FC systems in the trailer
At the same time as the Hanover trade show, on 15th April 2015 at the biggest trade show for the security industry in the USA, the ISC WEST, SFC presented the EFOY-ProTrailer series. This relates to a user-defined power supply system with fuel cells and solar modules which is installed to a trailer for straightforward transportation in compact form. This hybrid power solution is designed for security, surveillance and traffic management applications.

New Enerday presented a similar trailer as a trade show novelty in Hanover. In contrast to the methanol powered EFOY devices, their EN 3000 PT runs on liquid gas, generates 25 kWh per day and is able to supply electricity independently for up to 100 days. Two EN-5000-P fuel cell modules and four batteries, each with 165 Ah, are installed in the trailer. The fuel is supplied by four removable 11-kg gas bottles and a 70-kg gas tank. A photovoltaic system (max. 325 W) is also installed on the roof of the trailer. The power supply is provided by three conventional 220 V power sockets.

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This year, Athens-based company Tropical S.A., which had previously only missed one show since 2004, did not attend the Group Exhibit. Upon inquiry, the company’s Managing Director, George Kaplanis, told HZwei that he would liked to have attended the Hanover trade show but wasn’t able to, as the Greek banks are creating problems for his company because of a lack of cash. Kaplanis explained: “They didn’t give us the money that we requested from them for the trade show on time.”

Award as Powerwoman 2015
The other trade show halls featured presentations by small, young companies, such as Membrasenz, a spin-off from the Professorship for Analytical Chemistry at the Ruhr University Bochum. RUB researcher Dr. Jelena Stojadinovic presented membranes for alkaline water electrolysis. Together with her team, she had previously won the KUER-Businessplan Competition held by the Environmental Ministry of North Rhine Westphalia. Her Group Leader, Dr. Fabio La Mantia explained: “We transfered results from battery research to the area of water electrolysis.” This resulted in a membrane from a new composite material which enables both a good separation of hydrogen and oxygen as well as a high degree of ionic conductivity. La Mantia explained that the new gas separators exceed both the previously used but health-damaging asbestos as well as other products in terms of ionic conductivity, gas density, chemical, mechanical and thermal resistance as well as cost efficiency. At the specialist WoMenPower conference in Hanover on 17th April 2015, Dr. Jelena Stojadinovic was also named Engineer Powerwoman 2015 by the Deusche Messe, a prize which is endowed with 5,000 Euros especially for the MINT sector.

NOVUM engineerING was represented at the shared futureSAX stand of the federal state of Saxony in hall 2 (research and development). The Dresden-based services provider develops high performance electronics for high temperature fuel cells and also works together with Hexis and SOLIDpower, for instance. Mandy Schipke, the young Managing Director of the company that was established in 2014, explained: “The NOVUM Power Converter is as big as a heavy book, protects the lifespan of the SOFCs, and with a basic output range of 1,25 kW, is ideal for installation in cogeneration systems.”

Author: Sven Geitmann