Jun 2 2008
VIASPACE Inc., a company that transforms proven space and defense technologies from NASA and the Department of Defense into hardware and software solutions, announced today that its VIASPACE Energy division has begun shipments of its HS-1000 humidity sensor instrument to Scribner Associates of Southern Pines, NC.
Scribner designs and manufactures a variety of fuel cell test stations and electrochemical instruments, with distributors in Asia, Europe and Canada.
The performance of hydrogen fuel cells using a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) depends on the moisture level of the membrane. The membrane only conducts protons when it is hydrated or moist. The moisture is provided by water vapor in the incoming air or hydrogen stream. The VIASPACE HS-1000 VIASENSOR instrument provides real-time measurements of the amount of water vapor in these gas streams and can be utilized within a fuel cell test station for that purpose.
VIASPACE CEO Carl Kukkonen stated, "We welcome Scribner Associates to our growing list of HS-1000 VIASENSOR customers, which includes universities and companies such as 3M, Ballard, and a major Japanese auto manufacturer. We believe that the addition of the VIASENSOR to a fuel cell test station will greatly improve the performance and overall value to the customers who buy those units. The VIASENSOR should help fuel cell developers and manufacturers to rapidly optimize their products."