Fuel cells

Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy and are considered a key technology for stationery, mobile, and decentralized energy supply. They are powered by pure H₂ or reformed gas from hydrocarbons such as methanol, natural gas, or biogas, producing only electricity, heat, and H₂O.

Efficient gas treatment is crucial here, as impurities such as sulfur compounds (H₂S), carbon monoxide (CO), and moisture can poison the sensitive anode catalysts, which are usually platinum-based, and significantly reduce both the performance and service life of the fuel cell. In our fuel cell application category, we bundle the central process steps of gas treatment:

• Cold desulfurization for the removal of H₂S and organic sulfur compounds
• Reforming to produce synthesis gas (H₂ + CO) from hydrocarbons such as CH₄ or town gas
• Water gas shift (WGS) for the conversion of CO into additional H₂
• PROX for the selective oxidation of residual CO for PEMFC anodes

We support our customers along the entire gas treatment chain for PEMFC, HT-PEMFC, and SOFC systems – from the selection of suitable catalysts to application-specific catalyst design.