News

DCH Provides Sensor Systems to Alaska

June 05, 2000 by Jeff Shepard

DCH Technology Inc. (Valencia, CA), has shipped 30 complete hydrogen sensor systems ahead of schedule to GCI (Alaska) for deployment in remote areas of Alaska. "This order confirms the market potential for storage of backup power systems. This proven sensor technology application ensures the safe implementation of distributed energy," said Dennis Reid, DCHT's director of sales."As sealed lead acid batteries are charged, the batteries build up heat. To compensate for the heat, GCI uses rectifiers to adjust float voltage as related to battery temperature," Reid continued. "If the temperature compensation of the rectifier fails, the batteries can create a thermal runaway, which will produce hydrogen. If hydrogen is allowed to accumulate in closed storage, any ignition source could touch off the hydrogen-specific sensors that will detect excessive hydrogen buildup and send a signal to shut down the charging system."