Angstrom Advanced - Tech Solution to Grid Congestion in China

Boston,MA United States

Angstrom Advanced Inc has paid a lot of attention to what is going on in China, especially the renewable energy section. The leading magazine "Energy Digital" recently published an article from Verde about this market opportunity:

"As China's economy rapidly grows, the energy sector faces two major challenges: an imbalance of supply and demand and a lack of distribution and transmission infrastructure.

As by far the largest wind power market in the world (with 63 GW installed capacity), China gets more than 30% of its wind market's revenue from federal subsidies—an exceptional amount of support from the government that has adversely caused a massive oversupply issue. In 2011, abandoned wind power amounted to over 10 billion KWh, exceeding 50 percent of the industry's profit. Much of that energy was wasted, mostly positioned near farms lacking sufficient distribution/transmission infrastructure capable of moving excess energy to areas of higher demand. "

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Click here to read more about how Angstrom Advanced is helping to solve grid congestion in China.

Angstrom Advanced Hydrogen Generator Specifications

Hydrogen electrolyte and oxygen electrolyte circulate separately, hydrogen electrolyte pumps into hydrogen cell directly and oxygen electrolyte pumps into oxygen cell directly, and therefore gets higher purity of hydrogen and oxygen gas.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

H2 capacity	2-500 Nm3/h
O2 capacity	1-250 Nm3/h
H2 purity %	≥99.9
O2 purity %	≥99.5
Power consumption (DC)	≤4.5 kw.h/m3H2
Electrolyte	30% KOH
Work pressure	0.5-5.0MPa

Angstrom Advanced: The Path to Hydrogen - Producing clean, storable fuel from biomass

New methods of hydrogen production are being deployed, which are helping increase the efficiency of biomass facilities, creating high value, clean energy from sources of waste. Seems only natural, considering hydrogen is at the core of every energy source—from the sun that shines upon us, to the gas that powers the majority of our cars.

Thanks to older, dependable technologies that are simply being used in new, unconventional ways, biomass can now easily be converted to hydrogen. For Angstrom Advanced, this means that in large-scale anaerobic digesters and other biogas projects (including landfill gas) it’s possible to maximize the utility of natural gas products by converting it to high-purity hydrogen fuel. In modern gasification plants, operators will effectively be able to take biomass and purify it into a rich, carbon-neutral fuel source.   

Hydrogen from anaerobically digested biomass
Early-stage development of several projects in the Midwestern United States shows a growing interest in generating more advanced fuels from renewable resources. Using chaff (corn and crop byproduct) from fields to produce biogas in an anaerobic digester, farmers now have the primary fuel stock for creating hydrogen, using steam reformation (SMR) technology.

The process looks like this: through an anaerobic digester, methane is created from biologically treated biomass material like chaff, wood pulp, trimmings, dung, biomass garbage, etc. Then, using steam methane reforming equipment, the methane is purified to become high-purity hydrogen fuel, which is a truly clean, high-energy fuel.
 
The benefit of producing hydrogen is contained in the differences in heating value between hydrocarbon gases, found in natural gas, and the much purer hydrogen fuel product. Whereas natural gas has a relatively low heating value as far as fuels are concerned—methane contains about 23,000 BTU/lb and is the primary component of most natural gas feedstocks—hydrogen fuel contains nearly three times that value within the same mass.

Whether planning to produce electricity, heating, or chemicals from a biomass facility, hydrogen is inherently more productive than methane and other hydrocarbon gases.

The hydrogen fuel product is also cleaner than natural gas produced from most biomass and anaerobic digestion facilities. Using advanced gas reforming technology, an operator of a natural gas plant can easily remove the carbon stream from their production line. Aside from the benefit of creating an end product, which is more uniform and of higher quality (just think, for comparison’s sake, of high octane fuel versus low octane fuel), there’s also legislative benefits in terms of carbon taxes—enabling biomass plants to generate additional revenue from carbon taxes.

Hydrogen from syngas
Another potential application of hydrogen technology in the biomass industry, which is proving interesting to stakeholders, is its application to gasified biomass facilities. Biomass gasification turns biomass, such as chaff, wood pulp, or any biomass material, into a gasified product called syngas. Syngas is primarily hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and water. Using phase shifting equipment, which has been standard in the petrochemical industry for over 20 years, biomass gasifiers can maximize the amount of energy created from their biomass feedstock by turning excess carbon monoxide into hydrogen fuel.

Using a simple set of equipment at the end of a gasifier’s line, a gasification plant can turn a toxic pollutant into a highly useful and clean fuel. In this case, however, there is a catch. This equipment does have an intermediary bi-product of CO2. Fortunately, most modern equipment manufacturers can easily equip carbon sequestration onto a gasification facility at small, additional cost.
 
