New APEAMembers

Researchers at the University of Warwick's Warwick Process Technology Group are leading a programme called "Hydrofueler" to connect petrol stations to the normal natural gas supply to fuel hydrogen powered vehicles.

The 2.8 million euro EC funded three year research programme has already drawn interest from Exxon Mobil and BMW. One of the problems with using hydrogen powered cars is how do you keep their fuel cells supplied with a ready source of hydrogen?

The Warwick researchers believe that much of the necessary infrastructure already exists - the new technology can be fitted to preexisting filling stations who will then use it to produce hydrogen from the normal pre-existing natural gas pipeline supply system. To do this however you need to resolve a number of problems. In particular how to produce the hydrogen from that natural gas in a confined space, using a simple automated remotely controlled process. Obviously very large scale industrial processes already exist to produce hydrogen from natural gas but these technologies cannot be scaled down to compact size needed to be practical in a filling station context and the costs of using these processes would be prohibitive.

The new University of Warwick research solves these problems by a combination of innovative heat exchange technology, novel ways of managing and using heat reactor technology, and the use of new coated nanocrystaline catalysts to greatly increase the efficiency of there actions. These techniques will allow the researchers to develop a reactor around the size of three average office desks which can be used in the confined space available on pre-existing petrol station forecourts and which will produce hydrogen at a cost effective rate and without any emissions problems.

The research will draw on technology developed by University of Warwick Process Technology Group researcher Dr Ashok Bhattacharya, and the following research partners: Chart Heat Exchangers Ltd in Wolverhampton, England; France's Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique; Norway's Foundation for Technical and Industrial Research in Strindveien (SINTEF); The National Research Council of Italy; and catalyst specialists Dytech in Sheffield, England. Another advantage of the technology proposed by the Warwick team is that the process employs a number of stages at which hydrogen reaches different rates of purity.This is ideal, as different sorts of fuel cell will require different mixes of hydrogen. Thus the technology proposed can in one reactor simultaneously produce what one might describe as 2, 3 and 4 star hydrogen! The researchers are also considering using the technology to carry out hydrogen production within car engines and also as a possible replacement for large industrial hydrogen production processes.

Lineloop Petrol/Diesel Discrimination Device

The AA have received a rising number of calls resulting from misfuelled vehicles (45,000 compared with 37,000 last year). The majority have resulted from the fuelling of diesel vehicles with petrol.It costs the driver approximately £120 to drain a vehicle with the incorrect fuel, this figure is much higher if the engine is started. Lineloop's innovative discrimination technology can prevent it.

Using infra-red gas sensors provided by e2v technologies and connected to a standard vapour recovery nozzle, the fuel pump can be configured to determine which fuel is present in the petrol tank of the target vehicle. If the vehicle is petrol fuelled, the pump will operate normally allowing the driver to dispense their fuel and pay in the usual fashion. If the vehicle is diesel fuelled, the pumped flow will be ceased.If no vehicle is present or if the fuel is being dispensed into an inappropriate container, the pumped flow will be ceased. e2v technologies is a leading manufacturer of gas sensors and sensing solutions for the fixed and portable industrial safety marketplace. For over 40 years instrumentation manufacturers have relied on their high quality sensors to protect workers on oil rigs, in mines and tunnels and anywhere where flammable or toxic gases may be present. Their nondispersive infra-red (NDIR) sensors boast:

• Intrinsically safe operation

• Non-invasive, non-chemical detection principle

• The ability to operate in a wide range of ambient pressure, temperature and humidity

• Long operating lifetimes with long maintenance and calibration intervals

Lineloop Limited have provided complex consultancy Information Technology services to many leading companies in the U.K. and Europe. Using the basic concepts of Programme Management and extensive research, these skills have been now been used to solve the most basic, but unresolved problem of incorrect forecourt fuel delivery.

Working in partnership with e2v technologies, a patented device has now been built and the concept is proven using the industry's standard fuel delivery systems.

For more information on this leading edge development or to arrange a demonstration of the device please do not hesitate to contact us.

e2v technologies Contact: Terry Brown Tel. +44 1245 453675 e-mail: terry.brown@e2vtechnologies.com

Lineloop Contact: Steve Lunn Tel. +44 1642 640275 e-mail: steve@linloop.co.uk

Scotland: Feb 13 2003. Petrol Tankers Train derailed

A train loaded with petrol derailed yesterday. The train left the tracks