Iwatani Sangyo to CO2 Zero by liquefied hydrogen manufacturing

Tsukinato Shinmachi in Nishi -ku, Sakai City facing Osaka Bay.There are plants that attract the world's attention in this area, where thermal power plants, refinery, and chemical plants are accumulated.It is a liquefied hydrogen plant "Hydro Edge" invested by Iwatani Sangyo and Kansai Electric Power.

Hydrogen that does not discharge carbon dioxide (CO2) even when burning is exposed to the spotlight as the next -generation energy.Liquefied hydrogen is the key to the realization of a hydrogen society.Hydrogen is gas at room temperature, but becomes a liquid at minus 253 degrees.By liquefied, the volume is reduced to 1/800.For large amounts of hydrogen, liquefaction that can significantly reduce transportation costs is indispensable.

Hydro edges are attracting attention from the world because they use a unique liquefied process of using the cold heat of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Hydro edge is composed of two plants, liquefied hydrogen and air separation gas, and the manufacture of liquefied hydrogen is performed in two stages.First, the air separation gas plant uses a minus 162 degrees LNG supplied from the adjacent LNG base, and cools the nitrogen, oxygen, and argon to a certain degree.Then use electricity to liquefy each.Next, with a liquefied hydrogen plant, the hydrogen gas taken out of the natural gas is used to use the cold heat of the liquefied nitrogen of minus 196 degrees.The temperature is further lowered by electricity and liquefied.

Normally, hydrogen is liquefied by cooling only with an electric cooler, but "can greatly reduce costs by utilizing LNG" (Hydro edge President Hidetoshi Misawa).There are three affiliates that can produce 3000 liters per hour, and their production capacity is one of the largest in the world.

Hydro edge started operation in 2006.Many companies, such as industrial gas companies, can produce liquefied hydrogen, but President Misawa emphasizes that "operation know -how has been accumulated for more than 15 years."Once the plant is stopped, the hydrogen warms up and it takes time to recover, so it is necessary to operate 24 hours a day for 365 days, and the know -how of stable operation is important.

The future task is the processing of CO2 generated in the manufacturing process that extracts hydrogen from natural gas.He is considering the introduction of the CO2 collection device, and President Misawa is eager to say, "I want to try the production of CO2 zero."

Iwatani Sangyo announced in June a three -year medium -term management plan until the fifth year of the number.In the middle, he stated that he would invest 60 billion yen to promote the hydrogen society.The government plans to increase hydrogen consumption to a maximum of 3 million tons in 2012, and the company expects to spread thermal power, utilization of automobiles, buses, trucks, and the spread of home fuel cells.

The group's liquefied hydrogen manufacturing bases are currently located in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture and Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, but in preparation for increasing production, the fourth new plant will be constructed in the Kanto region.Hydrogen stations that supply hydrogen to fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are planned to increase to 83 in Japan, about 60 %, and the United States to 23 locations.

He also participates in Kawasaki Heavy Industries and other large projects carrying liquefied hydrogen from Australia to Japan by boat."I would like to work to expand business by promoting the construction of a supply chain (supply)," said Hiroshi Majima, president of Iwatani Sangyo.

Iwatani Sangyo has a strong image of a cassette stove, but has been developing hydrogen business for more than 80 years.Founder Naoji Iwatani has been developing the technology of liquefied hydrogen, believing that "hydrogen is the ultimate clean energy of mankind."The accumulated technology is trying to open the door to the hydrogen society.(Moto Koganezaki)

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The movement of car calibrators is accelerating in countries around the world.At the 26th National Conference of the United Nations Climate Change Framework, which will open on the 31st, the reduction of greenhouse gases will be discussed.Approaching the state -of -the -art carbon technology that domestic companies work on.

"Founder's thoughts on hydrogen are DNA" Iwatani Sangyo and Director Managing Director of Director of Tsukichi