High growth, great profits
After a digestion facility or a gasification facility is equipped with optimized hydrogen generation equipment, the plant has a great range of potential users. Apart from the traditional demand of hydrogen in the thermal power industry, chemical manufacturing, fertilizer manufacturing, electronics industry, and many other heavy industries, there’s a rising demand for hydrogen in the emerging fuel cell industry.

According to a new report by Frost and Sullivan, major automobile OEMs are planning to release at least a 5,000 fuel cell vehicle (FCV) by 2015 in the US, including about 58,000 FCVs in Japan and Korea. Moreover, many utilities and businesses are now capitalizing on the benefits of stationary fuel cells to provide power, heating, and cooling to their assets. Fuel cell users are increasing rapidly, and will need a steady supply of hydrogen fuel to feed their new demand. Successful manufacturers of hydrogen generation equipment must be adaptive of the market demand, providing flexible solutions that can produce hydrogen gas on small and large scales—and with feedstocks that aren’t only traditional (like natural gas), but also modern (like biogas, syngas, and renewable electricity.)

The main purpose of creating hydrogen in any biomass facility is to maximize the value derived from the biomass resource. By mass, hydrogen creates a very large amount of energy: 120MJ/kg versus 60MJ/kg for methane, the primary component of natural gas/biogas.

Where costs used to be a concern, technology is stepping forward with financially sound solutions. It is now economically feasible to generate hydrogen fuel from existing feedstocks, including biomass, biogas, or syngas. The first facilities have emerged in Europe and Canada, creating hydrogen commercially from renewable resources. It is only a matter of time when demand for the only truly clean, storable fuel will force the hydrogen economy into mass adoption.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced now provides hydrogen fueling stations.

Boston, United States

Angstrom Advanced now has the capability to provide the 50Kg/hour production capacity Hydrogen Fueling Stations, after collaborating with leading research organizations and national laboratories in the United States for years. This technology has made the Hydrogen Fueling Station ready for commercial operation around the world, and we are only waiting for the auto makers, such as Toyota, Honda, Daimler, Nissan, Audi and GM to release Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in the next a few years.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Not only can Angstrom Advanced supply commercial scale Hydrogen Fueling Station, but we also integrated with residential scale hydrogen fueling machine, which allows every family to enjoy using 100% clean energy for their gas, heating and electricity need at home.

Angstrom Advanced Inc 2013 Electrolyser

    The key component of Angstrom Advanced hydrogen generators is the electrolyzer; in it, water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, the equation is 2H2O==2 H2+O2

    The structure of electrolyser is bipolar press type, the cell of electrolyser is divided into anode cell and cathode cell. Electrolyser is full of electrolyte (30% KOH). Hydrogen is generated in cathode side, Cathodic reaction: 4H2O+4e==2H2+4OH-

    The hydrogen generated in cathodic cell and its electrolyte is sent to hydrogen separator in auxiliary equipment frame, there hydrogen is separated with electrolyte under the action of gravity, then hydrogen passes through hydrogen cooler and is cooled to the temperature of 30~425℃, later hydrogen gas passes though the hydrogen demister to remove water, its pressure is raised to the set value by means of pneumatic regulation valve. The electrolyte at the bottom of hydrogen separator is pumped out and flows though lye filter and lye cooler, at last returns to the electrolyser again, the circle of hydrogen side electrolyte finished.

Oxygen is generated in anode side.

Anodic reaction: 4OH- == O2+2H2O+4e

    Oxygen and electrolyte from anode side are pumped into oxygen separator, there oxygen separates with electrolyte under the action of gravity, then oxygen passes through oxygen cooler, be cooled to the temperature of 30~425℃, where after it passes through oxygen demister to remove liquid water from gas. The electrolyte at the bottom of oxygen separator is pumped back to oxygen side cell of the electrolyser after filtering and cooling, oxygen side circulation is finished.

Description of the System

    According to the capacity and work pressure of hydrogen generator, the handling capacity of hydrogen purifier is determined. In order to guarantee the quality of hydrogen after purification, we use purified hydrogen as regeneration gas.

    The total system includes hydrogen generator, hydrogen purifier, electrical and control unit as well as a hydrogen buffer tank and a storage container.In this unit, water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, the equation is

2H2O==2 H2+O2.

    Hydrogen, oxygen and electrolyte are sent to hydrogen and oxygen separators installed in auxiliary equipment frame, there hydrogen and oxygen are separated with electrolyte under the action of gravity, hydrogen and oxygen gases pass through hydrogen and oxygen coolers separately and are cooled to the temperature of 30~425℃, then pass through hydrogen and oxygen demisters to remove liquefied water from gases, then hydrogen and oxygen are supplied out. The pressure of the system is raised to and maintained at the set pressure by means of regulation valve. The electrolyte at the bottom of hydrogen and oxygen separators is pumped back to electrolyser after filtering and cooling, then, one circle is finished.

