Eco-business / Social Venture

August 11, 2003

 

Idemitsu to Begin World's First Tests of Kerosene-Fueled Fuel Cell

Keywords: Eco-business / Social Venture Manufacturing industry Renewable Energy 

Japan's Idemitsu Kosan Co. announced that it will begin feasibility tests in late July 2003 of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFC) designed to extract hydrogen from kerosene. It will be the world's first experiment of its kind. The company plans to improve the test model after conducting trial operations under various conditions to confirm its capabilities.

Kerosene is widely available throughout the country and excels in user-friendliness. The carbon content of kerosene, however, is more than that of other sources, such as city gas. This has made it more difficult to extract hydrogen from kerosene. Idemitsu has overcome this problem by using an Idemitsu-developed high-performance, long-lasting desulfurization material that reduces sulfur content, and a reformer catalyst that extracts hydrogen from kerosene.

Combining this hydrogen extraction technology within the body of the PEFC, the company manufactured a 5 kW kerosene-fueled PEFC system in cooperation with Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Ltd. on a trial-basis and packaged it as a system.

Idemitsu aims for swift practical application of the kerosene-fueled PEFC system for home and business use, in view of the established infrastructure for kerosene. Kerosene has high energy density and can be efficiently stored and distributed.



Posted: 2003/08/11 09:48:17 AM
Japanese version

 

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