Eaton Corporation has placed a follow-on order with UQM Technologies for compressor drive motors to be used in Eaton's fuel cell air management product line.
Fuel cells combine hydrogen fuel with oxygen from air to create electricity without combustion and require auxiliary systems that manage the flow of gases into the fuel cell. Because auxiliary systems, such as the air-handling system inside the fuel cell, consume a portion of the electricity produced by the fuel cell, improvements in the efficiency of auxiliary systems enhances the energy efficiency of the fuel cell and the automobiles that are powered by them. The UQM motor operates at 24,000 revolutions per minute.