    The hydrogen from water electrolysis has the advantages of high purity and simple composition, normally only has the impurities like oxygen and water, it is easy to purify it to much higher purity used in electronic industry.

    There is a hydrogen buffer tank between hydrogen generator and hydrogen purification equipment; it is used to remove dissociative water from hydrogen and to keep the pressure of hydrogen purification unit stable. Hydrogen flows into purifier though this buffer. The action of purification equipment is to purify the hydrogen generated by hydrogen generator. The oxygen is removed though chemical reaction under the action of catalyst, and water is removed by the way of adsorption.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

More information on the electrolyser can be found here.

Angstrom Advanced was invited to a 2013 International Biomass Conference

April 9th 2013 Minneapolis,MN, United States

Angstrom Advanced Inc was invited to Minneapolis, MN to speak about the future of using Hydrogen (Steam Reforming and PSA technology) to improve Biomass development and economy, at the 2013 International Biomass Conference and Expo.

"Today we focus on hydrogen-from-biomass. As a renewable energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or indirectly—once or converted into another type of energy product such as bio-fuel.

By processing biomass through various routes, we can get lots of products such as bio oil, biogas, biodiesel, ethanol… but it’s better to transform them further to hydrogen through reforming reaction while collecting the carbon dioxide meanwhile.

The most important reason we adopt hydrogen as final energy carrier instead of other forms is the inherit properties of hydrogen:1) clean, 2) inexhaustible, 3) high energy density. " More articles will be released about using Hydrogen in Biomass projects. Please pay attention to our press releases.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced Hydrogen Generating Plant by Ammonia Decomposition

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced Hydrogen Generating Plant by Ammonia Decomposition

For more information please call Angstrom Advanced at: 781.519.4765

www.angstrom-advanced.com

Request an Estimate

The Hydrogen Generating Plant by Ammonia Decomposition offers a variety of benefits. The system is low cost, has a long service life, simple operation, compact structure, small coverage, and simple installation. The system vaporizes liquid ammonia, and heats it with a catalyst until decomposition occurs, creating a mixture of gas consisting of 75% hydrogen and 25% nitrogen. Based on the principle that the molecular sieve adsorbs ammonia and water at different temperatures, high purity gas is produced by heat regenerating through the mixture working at normal temperature.

Specifications
Hydrogen Production	5-500NM3/H
Impurity Oxygen	≤2ppm
Residual Ammonia	≤3ppm
Dew Point	≤-65°C
Dew Point	0.05-0.2Mpa

Angstrom Advanced partnering with Ballard Corp

Braintree, MA, United States

Braintree, Massachusetts, USA  Feb 22, 2012 – Angstrom Advanced Inc, the leader in Hydrogen technology is collaborating with Ballard Corp. of Burnaby, BC Canada to bring ground-breaking renewable energy systems to the International markets. Combining Angstrom’s innovations in hydrogen generation/storage, and Ballard’s fuel cell technologies, the collaboration is bringing customers closer to creating their own “carbon-neutral” energy.

Hydrogen technology has advanced in recent years, and Angstrom is taking innovation to the next level. After having recently completed testing their patents with the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL), Angstrom continues to push forward towards perfecting sustainable power systems using Hydrogen as a fuel carrier, the most abundant element on earth. Powered only by the fluctuating sources of sun or wind, the system is able to harness close to 100% of those sources to create immediate and stored power for any building over its lifetime.

With an open mindset and strong business relations, Angstrom is sure to be a leader in the new hydrogen economy. When many clients worldwide are looking to switch to Hydrogen, Angstrom Advanced Inc. analyzes the best avenues for design, build, and construction for each client. Having plants all around the world, Angstrom Advanced combines with technology from Ballard, and continues to make a difference for all citizens in the harnessing and long-term creation of clean energy.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced Membrane Separation Technology

Angstrom Advanced Inc. Nitrogen Generators by Membrane Separation are the most common type of nitrogen generator where high nitrogen purity is not a critical requirement. Considering the economic performance, most economically sound is the use of air separation plants for nitrogen generation designed on the basis of hollow-fiber polymer membranes.
If 95%-99.9% pure gaseous nitrogen is required where capacity rate does not exceed 1000 nm³/hr, membrane air separation technology appears to be the most suitable option. Considering the economic performance, most economically sound is the use of air separation plants for nitrogen generation designed on the basis of hollow-fiber polymer membranes.
Membrane air separation technology:
The operation of membrane systems is based on the principle of differential velocity with which various gas mixture components permeate membrane substance. The driving force in the gas separation process is the difference in partial pressures on different membrane sides.A hollow-fiber membrane represents a cylindrical cartridge functioning as a spool with specifically reeled polymer fibers. Gas flow is supplied under pressure into a bundle of membrane fibers. Due to the difference in partial pressures on the external and internal membrane surface gas flow separation is accomplished.
Membrane technology is characterized by low power consumption and the absence of moving parts.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced Inc. Mission Statement and History

