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November 6, 2014
Students participating in the English-HAN minor Out of Control, visited on September 22, 2014 Ceramic Fuel Cells (CFCL) in the German Heinsberg. The HAN will conduct research into fuel cells with blue gene technology, which are produced there.

Reducing CO2 emissions

The CFCL plant is in Heinsberg, a modest town with 41,000 inhabitants, just over the border near Roermond. The CFCL-terrain is characterized by buildings with weathered walls and rusted ironwork. They betray a long industrial history.
Unlike before, the work concerns in this area for a drastic reduction in CO2 emissions.


Photo: Minor Students Out of Control visiting the German fuel cell plant © HAN

Blue gene technology

The Australian parent company CFCL produces ceramic fuel cells with so-called blue gene technology, which (natural) convert gas into electricity. A large part of the energy that is not converted into electricity, heat water. This whole process takes place within a household.
The fuel cells have an efficiency of up to 60%. That is much more efficient than a regular gas plant. 'Die loses 65 to 70% of the energy in the form of heat. Moreover, 5 to 8% of the energy lost during the distribution of electricity, "says sales manager Jan-Willem Tolkamp during an introductory presentation.

Renewable energy

Much energy can be saved by making electricity more efficiently. This provision expands, the transition from fossil to renewable energy.
"More and more power is consumed. The house of the future has a heat pump and there is an electric car for the door, "says Tolkamp.
The ceramic fuel cell may also provide electricity when renewable energy sources are important unusable. "If we use solar panels and wind turbines we need at times when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing a backup provision, 'says Tolkamp.

Tour of the CFCL plant

The students and staff HAN Not long after the opening presentation guided by long factory. Aart-Jan de Graaf, HAN lecturer Measurement and Control , Ballard Asare-Bediako (HAN researcher), Carolien Stroomer, Ton Brighten (both HAN-teachers) and 9 students go through the production process.

Ceramic fuel cell

The tour starts in a room where the chemical part of the production process takes place. There are tubes of pasta with robotic arms that applying the paste on parts of ceramic fuel cell. And cabinets
The conversion to electricity is largely due to a chemical process. The gas in the ceramic fuel cell is not burned. HAN delegation ends in a test room where fully assembled fuel to run. Stand
Jan-Willem Tolkamp stressed that the white cabinets are connected to the regular water and gas. He realizes that natural gas is not quite durable, but expect this to change in the future.
"Our equipment is also suitable for sustainable gasvarianten. If in the future biogas flows through the net, the ceramic fuel cells can still be used. "


Solar Demo Lab

HAN purchased a ceramic fuel cell and put it in the Solar Demo Lab, a laboratory for sustainable energy in Arnhem. The equipment is tested in an off-grid situation.
"The device must be able to respond to changes in load. This may help to stabilize the grid, "explains the fuel HAN lecturer Aart Jan de Graaf.
Once the installation at the Solar Lab Demo condition, students work minor Out of Control on concrete research assignments. How this exact form, it is not yet clear. These are formulated yet.
Source: HAN SEECE

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