- Email: [email protected]
Military funding, contracts for Adaptive Materials' SOFC power
NEWS
Ohio announces grants for fuel cell projects
N
early $9m in grants has recently been awarded through the Ohio Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program. The funds are expected to create more than 2000 jobs across the state. Twelve companies and research collaborations received awards to assist in research, development and commercialization projects of fuel cell technologies, or for fuel cell and related technology market readiness demonstration projects. HydroGen Corporation is awarded $525 000 to improve the electrical efficiency of its phosphoric acid fuel cell cogeneration plant at ASHTA Chemicals, from the 33% figure as-constructed to the target efficiency of 44%. To this end, HydroGen will add an Organic Rankine Cycle heat recovery unit. Crown Equipment Corporation receives almost $1m for its project to qualify targeted models of its forklift trucks with batteries replaced by commercially available fuel cells from the likes of Plug Power. Crown will target and qualify as many of its truck models eligible for fuel cell equipment as is practical. American Trim was awarded $1m for its project on agile hybrid joining of foil bipolar plates, to demonstrate that a 100%, full-function, scale hydrogen fuel cell product can be made that is cost-competitive with an internal combustion engine. Energy Technologies Inc will receive $1m to develop a robust 1.5 kW fuel cell generator for tactical military applications, and deliver a fully functional prototype. ETI has also established a new business, Tactical Fuel Cells, in partnership with Energy Conversion Devices, to produce 2– 10 kW metal hydride (alkaline) fuel cell gensets. NexTech Materials also receives $1m for its project on cell manufacturing for 100 kW+ SOFC power systems. The firm will fabricate and validate ‘ultra-large’ area planar SOFCs to be incorporated into 100 kW+ power systems. Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems (US) Inc is awarded $1m for the development of a highpressure stack block test system for a MW-scale SOFC power module overhaul facility. This project will also assist Stark State College in developing its fuel cell technician training program. UltraCell also receives $1m to increase productivity and reliability of reformed methanol micro fuel cells. The goal is to increase the maximum manufacturing capability for the firm’s first product, the portable XX25, from 800 to more than 3000 units/month.
May 2008
Catacel Corporation is awarded nearly $450 000 for its project on a high-volume coating process for catalytic inserts. This process produces inexpensive metal foil components for heat-exchangers used in fuel reformers and other energy conversion processes. GrafTech International will receive almost $1m towards the commercialization of Grafcell bipolar plates for phosphoric acid fuel cell systems. This will use the firm’s expanded natural graphite technology, originally developed for bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells. Refractory Specialties Inc is awarded $400 000 for its project on high-purity, robust kiln furniture for low-cost SOFC manufacturing. Akron Polymer Systems will receive $350 000 for its project on nanocomposite high-temperature PEM fuel cells. The company will combine the enabling non-aqueous proton carrier technology with inorganic nanoparticle technology, to prepare a proton electrolyte membrane suitable for extended use at high temperature and low relative humidity. Kent State University is awarded $300 000 for its project on third-generation PEM fuel cell catalytic layers. It has developed a new approach to reducing platinum loading, using a very thin platinum shell on a nickel nanowire substrate; the project will allow the development of a higher-yield catalyst fabrication process. The Ohio Fuel Cell Initiative, created in 2002, is a $103m program that aims to spur job creation in Ohio while positioning the state as a national leader in the growing fuel cell industry. The initiative is an integral part of the Third Frontier Project, a $1.6bn high-tech research program to create jobs and bring new products to market. In addition, a further fuel cell project has won a grant from the Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program. Ohio University is awarded just under $1m to create a Center of Excellence for Electrochemical Engineering Technologies, to be housed within its existing Electrochemical Engineering Research Lab. It will pursue integrated ammonia catalytic electrolyzer and fuel cell products aimed at power generation for residential and commercial buildings. For more on the Ohio Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program, go to: www.thirdfrontier.com
Bac2’s blank bipolar plates aid prototyping
U
K-based fuel cell materials firm Bac2 used the recent Hannover Messe 2008 as an opportunity to launch
its first standard product, blank bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells. The plates, which are based on ElectroPhen™, a unique conductive polymer developed by the firm, can be machined more easily than metal plates, making them ideal for fuel cell prototyping and development work, says the company. Each plate measures 300 × 200 × 3 mm, and its conductivity easily exceeds US Department of Energy specifications covering automotive applications. The company anticipates that customers will purchase blank plates for stack evaluation before migrating quickly to custommolded ElectroPhen plates, to take maximum advantage of the material’s performance and low cost in mass production. While conventional bipolar plates make up to 30% of the cost of a PEM fuel cell stack, Bac2 claims that its ElectroPhen plates offer substantial cost savings without compromising performance. It says that the material has a raw state conductivity one billion times higher than commonly used resin binders, which means that no post-processing is required to meet conductivity goals. ElectroPhen plates are easily molded, and economical to produce in high volume. Contact: Bac2 Ltd, Millbrook Technology Campus, Southampton, UK. Tel: +44 23 8031 2784, www.bac2.co.uk
Military funding, contracts for Adaptive Materials’ SOFC power
M