At Angstrom Advanced Inc. it is our goal to strive forward and utilize whatever resources possible to research and develop leading renewable technologies that will result in a healthier and more efficient future. We use connections and company relationships throughout the globe to build quality, lasting technologies that will benefit the globe as a whole at affordable prices. With innovative technology in Hydrogen Production, Wind Turbine Production and Photovoltaic, Angstrom Advanced is committed solving the carbon emissions problem we face today as a whole. A new application of hydrogen is being deployed that’s helping solve humanity’s ever-evolving energy woes. Traditionally, hydrogen has a large number of applications, used in everything from industrial products to food packaging. It’s also a primary component in ammonia. Ammonia used in fertilizer and industrial processes amounted to 160 million-tons worldwide in 2011 alone.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.


Not surprisingly, the market demand for new, less expensive sources of hydrogen is driven heavily by fertilizer and manufacturing processes. However, a new market demand is emerging for hydrogen in another sector: energy. Power plants in Germany and in Canada (using wind and natural gas, respectively) are today supplementing their primary electrical generators with advanced configurations of hydrogen technologies. These retrofits help plants save money by smoothing supply, and converting excess electricity generated into storable hydrogen gas, which can be returned to electricity using a turbine generator or a fuel cell.

For natural gas-fired plants, there are enormous expenses associated with starting the generators from scratch—from the amount of fuel it takes to the time it takes to gain momentum. To mitigate this concern, operators often continuously run their turbines, regardless of electricity demands. Fuel and energy are, therefore, wasted, as the additional electricity generated is more than the plant will be paid for or is expected to supply.

Wind farms face a similar supply-demand problem. Although wind is free (unlike natural gas), it’s often generated at times when there isn’t a demand for the electricity (off-peak hours). As a result, there tends to be an abundant supply of low-cost, renewable energy that goes unused, and never paid for.

The Angstrom Advanced hydrogen solution:

To cut costs and expand margins, the hydrogen power plant strategy is simple: store extra electricity supply as high-energy hydrogen gas, and deliver it later as electricity, when it’s not only in demand but also revenue-generating.

In the last two years, there’s been a lot of public and private attention directed at hydrogen technologies, especially in distributed generation and renewable hydrogen energy. To be clear, hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a source, as it doesn’t actually make energy. It needs the reaction with a catalyst and oxygen to release its contained energy, which often occurs in a fuel cell. Hydrogen is not naturally occurring anywhere on earth, such as oil or coal or even sunlight. Rather, hydrogen must be obtained from processes like electrolysis (running direct current through water to make H2), or reforming natural gas (which contains hydrogen). As this first method demands energy usually derived from fossil fuel, and the latter is derived directly from a fossil fuel, it’s seems reasonable to question hydrogen as a clean energy solution.

Hydrogen produces only pure water when used for energy, so if it takes carbon-intensive fuels to make the hydrogen, then why explore it as a source of clean energy? Fortunately, there are many sources of energy in the world that don’t contain fossil fuels. Indeed, hydrogen can—and has been—created through electrolysis powered by clean energy, and more projects combining renewable energy and hydrogen are being developed right now.

Hydrogen & wind:

In no industry are the benefits of supplemental hydrogen systems more apparent than for wind energy. Diminishing tax credits and subsidies have encouraged developers, operators, and owners to explore new ways to increase margins on current and developing wind projects. Additionally, in the wind industry, everyone knows and fears the concept of “curtailment”—the forced shutdown of renewable energy infrastructure by utilities or other PPA recipients. Curtailment occurs when the grid is overloaded by electrical supply, and utilities have contracts with suppliers other than renewable wind and solar. When curtailment occurs, wind turbines and solar panels lay idle. During curtailment, renewable energy operators’ assets sit and depreciate, generating little or no revenue. In certain regions, like Texas and Oklahoma, curtailment occurs as often as 50% of generating time.

A hydrogen-based energy storage system provides operators of wind-generation assets a solution to the issues of curtailment and diminished returns from generating during off-peak hours. Storing less valuable energy generated in curtailment or off-peak periods, wind farm operators can return the energy to the grid in higher value, on-peak times, using a hydrogen fuel cell. The differences in tariff prices written into wind farm PPAs is often considerable enough to consider storage, and many inherent characteristics of fuel cell technology make it a front-runner for future energy storage projects.

Hydrogen & energy storage:

In a commercial sense, the hydrogen debate has been gridlocked for years, without much attention in political and business agendas because of the perceived high costs of the technology. Today, new technologies and unique business models present a strong case for implementing hydrogen-based energy storage—especially when paired with intermittent renewable energy sources. Compared to alternate energy storage methods, hydrogen has real advantages that all consummate cost reduction and margin expansion.

