The new system from BOC – a member of The Linde Group – is ideal for powering a wide range of applications, particularly monitoring.
Designated the Hymera DC, it incorporates an automatic battery charger such that power can be maintained in locations where changing batteries is not practicable. In many applications it’s therefore a silent, cheaper and much cleaner alternative to diesel and petrol-sustained generators.
Morgan Sindall, a leading UK construction and regeneration group, has been using the Hymera DC on its Pudding Mill Lane contract for the London Crossrail project. It was recently recognised in the Innovation category of Crossrail’s Green Line Environmental awards.
Casey Fleming, Morgan Sindall’s environmental manager, told Info4Security: “The Hymera hydrogen fuel cell’s innovative qualities helped us solve a difficult project conundrum. The cell has now successfully powered a remote noise monitor for eight weeks, the location of which was proving difficult to supply with conventional power. We needed it to operate silently, which was impossible with traditional power generators.”
When used in conjunction with BOC’s 54 ZH portable hydrogen fuel cylinder, the Hymera DC can provide 2-3 kWh of electrical energy. Depending on conditions, this is equivalent to around 75 kg of lead-acid batteries.
Powering security cameras
The 54 ZH is a user-friendly integrated ‘energy source’ which removes the need for pressure regulators and uses hand-operated connections. A single cylinder will keep a 3 W average load powered for almost one month, or a 20 W security camera powered for approximately five days.
For loads of up to 50 W, this solution has a substantially lower cost of ownership compared to diesel or petrol generators.
With recent developments in lighting, computing and display technology, 50 W goes a long way. For instance, 50 W could light a small house with the latest generation DC LED technology.
The Hymera DC is also ideal for providing power in hard-to-reach places. Advanced Monitoring, a CCTV and access control security group with offices in Limerick and Dublin, has been using the Hymera DC to provide discreet and zero-emissions power for its security cameras since May last year. Previously, the group had to change the batteries on its CCTV solutions every four-to-five days.
“You can imagine how disruptive that can be to a covert operation,” said Tom Ryan, business development manager at Advanced Monitoring.
“Using the BOC Hymera DC, our CCTV solutions can operate for around three weeks without interruption. The solution is silent and doesn’t require changing, so no-one is alerted to the presence of a camera. This is a product that will make a big impact, not only in the security industry but for any application that requires an unobtrusive, long-lasting and energy efficient power source.”
Cutting costs and carbon emissions
“The type of capability the Hymera DC offers is increasingly crucial in the portable power market,” said Stewart Dow, packaged energy manager at BOC.
“Businesses sometimes believe that cutting costs and carbon emissions are two conflicting goals, but with the family of Hymera products this needn’t to be the case. With its high performance and low cost, the Hymera DC is now opening up a whole new range of exciting applications and opportunities.”
In terms of product specifications, the Hymera DC is clean, silent and highly portable. It has minimal service requirements and is ideally suited to today’s high-efficiency electrical applications such as LED lights. It’s well suited to low power, long duration loads such as remote monitoring, control and surveillance and, for loads of up to 50 W, it has a lower cost of ownership than comparable diesel or petrol generators
BOC and The Linde Group… what you need to know
BOC is a member of The Linde Group. An industrial, medical and special gases provider, the company supplies compressed and bulk gases, chemicals and equipment.
For more than a century the company’s gases and expertise have contributed to advances in many areas of everyday life, and industries including steelmaking, refining, chemical processing, environmental protection, wastewater treatment, welding and cutting, food processing and distribution, glass production, electronics and health care. For more information visit the official website
The Linde Group is a world-leading gases and engineering company with around 50,000 employees working in more than 100 countries worldwide. In the 2010 financial year, it achieved sales of 12.868 billion Euros.
The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards long-term profitable growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde “acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe”.
For further information check out The Linde Group online