ichigan-based Adaptive Materials has secured funding and contracts from the US military to develop its solid oxide fuel cell technology for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), military robots and communications devices. A Phase III Small Business Innovation Research grant of $2.35m was awarded to the company, to fund the continuing development of its portable SOFC technology for UAVs. This award is an extension of the firm’s project – sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) – through the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, to improve power sources for UAVs, including integration and flight testing. The DARPA-sponsored work ended in 2006. The company has also received $1.75m from the US Army Tank and Automotive Command to develop its fuel cell power system for use on the iRobot PackBot military robot. The fuel cells will increase the energy density available to the PackBot, extending the operational time from 2 h to more than 10 h. Packbots,
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9
NEWS currently powered by batteries, are used by the US Army for dangerous tasks, including examining mines and checkpoints. In addition, Adaptive Materials has been awarded a contract to develop a portable power source for US Army communications devices, including radios and GPS devices used by soldiers in the field. The firm says that its work aims to increase the functionality of these devices to provide greater energy density while reducing overall weight and size. ‘The lightweight power sources under development can extend the flight time of UAVs and operating time of military robots, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of these devices,’ says Michelle Crumm, chief business officer. ‘Adaptive Materials’ portable power systems for communications devices can increase functionality, and also reduce the weight of the load that soldiers need to carry to maintain contact with critical sources of information.’ She continues: ‘These contracts represent the next phase of growth for Adaptive Materials, as we go through a transition from research to product development.’ Contact: Adaptive Materials Inc, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Tel: +1 734 302 7632, www.adaptivematerials.com
research
ACAL’s FlowCath fuel cell runs successfully
U
K-based ACAL Energy reports the successful first operation of what it says is a completely new type of fuel cell system, based on its proprietary recirculating liquid cathode technology, known as FlowCath®. According to the PEM fuel cell developer, the 50 W, fully integrated multi-cell system incorporating Flowcath technology produced even higher power levels than expected. FlowCath replaces the standard and expensive platinum cathode found in conventional fuel cells, with a system that uses a liquid nonprecious metal catalyst. This not only reduces the cost of the cell, but also naturally humidifies the membrane, eliminating the need for additional hydration systems, and better managing the generated heat. ACAL Energy believes that the FlowCath technology will provide a route to faster commercial application by reducing system costs and enabling greater reliability. ‘The fact that we have managed successfully to build a 10-cell stack, and get the integrated system working so quickly, is down to our approach of changing only those parts of the 10
Fuel Cells Bulletin
system necessary to adopt our FlowCath technology, keeping everything else the same,’ comments Dr Andrew Creeth, CTO and inventor of the technology. ‘Although FlowCath is radically different from conventional systems, it has so far been simple to make the modifications necessary to incorporate our technology.’ He continues: ‘Our next step is to scale up from this 50 W system to a 1 kW unit, as well as running the system to demonstrate the expected long-term durability advantages of our approach.’
An interesting outcome of these experiments is leading Wiesner down a new, related research path. As a result of the electrochemical reactions, small amounts of water are created as a by-product. ‘In the current technology, this water is used by the system to maintain the humidity within the cell,’ he says. ‘The water produced in these reactions is of high purity. So, if a fuel cell membrane could be developed that was not reliant on humidity, this water could be used for other purposes.’
Contact: ACAL Energy Ltd, Runcorn, Cheshire, UK. Tel: +44 1928 511581, www.acalenergy.co.uk
Contact: Professor Mark R Wiesner, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0287, USA. Tel: +1 919 660 5292, Email: [email protected], Web: wiesner.cee.duke.edu
Membrane research to improve efficiency
R
esearchers in the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University in North Carolina are developing a way to improve the efficiency fuel cells. The scientists have developed a membrane that allows fuel cells to operate at low humidity and theoretically at higher temperatures. The research was published recently in the Journal of Membrane Science [DOI: 10.1016/ j.memsci.2008.02.025]. ‘The current gold-standard membrane is a polymer that needs to be in a humid environment in order to function efficiently,’ explains Dr Mark Wiesner, professor of civil engineering and senior author of the paper. ‘If the polymer membrane dries out, its efficiency drops. We developed a ceramic membrane made of iron nano-particles that works at much lower humidities. And because it is a ceramic, it should also tolerate higher temperatures.’ He continues: ‘If the next series of tests proves that fuel cells with these new membranes perform well at high temperatures, we believe it might attract the type of investment needed to bring this technology to the market.’ In the most commonly used membrane, Nafion®, as the temperature rises the polymer becomes unstable and the membrane dehydrates, leading to a loss of performance. In addition to its temperature and heat limitations, Nafion is also much more expensive to produce than the new membrane, says Wiesner, adding that membranes make up as much as 40% of the overall cost of fuel cells. ‘The efficiency of current membranes drops significantly at temperatures over 88°C,’ he notes. ‘However, the chemical reactions that create the electricity are more efficient at high temperatures, so it would be a big improvement for fuel cell technology to make this advance.’
