R&D Projects
Ongoing investment in R&D activities coupled with a parallel focus on short term product development, constitute the two key forces that will move this industry forward, increase awareness, demonstrate potential, and activate infrastructure companies and the state to include fuel cell technologies in its energy strategy, as well as support it. The list below outlines a number of R&D projects which Tropical lead or participated in:
1. Design & development of a Hydrogen MiniBus (30seats) for operation at the inner centre of Athens by using the All-In-Roof rack power system which then can be implemented into different type of buses. After the completion of this pilot hydrogen minibus fifty (50) more conventional buses will be converted into hydrogen and this technology can also be offered to other bus manufacturers (under development).
2. 5kW Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Development - For this fuel cell power system the stack will be provided by Ballard Power Systems and in close cooperation this liquid cooled system will be developed. Main applications will be homes and automotive applications (under development).
3. 1kW Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Development - For this portable 1kW fuel cell power system the stack will be provided by Ballard Power Systems and in close cooperation this air cooled system will be developed. Main applications will be remote homes, caravans, telecommunication & data logging cabins and automotive applications (under development).
4. 500W Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Development - For this portable 500Watt fuel cell power system the stack will be provided by Ballard Power Systems and in close cooperation this air cooled system will be developed. Main applications will be remote homes, caravans, telecommunication & data logging cabins and automotive applications (under development).
5. 300W Hydrogen Fuel Cell System Development - This 300Watt fuel cell power system the stack will be developed for fuel cell scooters.
6. 1kW Reformate Fuel Cell System Development - This portable 1kW fuel cell power system will be developed in cooperation with HELBIO S.A. and it will operate with LPG (propane) tank. Main applications will be remote homes, caravans, telecommunication & data logging cabins and motor yachts (under development).
7. Nanotubes & Nanoscrolls – Hydrogen in Nanostructured Carbon – based materials producing light structured storage tanks designed for the automotive industry as well as for portable applications (under development).
8. Hybrid Poly-generation (All-In-One) Unit for Islands – “Green Future Home” - Design & development of a hybrid system which includes photovoltaics, wind generators, desalinization unit for producing drinkable water, water electrolyser for hydrogen production, metal hydride storage tanks where the stored hydrogen will be used at the fuel cell stack for power production as well as for charging the hydrogen tank of the fuel cell GreenCityCar (under development).
9. Research & Development of a “GreenFreezer” operating with Methanol as well as with hydrogen fuel cell system approx. 500Watt in collaboration with sister company of Coka Cola Hellas (under development).
10. Combined fermentation of biomass pyrolisis and Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) for contemporary production of gas/liquid biofuels and “Green - hydrogen” energy (under development).
11. Development and Application of Novel Bi-metallic Anodic Electrodes for Direct Hydrocarbon Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC). Developing new low cost electrodes keeping the efficiency of the membrane on high levels (under development).
12. Understanding Microscale Mechanisms in the Cathode Gas Diffusion Layer of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. Developing new microscale membrane for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cells (under development).
13. Medium-scale focused research project for materials and processes for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) while it will be Developed Hybrid Nanostructured Fillers and Catalyst Supports for PEM fuel cells with the acronym HyPEM (submitted & waiting for approval).
14. Medium-scale focused research project for H2 storage in novel nanostructured solid materials with the acronym, HYSOMAT. The materials to be studied can be considered as hybrids because they combine the high surface area and tailored porosity of carbon materials with the strong interaction hydrogen-light metals (submitted & waiting for approval).
15. Medium-scale focused research project for Innovative combined thermo gravimetric and calorimetric technique for thermal investigations of nanomaterials under high pressure, where Hystore Technologies Ltd will also participate. Applications to the determination of energetics, thermodynamics and kinetics of solid gas reactions for various H-storage nanomaterials (submitted & waiting for approval).
