Inside the payload of NASA’s high-altitude Global Hawk science aircraft, are two of Air Squared’s V12H20N2.5 scroll vacuum pumps. The pumps are integrated into one of the eleven science instruments installed in the Global Hawk for the Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiement, or ATTREX. For 24 hours during the unmanned mission over the Pacific Ocean, the pumps were used in a device that samples and analyzes conditions of the upper atmosphere. Ultimately, the project hopes to answer questions on climate change.

With limited space inside the Global Hawk, the V12H20N2.5 scroll vacuum pumps were selected for because of their compact and lightweight design.

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Figure 1

The expander is implemented through the use of a hybrid hydrogen pump (HHP) a patented concept developed by Air Squared. The HHP includes both an expander for expanding the storage gas down to system pressures and a compressor for recirculating hydrogen through the fuel cell stack. By coupling the expander with current reactant management equipment the total parasitic loading from these components can be reduced or possibly eliminate.

The HHP Concept

In a scroll machine, compression and expansion is achieved by relative contact between two spiral curves. As one curve moves relative to the other, multiple crescent shaped pockets are formed which decrease in size as one curve translates along a closed continuous path. When Leon Crux originally invented the scroll machine in 1905, his original intent was for it to be used as an expander in steam power applications. Unfortunately the existing manufacturing capabilities could not cater to the high tolerances required to achieve compression. Today the scroll has been widely adopted in the refrigeration industry and continues to replace traditional positive displacement compressors. In the fuel cell industry, the scroll compressor has been widely adopted as a standard for oxygen circulation, due to its easy oil-free implementation, low vibration, minimal noise and high efficiency.

Figure 2 (a) and (b)

Figure 3

Figure 4

Conclusion

Reactant Management represents the largest cost driver in balance of plant for fuel cell systems. These systems can share anywhere from 19 to 41 percent of all fuel cell cost. A large portion of this cost can be attributed to the energy required for reactant management. With energy prices rising and demand for more efficient alternatives to current power systems, the Hybrid Hydrogen Pump can potentially offer a substantial push for fuel cell advancement.

Poster Presentation

Monday, April 8 – Friday, April 12, 2013 at the Hannover Messe Fairgrounds, Laatzen, Germany

In April 2013, Air Squared will be exhibiting along side around 150 companies and institutions from around the globe, showcasing a full line of scroll compressors and H2 recirculation pumps at Europe’s largest and most important H2+FC Exhibition – Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells at HANNOVER MESSE.

The Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells is the one-stop-shop for cutting edge technology: stationary, mobile and portable/micro fuel cell systems, hydrogen production, transport and infrastructure, catalysts, testing, and components. Air Squared will occupy Booth No. D 73.

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Monday, November 5th – Thursday, November 8th, 2012 at the Mohegan Sun: Uncasville, Connecticut USA

With exhibitors from around the world, the 2012 Exposition will provide attendees with a global perspective of the market. The Exposition allows attendees to touch real fuel cell systems and components and it provides the opportunity to network with leaders of the international hydrogen and fuel cell industry.

Attendees will also continue to enjoy several of the educational opportunities for which the Fuel Cell Seminar & Exposition has become known, including hydrogen and fuel cell presentation tracks, a poster session, short courses and day-trip. The Fuel Cell Seminar awards, poster awards and the the Dr. Bernard S. Baker Student Researcher Awards will be announced at the Seminar.

Air Squared will occupy Booth No. 220.

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Saturday, July 14 – Thursday, July 19, 2012 at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

In July 2012, Air Squared, Inc. will be giving two technical presentations at the 21st International Compressor Conference hosted by Purdue University. A paper on a new geometric definition of scroll compressor for inclusion of variable wall thickness and a wide range of tip designs will be presented. In addition, Air Squared, Inc. will present performance results for a new plastic oil free scroll compressor for the medical industry.

Bryce Shaffer (Technology Director, Air Squared, Inc.) has been asked to present a short course on the modeling of scroll compressors and expanders.

For more information contact info@airsquared.com.

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Air Squared, Inc. has finished development on a 10 kW scroll expander. The expander will be used for recover heat using an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). Featuring a magnetic coupling for pairing to a generator, the unit is available oil-free and lubricated, with the lubricated unit achieving over 80% efficiency.

With an expansion ratio of 4.5 the Organic Rankine Cycle Expander is available in aluminum for temperatures up to 350°F or stainless steel for temperatures up to 500°F. Designed for inlet displacement of 0.155 L/Rev. and 2000 psia, the scroll expander is an ideal solution for recovery energy using an Organic Rankine Cycle.

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For more information contact info@airsquared.com.

MELBOURNE, Fla. (March 26, 2012) – With help from the NASA-funded Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP), Air Squared, Inc., an industry leader in the design and manufacture of scroll compressors, is taking a new product into full production by the end of this year.

