Hydrogen Future Industries starts testing new wind turbine designed to be more efficient.
Directors believe the turbine’s increased efficiency could lead to a lower cost of hydrogen production.
Hydrogen Future Industries PLC (AQSE:HFI) said it has started testing a new production system design that could lower the cost of making hydrogen.
Prototype testing has started for the wind turbine element of the company’s hydrogen production system 1-metre diameter prototype in Montana, USA, the company said, which has been chosen for its consistent wind speeds and local regulatory support for wind turbines and farms.
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The proprietary wind turbine has been designed with modified aerodynamics, with cowling directing airflow across the rotor blades to boost wind speed and to direct the flow of wind out and away from the rear of the turbine (see photo).
Directors of HFI said they believe the increased efficiency of the turbine could in turn increase the efficiency and ultimately lower the cost of hydrogen production.
As the first stage of testing, a 20-hour live test has been successfully completed, confirming the aerodynamics align to the wind direction as planned, HFI said, with “no distinguishing noise” from the rotor blades and “no fouling of the blades with the cowling”.
The power output of the wound turbine will now be tested against predicted results.
David Ormerod, executive director said:
The testing HFI is undertaking in Montana will hopefully confirm the efficiency of the key elements of our wind energy system.
“Additionally, given the considerable efficiency gains we believe our turbine will offer compared to existing open rotor wind turbines in use today, the commercial applications for the HFI turbine may not be limited to hydrogen and could be applied to the wider wind energy sector.”
Earlier this year, the company said it was aiming to generate hydrogen for under US$2 per kilogram, with the turbine connected to a smart hydraulic drive system to create a system that is “a smaller, quieter, safer and more efficient alternative to existing open rotor wind turbines”.
Hydrogen Future Industries starts testing new wind turbine designed to be more efficient, November 1, 2022
