Dana Corporation Featuring Fuel-Cell Work at Hannover Fair
24 April 2006
 |
| Dana is developing a variety of OEM fuel cell components for both stationary and mobile applications. |
Dana Corporation, a leading supplier of axle, driveshaft, engine, frame, chassis, and transmission technologies. is featuring a range of its fuel-cell technologies and capabilities at the Hannover Fair 2006, April 24-28, in Hannover, Germany.
The Dana display at the Hannover Fair will demonstrate new developments in bipolar plates, seals, and end caps for fuel-cell stacks. Dana has developed a proprietary, cost-effective manufacturing process to produce joined bipolar plate assemblies in either stainless steel or molded carbon materials with integrated seals and connectors.
Dana believes this process is the first of its kind for mass-producing fuel-cell components, and it overcomes a major hurdle on the road to commercialization. Also on display will be products for the fuel-cell balance of plant, such as heat exchangers and condensers; electric pumps; control valves; and reformer-based fuel-processor components.
Dana is supporting fuel-cell development programs for a wide range of customers in the residential, commercial, portable power, and transportation industries. Through our development agreements and strategic partnerships, we’re participating in the efforts that will lay the foundation for the mass production of fuel cells in the future.
—Michael Burns, Dana Chairman and CEO
Radiators, pumps, control valves, etc. Fuel cells are much more complicated and less efficient than the hype suggests.
Posted by: tom deplume | 24 April 2006 at 10:36 AM
Only for now remember batteries were very complex buggers for a long time as they get farther along they will be able to drop alot of the extra junk and make these suckers alot simpler.
Posted by: wintermane | 24 April 2006 at 01:22 PM
That may be due to the fact that they are looking at a wider application beyond vehicles.The business and residential applications work out to be much more efficient than getting your power from a plant thirty miles away and then transmitted to your home.Distributed energy is less susceptible to storm damage,terror etc.Honda is rolling out its home energy station this fall.It reforms natural gas to produce heat and up to fifty percent of average households electricity.It is said to be up to fifty percent more efficient than current heating systems.these gains in the northeast are a large advance in tech and fuel savings.When people see that alternative tech can save them money they will become far more enthused about alternatives.Fuel cell tech is a piece of the puzzle. many of the technologies represented here also will be pieces of the puzzle.By 2020 that will make a picture that few of us could predict today.Alternative energy is beginning to take off in the same way as desktop computers and the internet did.Those technologies swept over the world in a relative blink of an eye. Darwinism of the market will sort out the winners and losers.
Posted by: gerald earl | 24 April 2006 at 01:39 PM
As soon as someone can demonstrate that the energy return on the production of hydrogen is positive, then we can start taking seriously the proponents of hydrogen.
Posted by: t | 24 April 2006 at 02:54 PM
the energy return doesn't necessarily have to be positive. greenhouse gasses are only one pollution concern.
places like LA and downtown in densely populated cities like NY (or most european cities) could mandate hydrogen fuel cells to reduce local, street-level air pollution. In this case, they wouldn't necessarily care what energy efficiency factors were involved.
personally, i agree that hydrogen is a bit silly if your hydrogen is going to be made from a carbon rich material, but there are still some circumstances where it may make sense
Posted by: shaun | 24 April 2006 at 11:02 PM
To me it speaks volumes that hardheaded, gritty, industrial corporations put forth this kind of effort on fuel cell development, while some on the sidelines sit around and say it can't ever be practical or economic.
Perhaps humility has a place in our energy future.
Posted by: Bill | 26 April 2006 at 12:22 AM