For one, the cost of electrolyzers (the instrument which creates hydrogen from electricity and water) has decreased 25% in the last 10 years, and new innovations in fuel cell technology have made the systems more efficient. Consider that the average US coal-fired power plants are 40% efficient. And, the round-trip efficiency of hydrogen storage systems (“round-trip” referring to the energy loop of electricity-to-hydrogen-to-electricity again) has now reached 45% efficiency. Electrolysis techniques have reduced the need for additional transformers, so systems can adapt to the current and voltage of wind turbines and transmission facilities. This reduces capital cost for additional transformers and increases system efficiency due to the system losses associated with transformer technology.

Secondly, fuel cells are a much more suitable storage technology for grid applications because they provide a constant level of energy, as opposed to alternative methods such as batteries or compressed air, which decrease in output over time.

Niche markets appear to be fully embracing the potential of hydrogen. Germany already has hydrogen-power plants, and a new transportation project that’s building 50 new refueling stations to supply hydrogen-powered vehicles. In the US, hydrogen buses are in operation in Austin, Birmingham, Cleveland, and several other cities. There’s also a large bus fleet in Reykjavik, Iceland where there’s a vast supply of renewable energy to cheaply create hydrogen fuel. OEM are already predicting an energy market transformation with a planned rollout of hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles starting in 2014 from Mercedes Benz, BMW, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, Honda, and Ford. Hydrogen energy, it seems, is no longer an idyllic power solution but, rather, a market-based clean energy solution.

Samuel Sterling is a marketing and business development consultant for Angstrom Advanced Inc.

Angstrom Advanced Inc. is a technology manufacturer that specializes in designing and deploying residential, commercial, and industrial-scale electrolyzers used for renewable energy storage, transportation fuel, natural gas plant peaking, distributed generation, and more.

History:

• 2007:
• Company focused on gas products and laboratory instruments.
• Partnered with Wind Option LLA, a wind power company in Turkey, Texas.
• Initiated R&D on efficient transfer of renewable power into hydrogen for better storage and wider use.
• Expanded client network in North America and Middle East quickly.
• 2008:
• Cooperated with Sandia National Laboratories and Air products and Chemical Inc. in R&D and market development.
• Research and development of Angstrom Advanced Renewable Power Generating System improved 40% efficiency.
• Company yearly sales increased by 100% and entered South American, European, and African markets.
• 2009:
• Worked with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
• Finalized Angstrom Advanced Renewable Power Generating System, the first one in the world.
• Prototype product ready and applied for US patent.
• Sales increased by 50% even though the market was decreasing.

Angstrom Advanced Knowledge Base: Hydrogen Generating Plant

Hydrogen Plant Electrolyser

Oxygen and electrolyte from anode side are pumped into oxygen separator, there oxygen separates with electrolyte under the action of gravity, then oxygen passes through oxygen cooler, be cooled to the temperature of 30~425℃, where after it passes through oxygen demister to remove liquid water from gas. The electrolyte at the bottom of oxygen separator is pumped back to oxygen side cell of the electrolyser after filtering and cooling, oxygen side circulation is finished.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

According to the capacity and work pressure of hydrogen generator, the handling capacity of hydrogen purifier is determined. In order to guarantee the quality of hydrogen after purification, we use purified hydrogen as regeneration gas.

The total system includes hydrogen generator, hydrogen purifier, electrical and control unit as well as a hydrogen buffer tank and a storage container. In this unit, water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis, the equation is: 2H2O==2 H2+O2. There is a hydrogen buffer tank between hydrogen generator and hydrogen purification equipment; it is used to remove dissociative water from hydrogen and to keep the pressure of hydrogen purification unit stable. Hydrogen flows into purifier though this buffer. The action of purification equipment is to purify the hydrogen generated by hydrogen generator. The oxygen is removed though chemical reaction under the action of catalyst, and water is removed by the way of adsorption.

Hydrogen, oxygen and electrolyte are sent to hydrogen and oxygen separators installed in auxiliary equipment frame, there hydrogen and oxygen are separated with electrolyte under the action of gravity, hydrogen and oxygen gases pass through hydrogen and oxygen coolers separately and are cooled to the temperature of 30~425℃, then pass through hydrogen and oxygen demisters to remove liquefied water from gases, then hydrogen and oxygen are supplied out. The pressure of the system is raised to and maintained at the set pressure by means of regulation valve. The electrolyte at the bottom of hydrogen and oxygen separators is pumped back to electrolyser after filtering and cooling, then, one circle is finished.

The hydrogen from the Angstrom Advanced water electrolysis process has the advantages of high purity and simple composition, normally only has the impurities like oxygen and water, it is easy to purify it to much higher purity used in electronic industry.

