Customer case: Technical guidance and supply of instrumentation for Power-to-X application gives promising results for the customer. With this delivery by Hans Buch, the customer has documented the right instrumentation to build larger plants.

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Power-to-X (PtX) is one of the most advanced and applicable technologies to promote the production and storage of green energy. It is therefore with pride that Hans Buch is now assisting one of Denmark’s leading and largest industrial companies in the area with reliable components for future energy production.

The customer’s PtX application consisting of fuel cells requires continuous monitoring and adjustments to maintain functionality. A number of factors can affect the functionality of a fuel cell, which is largely dependent on environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity.

• The challenge: Proper instrumentation to maintain operating principles of a fuel cell.
• The solution: Technical guidance from Hans Buch on instrumentation from E+E in the form of humidity and temperature measurement (EE23) and dew point measurement (EE371).
• The result: Increased efficiency with increased performance and increased lifetime of the fuel cells in the PtX application.

The PtX application consists of fuel cells that split water (H2O) into hydrogen (hydrogen, H2) and oxygen (oxygen, O2) for the production of electrical energy.

Also read the knowledge article: “What is PtX?“

Highly suitable sensors for demanding applications

E+E Elektronik is the manufacturer of the instrumentation, which Hans Buch has provided technical guidance on and delivered to the customer. The components in question is the moisture meter EE23 and the dew point meter EE371, which were chosen for the customer’s PtX application, and which have proven to be an highly suitable solution.

The sensor element itself ages over time, and Product Manager for Instrumentation at Hans Buch, Morten Gregersen, explains that this process is accelerated by high humidity (+80%).

– These sensors are particularly good in demanding applications where high humidity is present. E+E has managed to design the sensor element so that they can operate in this environment. At the same time, they maintain accuracy and service life for the benefit of the uptime of the plant, says Morten Gregersen.

Read more about the humidity and temperature sensor and the dew point sensor from E+E Elektronik in the attached data sheets below.

Technical guidance led to the proper constellation and good results

One of Hans Buch’s cardinal points is about close relationships and close cooperation with our customers. This customer case is an example of how the right professional and technical guidance goes hand in hand with the supply of our technical solutions.

This has led to good results for the customer, explains Hans Buchs, Product Manager for Instrumentation.

– In collaboration with the company, we have found the right constellation of sensors for their PtX application, and this has yielded good results. Part of the credit for the good results is due to the sensors that ensure precise measurements, says Morten Gregersen.

Read more about humidity measurement in fuel cells

Fuel cells convert chemical energy without combustion into electrical energy and heat via electrolysis. The efficiency of a fuel cell is determined by the balance between water and temperature in a fuel cell. If the temperature and humidity are not controlled to maintain proper levels, the fuel cell can lose power and ultimately be damaged.

It creates a demand for reliable measurements in a demanding environment, and it sparks strict demands on the sensitivity and robustness of sensor components that can withstand the stress of high humidity.

Hans Buch’s supplier E+E Elektronik has published a topic on moisture measurement in fuel cells. Read more here: “Humidity Measurement in Fuel Cells“