Nafion fuel cell humidifiers based on innovative use of fluoropolymers

Toms River, NJ (June 6, 2007) – FC-Series fuel cell humidifiers from gas conditioning specialist Perma Pure have been recognized with a 2006 DuPont Plunkett Award, honoring innovative products or applications utilizing DuPont’s fluoropolymer products.  Perma Pure uses DuPont’s Nafion® polymer Quench SR Resin to manufacture fuel cell humidifiers for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells.  The company’s FC™-Series fuel cell humidifiers are a significant advancement in the developing fuel cell market.  The compact, efficient units can be scaled for reliable fuel cell water management in portable devices, transportation vehicles and stationary power supplies.

In PEM fuel cells, where the incoming gas must be humid, FC-Series humidifiers recover water from the fuel cell exhaust and transfer it into the incoming gases by permeation through the walls of Nafion tubing, resulting in rapid, high volume moisture exchange.  This proprietary technology is available only from Perma Pure under license from DuPont.  This use represents a significant breakthrough as the units are self-limiting, have no moving parts and require no power, eliminating the parts failure, leaks and parasitic power consumption associated with alternative humidifiers.  Additionally, the Nafion design overcomes the shortcomings of microporous materials, which fail in cold temperatures.  Selective permeation ensures that there is no crossover contamination between the exhaust and incoming gases. 

The lightweight devices are available in a range of models which may be used alone or in parallel to accommodate any application size.  Fuel cell technology is an emerging clean source of energy that is being applied to a growing number of products.  Their simplicity and small size are ideal for use in portable devices such as cell phones and laptop computers.  A shock proof design and ability to withstand high operating pressures are also well suited to rugged vehicle applications such as cars, motorbikes and forklifts.  Proven reliability provides uninterrupted operation in residential power generation and backup power units.

Perma Pure was awarded second place honors in the Americas region during an April 28th ceremony in Orlando, Fla.  Named for DuPont Scientist and inventor of DuPont™ Teflon® PTFE fluoropolymer resin, Dr. Roy J. Plunkett, the Plunkett Awards look for products incorporating DuPont fluoropolymer resins, films, fibers and finishes that demonstrate distinctive benefits and a high degree of innovation.  Entries are judged by a panel of independent experts not associated with DuPont, who represent academia, the plastics industry, industry associations or the industry trade press.

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