There is a hydrogen buffer tank between hydrogen generator and hydrogen purification equipment; it is used to remove dissociative water from hydrogen and to keep the pressure of hydrogen purification unit stable. Hydrogen flows into purifier though this buffer. The action of purification equipment is to purify the hydrogen generated by hydrogen generator. The oxygen is removed though chemical reaction under the action of catalyst, and water is removed by the way of adsorption.

Overview

Electrolysis is the passage of a direct electric current through an ionic substance that is either molten or dissolved in a suitable solvent, resulting in chemical reactions at the electrodes and separation of materials.

The main components required to achieve electrolysis are:

• An electrolyte: a substance containing free ions which are the carriers of electric current in the electrolyte.
• If the ions are not mobile, as in a solid salt then electrolysis cannot occur.
• A direct current (DC) supply : provides the energy necessary to create or discharge the ions in the electrolyte.
• Electric current is carried by electrons in the external circuit.
• Two electrodes: an electrical conductor which provides the physical interface between the electrical circuit providing the energy and the electrolyte
• Electrodes of metal, graphite and semiconductor material are widely used. Choice of suitable electrode depends on chemical reactivity between the electrode and electrolyte and the cost of manufacture.

Electrolysis Process

The key process of electrolysis is the interchange of atoms and ions by the removal or addition of electrons from the external circuit. The required products of electrolysis are in some different physical state from the electrolyte and can be removed by some physical processes. For example, in the electrolysis of brine to produce hydrogen and chlorine, the products are gaseous. These gaseous products bubble from the electrolyte and are collected.

A liquid containing mobile ions (electrolyte) is produced by

• Solvation or reaction of an ionic compound with a solvent (such as water) to produce mobile ions
• An ionic compound is melted (fused) by heating
• An electrical potential is applied across a pair of electrodes immersed in the electrolyte.

Each electrode attracts ions that are of the opposite charge. Positively charged ions (cations) move towards the electron-providing (negative) cathode, whereas negatively charged ions (anions) move towards the positive anode.

At the electrodes, electrons are absorbed or released by the atoms and ions. Those atoms that gain or lose electrons to become charged ions pass into the electrolyte. Those ions that gain or lose electrons to become uncharged atoms separate from the electrolyte. The formation of uncharged atoms from ions is called discharging. The energy required to cause the ions to migrate to the electrodes, and the energy to cause the change in ionic state, is provided by the external source of electrical potential.

Angstrom Advanced Knowledge Base: Nitrogen Generating Plant

Angstrom Advanced is the leading supplier of Nitrogen Generators for refinery, petrochemical and other industrial applications. Our services for Nitrogen Generating Plant projects typically include conceptual design, detailed engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, start-up and operational training. Angstrom Advanced provides a lump-sum, turnkey solution, handling everything from concept to start-up with our own resources whenever possible. With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Liquid Nitrogen Generator Components

Air Compressor A multi-stage, heavy duty water-cooled air compressor for continuous 24 hours operation, horizontal type complete with flywheel intercooler, foundation bolts, motor pulley, motor, v-belt, guard and slide rails. The compressor is used to compress atmospheric air. Air Separation Column This consist of the outer steel casing complete with top column, bottom column, condenser, sub-cooler, re-boiler, exchanger 1, exchanger 2, control panel, instruments, pressure gauges, digital automatic temperature scanner with pt-100 sensors, expansion valves, analysis valves, inlet & outlet, air oxygen and nitrogen, gas lines with control valves neatly mounted and firmly fixed on the cold box. Expansion Engine Complete with branded motor/starter of Siemens / ABB world class quality. Expansion Engine is complete with hydraulic valve control, bursting disc for safety, complete with fly wheel pressure gauge, motor pulley V belt, Belt guard, slide rails inter connected pipes (inlet and outlet) High Pressure Filling Manifold For filling high-pressure Oxygen to Cylinders. It consists of main High Pressure Isolation Valve and Pigtail filling connection with individual regulation Valve with Pressure Gauge and Safety Relief Valve. Liquid Oxygen Pump Horizontal single acting pump with Piston, Piston Rings - oil free - Teflon with guide ring, Safety Devices, Non-Return Valves, Motor with Pulley, V-Belts, Belt Guard, Inter Connecting Pipes with ducting to cold box suitable for filling Oxygen Air Purifier / Process Skid This consists of the following Parts: 1) After cooler with tank 2) Nitrogen cooler with tank 3) Moisture separators 4) Chilling units with Freon unit 5) Oil absorber filled with alumina 6) Molecular sieve batteries on skid 7) Defrost heaters 8) Gas/Air/water line as per standard layout on skid /platform prefabricated and ready for installation 9) Water pump 10) Inlet & outlet water lines 11) Drain manifold complete with ball valves for draining moisture. All the above equipments are properly mounted on skid /platform complete with interconnecting piping and ready for installation