SATOP provides free assistance to small businesses with technical challenges through the expertise of the program’s Alliance Partners, which consist of aerospace companies, universities and national laboratories involved in the U.S. Space Program.

Air Squared designs and manufactures scroll compressors, vacuum pumps, and expanders. The company’s largest customers are medical device manufacturers and providers of alternative energy solutions such as fuel cells and waste heat recovery systems. Incorporated in 1991 as a compressor design and consulting company, Air Squared expanded into manufacturing in 2001, and today employs 25 full time employees, at the company’s facilities in Broomfield, Colo.

Recently, Air Squared faced an issue with a new scroll compressor, designed to handle a high discharge pressure. That high pressure requires that the heat caused by compression be adequately dispersed. To keep the unit at a reasonable operating temperature cooling fins and a fan are added to increase the heat transfer from the unit. However, Air Squared was unable to arrive at the optimum fin design to successfully cool the unit.

Robert Shaffer, president of Air Squared, heard about SATOP’s offer of technical assistance from a colleague and decided to approach the program for help with the new compressor.

Air Squared’s Request for Technical Assistance was assigned by Habib Fahs, SATOP Florida Project Engineer at the Technological Research and Development Authority in Melbourne, Fla., to James “Jim” Jones at Design by Analysis, Inc., a SATOP Alliance Partner in New Britain, Conn.

Jones reviewed the unit’s design and performed Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling of the air coming from the cooling fan through the fins. After running the analysis, he discovered that the fin design did not allow the air to flow through as well as desired, which impeded its ability to remove heat. Jones then provided design recommendations on the fin design.

Jim Jones suggested a much improved finning design that significantly lowered the discharge temperature of the unit. With the improved finning suggested by SATOP, Air Squared was able to successfully prototype the unit. Now, having tested the unit with positive results, we plan for the unit to enter full production by the end of the year. – Robert Shaffer

Ryan Greenough, SATOP Florida Director and Senior Program Engineer, noted that the Air Squared technical challenge in many ways typifies the requests for assistance that come to SATOP.

Air Squared is a long established company that is highly regarded in its field. Yet even the most experience companies can find themselves coming up against a technical issue that is beyond their in-house capabilities. That’s why SATOP exists: to help small businesses solve those technical challenges and continue to be successful. – Ryan Greenough

About SATOP

The NASA-funded Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) provides small businesses with free technical assistance through the expertise of the U.S. Space Program, as well as aerospace contractors, NASA field centers, national laboratories, universities and colleges. These organizations join SATOP as Alliance Partners and donate time and expertise to help solve technical challenges for small businesses. SATOP is operated as a collaboration between four regional centers: the Technological Research & Development Authority in Melbourne, Fla.; the Regional Development Corporation in Santa Fe, N.M.; the CenterState CEO in Syracuse, N.Y.; and the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership in Houston, Texas. For more information about SATOP, or to request technical assistance, please visit www.SpaceTechSolutions.com.

About Air Squared, Inc.

Air Squared Manufacturing, Inc. is the industry leader in oil-free scroll design and manufacturing. By introducing a simple design with fewer moving parts, scroll technology has established itself as a highly efficient, very reliable, cost-effective alternative. Through a growing line of compressor, vacuum pumps, and expanders, Air Squared makes the many advantages of oil-free scroll technology available to OEMs worldwide.

For more information contact info@airsquared.com.

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Monday, April 23 – Friday, April 27, 2012 at the Hannover Messe Fairgrounds, Laatzen, Germany

In April 2012, Air Squared will be exhibiting along side around 150 companies and institutions from around the globe, showcasing a full line of scroll compressors and H2 recirculation pumps at Europe’s largest and most important H2+FC exhibition – the Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells at HANNOVER MESSE.

The Group Exhibit Hydrogen + Fuel Cells is the one-stop-shop for cutting edge technology: stationary, mobile and portable/micro fuel cell systems, hydrogen production, transport and infrastructure, catalysts, testing, and components. Air Squared will occupy Booth No. C72/1.

Event Website

Complimentary eTickets

Visit Air Squared, Inc. at Hannover Messe 2012 with a complimentary eTicket. Click the link below to receive a personalized ticket by e-mail. Simply print out the ticket (in DIN A4 format/letter size) and present it at the entrance.

The eTicket is valid for the entire duration of HANNOVER MESSE 2012. The ticket also enables use of Hannover’s entire public transport system free of charge on the day of the visit.

Complimentary eTicket

LATHAM, N.Y., Oct. 27, 2011 — Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq:PLUG), a leader in providing clean, reliable energy products, placed a large production order for Air Squared Mfg., Inc. scroll compressors to be used in the GenDrive® product suite. Air Squared has supplied compressors to Plug Power since 2006. Their compressors will be operational in over 2,000 GenDrive systems deployed with material handling customers across North America by years end. Plug Power was the first fuel cell company to partner with the Broomfield, CO-based company.

