Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Review: You've never seen 'Sound of Music' like this
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Crown Equipment modifying powered lift trucks, testing battery replacements from four suppliers
By John Nolan
Dayton Daily News
Published on Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008
NEW BREMEN, OHIO: Crown Equipment Corp., one of the world's biggest manufacturers of powered lift trucks, is working with fuel cell power pack makers to adapt the trucks so that they can be powered by fuel cells that would help commercial customers save time, money and warehouse space.
Crown and other lift truck manufacturers are vying to respond to customer demands for trucks that can run on either the fuel cells or traditional on-board power sources, including lead-acid batteries.
The state of Ohio, supporting development of the fuel cell industry, is a backer of Crown's research. In March, the Ohio Department of Development announced $8.9 million in grants for fuel cell research projects, including $977,270 for Crown's two-year program to qualify lift trucks for use of fuel cells as battery replacements. Fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen to produce electricity, with heat and water as the byproducts.
Crown is working with four suppliers of fuel cells to test the cells with the trucks. Crown committed to spend at least $750,000 of its own money on the project, and that commitment could ultimately increase, said Eric Jensen, Crown's manager of new technology research and development, who is overseeing the project.
The company is also working with the Industrial Truck Association, a trade organization that develops operating standards for the trucks.
''We hope to supply them with information based on actual experience,'' Jensen said.
Industries that buy the lift trucks for moving loads in warehouses and other locations are attracted to fuel cell-powered trucks because they can be refueled in two or three minutes, compared with 30 minutes to change out a depleted battery. A fuel cell operation would conserve warehouse space because it doesn't need as much room as a servicing area for the commonly used batteries, and fuel cell operations would be environmentally cleaner, Jensen said.
The lift trucks are heavily relied upon, and frequently use up a power source within an operator's eight-hour shift. Since the operators are typically paid on the basis of productivity, they don't want a lot of idle time waiting for a new power charge, Jensen said.
NEW BREMEN, OHIO: Crown Equipment Corp., one of the world's biggest manufacturers of powered lift trucks, is working with fuel cell power pack makers to adapt the trucks so that they can be powered by fuel cells that would help commercial customers save time, money and warehouse space.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