Membrane Separation Technology

Nitrogen Generators by Membrane Separation is the most common type of nitrogen generator where high nitrogen purity is not a critical requirement. Considering the economic performance, most economically sound is the use of air separation plants for nitrogen generation designed on the basis of hollow-fiber polymer membranes. If 95%-99.9% pure gaseous nitrogen is required where capacity rate does not exceed 1000 nm³/hr, membrane air separation technology appears to be the most suitable option. Considering the economic performance, most economically sound is the use of air separation plants for nitrogen generation designed on the basis of hollow-fiber polymer membranes. Membrane air separation technology The operation of membrane systems is based on the principle of differential velocity with which various gas mixture components permeate membrane substance. The driving force in the gas separation process is the difference in partial pressures on different membrane sides.A hollow-fiber membrane represents a cylindrical cartridge functioning as a spool with specifically reeled polymer fibers. Gas flow is supplied under pressure into a bundle of membrane fibers. Due to the difference in partial pressures on the external and internal membrane surface gas flow separation is accomplished. Membrane technology is characterized by low power consumption and the absence of moving parts.

Knowledge base: Nitrogen Generating Plant

Nitrogen Generator Components

PSA Nitrogen Generator can be divided into three units: Air compressor and purification system Oxygen and nitrogen separation unit Nitrogen storage and flow control system

Benefits of using PSA Nitrogen Generator

High Reliability: Proven PSA technology, simple engineering design, few moving parts and international standardized manufacturing techniques ensure minimal maintenance and maximum reliability. Low Cost: Patented high-efficiency control system reduces air consumption, and saves power. Automatic Control: Unattended operation fully controlled by PLC automatically. Touch-screen control, display and alarm system enables the system to be operated by one touch. Display also show working parameters, and provides filter changing reminders, and trouble shooting instructions. Easy Installation: Skid mounted for easy installation and movement. Long Service-life: Exclusive bed containment system extends Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) bed life to more than ten years. Minimal Maintenance: The generator has highly-reliable valves and no other moving parts. Filter elements are easily replaced.

Angstrom Advanced - Hydrogen on the Rise: A renewable energy based storage solution

A new application of hydrogen is being deployed that’s helping solve humanity’s ever-evolving energy woes. Traditionally, hydrogen has a large number of applications, used in everything from industrial products to food packaging. It’s also a primary component in ammonia. Ammonia used in fertilizer and industrial processes amounted to 160 million-tons worldwide in 2011 alone.

Not surprisingly, the market demand for new, less expensive sources of hydrogen is driven heavily by fertilizer and manufacturing processes. However, a new market demand is emerging for hydrogen in another sector: energy. Power plants in Germany and in Canada (using wind and natural gas, respectively) are today supplementing their primary electrical generators with advanced configurations of hydrogen technologies. These retrofits help plants save money by smoothing supply, and converting excess electricity generated into storable hydrogen gas, which can be returned to electricity using a turbine generator or a fuel cell.

For natural gas-fired plants, there are enormous expenses associated with starting the generators from scratch—from the amount of fuel it takes to the time it takes to gain momentum. To mitigate this concern, operators often continuously run their turbines, regardless of electricity demands. Fuel and energy are, therefore, wasted, as the additional electricity generated is more than the plant will be paid for or is expected to supply.

Wind farms face a similar supply-demand problem. Although wind is free (unlike natural gas), it’s often generated at times when there isn’t a demand for the electricity (off-peak hours). As a result, there tends to be an abundant supply of low-cost, renewable energy that goes unused, and never paid for.

The hydrogen solution
To cut costs and expand margins, the hydrogen power plant strategy is simple: store extra electricity supply as high-energy hydrogen gas, and deliver it later as electricity, when it’s not only in demand but also revenue-generating.

In the last two years, there’s been a lot of public and private attention directed at hydrogen technologies, especially in distributed generation and renewable hydrogen energy. To be clear, hydrogen is an energy carrier, not a source, as it doesn’t actually make energy. It needs the reaction with a catalyst and oxygen to release its contained energy, which often occurs in a fuel cell. Hydrogen is not naturally occurring anywhere on earth, such as oil or coal or even sunlight. Rather, hydrogen must be obtained from processes like electrolysis (running direct current through water to make H2), or reforming natural gas (which contains hydrogen). As this first method demands energy usually derived from fossil fuel, and the latter is derived directly from a fossil fuel, it’s seems reasonable to question hydrogen as a clean energy solution.

Hydrogen produces only pure water when used for energy, so if it takes carbon-intensive fuels to make the hydrogen, then why explore it as a source of clean energy? Fortunately, there are many sources of energy in the world that don’t contain fossil fuels. Indeed, hydrogen can—and has been—created through electrolysis powered by clean energy, and more projects combining renewable energy and hydrogen are being developed right now.

