration program being prepared by Shanghai Automotive Industries Corporation (SAIC) for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.