Air Squared scroll compressors are used to direct air to the GenDrive fuel cell stack. Scroll compressors are inherently more efficient and reliable, consisting of only two primary moving parts, allowing for a small and compact design. They are also oil-free, meeting the requirements set by Plug Power for clean compressed air without impurities. Air Squared is also using scroll technology to develop efficient hydrogen recirculation pumps for fuel cell applications.

“As one of our major customers, Plug Power has played a large part in our rapid growth over the last two years,” said Robert Shaffer, President of Air Squared. “Plug Power has helped provide the base business we needed to bring machining in-house, resulting in large-scale price reductions and a vast improvement in quality.”

“Air Squared is a key supplier with unique capabilities and we are pleased to extend this long term relationship,” said Andy Marsh, CEO at Plug Power.

About Plug Power Inc.

The architects of modern fuel cell technology, Plug Power revolutionized the industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints. Long-standing relationships with industry leaders forged the path for Plug Power’s key accounts, including Wegmans, Whole Foods, and FedEx Freight. With more than 1,200 GenDrive units shipped to material handling customers, accumulating over 5 million hours of runtime, Plug Power manufactures tomorrow’s incumbent power solutions today. Additional information about Plug Power is available at www.plugpower.com.

About Air Squared Manufacturing, Inc.

Air Squared Manufacturing, Inc. is the industry leader in oil-free scroll design and manufacturing. By introducing a simple design with fewer moving parts, scroll technology has established itself as a highly efficient, very reliable, cost-effective alternative. Through a growing line of compressor, vacuum pumps, and expanders, Air Squared makes the many advantages of oil-free scroll technology available to OEMs worldwide. More information on Air Squared Mfg., Inc. is available at http://airsquared.com.

Plug Power Inc. Safe Harbor Statement

This communication contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations that are subject to certain assumptions, risks and uncertainties, any of which are difficult to predict, are beyond Plug Power’s control and that may cause Plug Power’s actual results to differ materially from the expectations in Plug Power’s forward-looking statements including statements regarding the risk that revenue growth can or will be sustained, that unit orders will not ship, be installed and/or convert to revenue, in whole or in part; the cost and timing of developing Plug Power’s products and its ability to raise the necessary capital to fund such development costs; the risk that the previously disclosed expected uses of the Company’s recently raised capital may change; the ability to achieve the forecasted gross margin on the sale of Plug Power’s products; the actual net cash used for operating expenses may exceed the projected net cash for operating expenses; the cost and availability of fuel and fueling infrastructures for Plug Power’s products; market acceptance of Plug Power’s GenDrive system; Plug Power’s ability to establish and maintain relationships with third parties with respect to product development, manufacturing, distribution and servicing and the supply of key product components; the cost and availability of components and parts for Plug Power’s products; Plug Power’s ability to develop commercially viable products; Plug Power’s ability to reduce product and manufacturing costs; Plug Power’s ability to successfully expand its product lines; Plug Power’s ability to improve system reliability for GenDrive; competitive factors, such as price competition and competition from other traditional and alternative energy companies; Plug Power’s ability to manufacture products on a large-scale commercial basis; Plug Power’s ability to protect its intellectual property; the cost of complying with current and future governmental regulations; and other risks and uncertainties discussed under “Item IA-Risk Factors” in (i) Plug Power’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 31, 2011 and (ii) in Plug Power’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2011 filed with the SEC on May 13, 2011, as well as in the other reports Plug Power files from time to time with the SEC. Plug Power does not intend to, and undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information or future events.

Purdue University graduate student Brandon Woodland recently tested Air Squared’s E15H22N4.25 scroll expander as part of a research project on organic Rankine cycles with liquid-flooded expansion and internal regeneration for waste heat recovery.

An organic Rankine cycle is used to recover low-grade waste heat by transforming a portion of it into work. The recovery of low-grade waste heat is characterized by particularly low thermodynamic efficiencies. As a result, even small gains in efficiency can result in large improvements relative to the baseline. Also, the applications for waste heat recovery are typically small-scale, which makes it difficult to justify the complex efficiency enhancements typically employed in large-scale power plants. Therefore, it is desireable to improve the efficiency of organic Rankine cycles without dramatically increasing their complexity.

Three key elements are proposed to achieve this goal:

• First, the selection of an appropriate expansion device is critical to the performance of the cycle. Scroll type expanders show particular promise in this area.
• Second, the employment of an internal regenerator can often have a dramatic effect on cycle efficiency.
• Finally, using a liquid-flooded expansion process can potentially improve both the scroll expander and the internal regenerator. These two interaction effects can result in efficiency gains comparable to the traditional, more complex cycle enhancements.

Baseline performance tests without flooding or internal regeneration have been performed using Air Squared’s E15H22N4.25 expander. The results of these tests will be used to quantify the efficiency gains that result from internal regeneration and flooded expansion.

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