Hydrogen & wind
In no industry are the benefits of supplemental hydrogen systems more apparent than for wind energy. Diminishing tax credits and subsidies have encouraged developers, operators, and owners to explore new ways to increase margins on current and developing wind projects. Additionally, in the wind industry, everyone knows and fears the concept of “curtailment”—the forced shutdown of renewable energy infrastructure by utilities or other PPA recipients. Curtailment occurs when the grid is overloaded by electrical supply, and utilities have contracts with suppliers other than renewable wind and solar. When curtailment occurs, wind turbines and solar panels lay idle. During curtailment, renewable energy operators’ assets sit and depreciate, generating little or no revenue. In certain regions, like Texas and Oklahoma, curtailment occurs as often as 50% of generating time.

A hydrogen-based energy storage system provides operators of wind-generation assets a solution to the issues of curtailment and diminished returns from generating during off-peak hours. Storing less valuable energy generated in curtailment or off-peak periods, wind farm operators can return the energy to the grid in higher value, on-peak times, using a hydrogen fuel cell. The differences in tariff prices written into wind farm PPAs is often considerable enough to consider storage, and many inherent characteristics of fuel cell technology make it a front-runner for future energy storage projects.

Hydrogen & energy storage
In a commercial sense, the hydrogen debate has been gridlocked for years, without much attention in political and business agendas because of the perceived high costs of the technology. Today, new technologies and unique business models present a strong case for implementing hydrogen-based energy storage—especially when paired with intermittent renewable energy sources. Compared to alternate energy storage methods, hydrogen has real advantages that all consummate cost reduction and margin expansion.

For one, the cost of electrolyzers (what makes hydrogen from electricity) has decreased 25% in the last 10 years, and new innovations in fuel cell technology have made the systems more efficient. Consider that the average US coal-fired power plants are 40% efficient. And, the round-trip efficiency of hydrogen storage systems (“round-trip” referring to the energy loop of electricity-to-hydrogen-to-electricity again) has now reached 45% efficiency. Electrolysis techniques have reduced the need for additional transformers, so systems can adapt to the current and voltage of wind turbines and transmission facilities. This reduces capital cost for additional transformers and increases system efficiency due to the system losses associated with transformer technology.

Secondly, fuel cells are a much more suitable storage technology for grid applications because they provide a constant level of energy, as opposed to alternative methods such as batteries or compressed air, which decrease in output over time.  

Niche markets appear to be fully embracing the potential of hydrogen. Germany already has hydrogen-power plants, and a new transportation project that’s building 50 new refueling stations to supply hydrogen-powered vehicles. In the US, hydrogen buses are in operation in Austin, Birmingham, Cleveland, and several other cities. There’s also a large bus fleet in Reykjavik, Iceland where there’s a vast supply of renewable energy to cheaply create hydrogen fuel. OEM are already predicting an energy market transformation with a planned rollout of hydrogen, fuel cell vehicles starting in 2014 from Mercedes Benz, BMW, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, Honda, and Ford. Hydrogen energy, it seems, is no longer an idyllic power solution but, rather, a market-based clean energy solution.

 
Samuel Sterling is a marketing and business development consultant for Angstrom Advanced Inc.

Angstrom Advanced Inc. is a technology manufacturer that specializes in designing and deploying residential, commercial, and industrial-scale electrolyzers used for renewable energy storage, transportation fuel, natural gas plant peaking, distributed generation, and more

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced Renewable Power Generating System Introduction

Because of its unique design in the electric system and controlling capability, Angstrom Renewable Power Generating System can adapt 100% fluctuating power from wind turbines/solar panels, and realize 100% utilization of renewable power during the hydrogen production.

Currently, this patented technology can be applied in 2NM3 – 1000NM3/Hour hydrogen generating systems, and therefore Angstrom Advanced Inc. could provide a variety of renewable energy generating systems, customized for different clients. This technology represents a bright future of massive production and utilization of hydrogen in the 21st century.

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

Angstrom Advanced Hydrogen Generating Plant by Natural Gas Reforming

Hydrogen Generating Plant by Natural Gas Reforming

With the best rates and a highly trained staff, we guarantee to meet your needs and work with you to obtain your project goals.

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Prior to pressurization, desulfurization, and mixing with aqueous vapor, natural gas is passed through a special reformer which is packed with a catalyst for cracking and reforming the effluent mixture of hydrogen, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. After part of the heat is recovered, hydrogen will be obtained by removing excess carbon monoxide from the reformed effluent. The shift gas is then purified further through pressure swing adsorption (PSA), to obtain pure hydrogen.

Specifications
Gas Treatment	50-20000 Nm3/h
Adsorption Pressure	1.3MPA-2.0MPA
H2 purity %	99-99.999%