Revolutionizing Hydrogen Transportation: Ayrton Energy's Breakthrough Liquid Carrier Fluid
Key Ideas
- Ayrton Energy, a Calgary-based startup, is pioneering a new method of hydrogen storage and distribution using liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs).
- Their approach eliminates the need for high-pressure tanks or cryogenic storage, making hydrogen transportation as convenient as traditional fuels like gasoline or diesel.
- The proprietary oil-based hydrogen carrier developed by Ayrton Energy captures and releases hydrogen with less input energy, ensuring safety and efficiency in hydrogen fuel for vehicles.
- Ayrton's innovation addresses key challenges in hydrogen storage, such as toxicity, energy density, and input energy issues, making liquid hydrogen a viable replacement for fossil fuels in existing infrastructure.
A Calgary, Canada-based company, Ayrton Energy, is revolutionizing the transportation and storage of hydrogen by developing a new method using liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs). This approach allows for the safe and convenient handling of liquid hydrogen, eliminating the need for high-pressure tanks or cryogenic storage. Ayrton's proprietary oil-based hydrogen carrier binds hydrogen molecules, making them more stable and easier to transport at ambient conditions. The company's innovation addresses challenges such as toxicity, energy density, and input energy issues, positioning liquid hydrogen as a feasible alternative to fossil fuels in existing infrastructure.
Compared to conventional LOHC technologies, Ayrton's carrier fluid requires less input energy for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes. With 55 kilograms of hydrogen per cubic meter, Ayrton's carrier stores more hydrogen than traditional carriers like methylcyclohexane. The company's approach offers a cost-effective solution for hydrogen transportation and storage, making it a game-changer in the energy and transportation sectors.
Ayrton Energy's founders, Natasha Kostenuk and Brandy Kinkead, recognized the need for a safer and more efficient hydrogen storage solution while originally focusing on hydrogen generators. Their pivot towards hydrogen storage solutions led to the development of the innovative LOHC technology. Ayrton's hydrogenated liquid provides fuel-cell-grade hydrogen purity, enabling compatibility with existing infrastructure worldwide.
The company's main challenge lies in scaling up production to commercial manufacturing, requiring strategic partnerships along the way. By avoiding expensive and hard-to-procure materials, Ayrton aims to mitigate potential supply chain issues. The low-temperature reactions in their carrier fluid allow for extended hydrogenation-dehydrogenation cycles, surpassing the limitations of conventional LOHCs.
In recognition of Ayrton Energy's breakthrough in hydrogen storage technology, the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory highlighted the company's critical role in advancing hydrogen deployment at a large scale. Ayrton's innovation has the potential to transform the energy and transportation sectors by offering a safer, more efficient, and sustainable solution for hydrogen storage and distribution.
Topics
Automotive / Trucking
Infrastructure
Technology
Innovation
Sustainability
Transportation
Energy
Storage
Startup
Latest News