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HELP (Hydrogen Energy at Low Pressure) : On-demand, easy-to-use dihydrogen generation solution

Domains Energy
Mobility

Technology Hydrogen technologies

Market challenges

Hydrogen is one of the main promising solution to replace fossil fuels and moves towards producing "green" and sustainable energy

Currently, one of the technological barriers to the use of fuel cells concerns the fuel supply: hydrogen.

One of the possible solutions is not to store hydrogen but to produce it on demand.

Applications

  • Mobility : Electric bicycle, scooter, cart, car, wheelchair, trains ...
  • Portable backup power source : Electronic equipment recharge

Competitives advantages

  • Transportable: Compact technology
  • Safe: No storage of flammable and explosive gas
  • Without constraint: Reaction at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure
  • Controlled: The amount of hydrogen to be generated is directly proportional to the amount of reagent and salt water brought together
  • Cost effective

How it works

The HELP technology offers a portable on-demand hydrogen generation unit, especially for fuel cell power.

In particular, the technology concerns: a device for producing dihydrogen capable of supplying a fuel cell. This reactor operates from a consumable capsule comprising a magnesium-based material intended to hydrolyze in contact with an aqueous solution stored in a tank.

Characteristics

Properties

Value

Extension of autonomy

P < 10W

E < 20 Wh

M(Mg) < 10g

On demand production

10W < P < 500W

20Wh < E < 150Wh

10g < M(Mg)  < 100g

Tank refill

500W < P < 2kW

150Wh < E < 700Wh

100g < M(Mg) <500g

Development Status

TRL : 5

  • In technological maturation
  • POC
  • A prototype has been developed

Prototype performance

Tests have been carried out to demonstrate that the hydrogen produced by this prototype generator makes it possible to feed continuously, for a substantial period of time, a charged PEM fuel cell to generate an electric power compatible required by an electric assistance from a bicycle.

Inventors

Developed by a research team of 

ICMCB / IMS

IP

2 Patents granted :

US 10,407,303 B2

EP 337 10 87 B1

Use of a magnesium-based material for producing dihydrogen or electricity

Contact

Benoît SORE

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