RENEWABLE ENERGY
THROUGH INNOVATION How a sensor that monitors temperature, humidity and location of cells in green hydrogen batteries will advance the green transition
G
reen hydrogen has been hailed in some quarters as the holy grail of clean energy in the quest for a
decarbonised future. However, it is critical that
infrastructure for the production, transportation, storage and use of this power source is firmly in place to fully benefit from its potential. UK-based engineering company
Barnbrook Systems is working with Protium, a leading UK green hydrogen provider, to boost adoption and reduce costs of this renewable fuel. The company is doing this by
supplying its BlueDot remote sensing technology to Protium, which produces and supplies green hydrogen for commercial use, powering fleet, transport trials, construction applications, manufacturing and off grid power – alongside other customer projects. BlueDot leverages capabilities in
remote sensing and the intelligent internet of things (IIoT) via Barnbrook’s BlueCube technology.
HOW DOES BLUECUBE TECHNOLOGY WORK? The technology fixes BlueDot sensors to cannisters of hydrogen, or cells, in green hydrogen batteries then monitors pressure, meticulously tracking for leaks, as well as safety- critical environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and location. Data is transmitted live into the
cloud, enabling reporting to phones, laptops, desktops or smart watches. Alerts can be configured when
pressure, temperature or other variables hit certain levels. This supports risk management, emergency response protocols, business continuity and continuous improvement. With the UK government believing
that hydrogen will meet between 20% to 35% of total final energy consumption by 2050, innovative technology of this sort will be crucial to the transition.
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www.engineerlive.com ADVANCING GREEN HYDROGEN
Andrew Barnett is managing director at Barnbrook Systems
CASE STUDY BlueCube technology is also being used in an E-bag fire suppression system developed with the company’s joint venture partners Flair to extinguish lithium-ion battery blazes in personal electronic devices such as phones and tablets. Such fires are becoming increasingly
common. A house in Norfolk was badly damaged in September 2024 and the M275 in Portsmouth was closed in July after a battery is believed to have caused a major blaze at a waste processing centre. Innovative nanotechnology has been
used to create the E-bag’s temperature sensitive smart fabric which adapts to completely smother a burning battery or device once it has been placed inside. BlueCube monitors and provides live
readings from the interior of the E-bag – including temperature and humidity. In addition, two major airlines
are in talks about E-bag along with businesses in other sectors.
BlueCube is being built into
wearable technology, such as personal location beacons for maritime and aviation crew as well as those in safety critical environments. Barnbrook Systems’ range of
Intersonde ultra-high pressure (UHP) transducers have been smart enabled with BlueCube. They are one of a handful of such
systems able to operate and measure pressure with great accuracy at 200,000 PSI (Pressure per Square Inch) or 14 kilobar – greater than that exerted at the deepest point of the ocean. Robust transducers of this calibre
are typically used for nuclear power stations, deep sea exploration, defence, aviation and space – not to mention their potential for hydrogen and renewable energy.
For more information visit:
www.barnbrooksystems.com
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