Wisconsin-Maryland team report on PtRu nanoparticle catalyst
R
esearchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Maryland have developed a new nanotechnology-driven chemical catalyst that is claimed to pave the way for more efficient hydrogen FCVs. UW-Madison chemical and biological engineering professor Manos Mavrikakis and UM chemistry and biochemistry professor Bryan Eichhorn describe a new type of catalyst in an Advance Online Publication of Nature Materials [DOI: 10.1038/nmat2156]. The catalyst is created by surrounding a ruthenium nanoparticle with one or two layers of platinum atoms. The result is a robust room-temperature catalyst that dramatically improves a key hydrogen purification reaction and leaves more hydrogen available to make energy in the fuel cell. Preferential oxidation of CO in the presence of hydrogen (PROX) is an important step in fuel reforming, using a catalyst to purge hydrogen of CO – which would poison the expensive Pt catalyst – before it enters the fuel cell. While a conventionally constructed catalyst combining Ru and Pt must be heated to 70°C to drive the PROX reaction, the same elements combined as core-shell nanoparticles operate at room temperature. The lower the temperature at which the catalyst activates the reactants and makes the products, the more energy is saved. ‘This polymer-based method developed by my colleagues in Maryland allows the exact amount of an element, in this case platinum, to be placed exactly where you want it to be on specific seeds of ruthenium,’ explains Mavrikakis. The nanoscale fabrication of Ru and Pt resulted in a different nano-architecture than when Ru and Pt are combined in bulk. This
May 2008
Ohio announces grants for fuel cell projects
N
early $9m in grants has recently been awarded through the Ohio Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program. The funds are expected to create more than 2000 jobs across the state. Twelve companies and research collaborations received awards to assist in research, development and commercialization projects of fuel cell technologies, or for fuel cell and related technology market readiness demonstration projects. HydroGen Corporation is awarded $525 000 to improve the electrical efficiency of its phosphoric acid fuel cell cogeneration plant at ASHTA Chemicals, from the 33% figure as-constructed to the target efficiency of 44%. To this end, HydroGen will add an Organic Rankine Cycle heat recovery unit. Crown Equipment Corporation receives almost $1m for its project to qualify targeted models of its forklift trucks with batteries replaced by commercially available fuel cells from the likes of Plug Power. Crown will target and qualify as many of its truck models eligible for fuel cell equipment as is practical. American Trim was awarded $1m for its project on agile hybrid joining of foil bipolar plates, to demonstrate that a 100%, full-function, scale hydrogen fuel cell product can be made that is cost-competitive with an internal combustion engine. Energy Technologies Inc will receive $1m to develop a robust 1.5 kW fuel cell generator for tactical military applications, and deliver a fully functional prototype. ETI has also established a new business, Tactical Fuel Cells, in partnership with Energy Conversion Devices, to produce 2– 10 kW metal hydride (alkaline) fuel cell gensets. NexTech Materials also receives $1m for its project on cell manufacturing for 100 kW+ SOFC power systems. The firm will fabricate and validate ‘ultra-large’ area planar SOFCs to be incorporated into 100 kW+ power systems. Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems (US) Inc is awarded $1m for the development of a highpressure stack block test system for a MW-scale SOFC power module overhaul facility. This project will also assist Stark State College in developing its fuel cell technician training program. UltraCell also receives $1m to increase productivity and reliability of reformed methanol micro fuel cells. The goal is to increase the maximum manufacturing capability for the firm’s first product, the portable XX25, from 800 to more than 3000 units/month.
May 2008
Catacel Corporation is awarded nearly $450 000 for its project on a high-volume coating process for catalytic inserts. This process produces inexpensive metal foil components for heat-exchangers used in fuel reformers and other energy conversion processes. GrafTech International will receive almost $1m towards the commercialization of Grafcell bipolar plates for phosphoric acid fuel cell systems. This will use the firm’s expanded natural graphite technology, originally developed for bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells. Refractory Specialties Inc is awarded $400 000 for its project on high-purity, robust kiln furniture for low-cost SOFC manufacturing. Akron Polymer Systems will receive $350 000 for its project on nanocomposite high-temperature PEM fuel cells. The company will combine the enabling non-aqueous proton carrier technology with inorganic nanoparticle technology, to prepare a proton electrolyte membrane suitable for extended use at high temperature and low relative humidity. Kent State University is awarded $300 000 for its project on third-generation PEM fuel cell catalytic layers. It has developed a new approach to reducing platinum loading, using a very thin platinum shell on a nickel nanowire substrate; the project will allow the development of a higher-yield catalyst fabrication process. The Ohio Fuel Cell Initiative, created in 2002, is a $103m program that aims to spur job creation in Ohio while positioning the state as a national leader in the growing fuel cell industry. The initiative is an integral part of the Third Frontier Project, a $1.6bn high-tech research program to create jobs and bring new products to market. In addition, a further fuel cell project has won a grant from the Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program. Ohio University is awarded just under $1m to create a Center of Excellence for Electrochemical Engineering Technologies, to be housed within its existing Electrochemical Engineering Research Lab. It will pursue integrated ammonia catalytic electrolyzer and fuel cell products aimed at power generation for residential and commercial buildings. For more on the Ohio Third Frontier Fuel Cell Program, go to: www.thirdfrontier.com
Bac2’s blank bipolar plates aid prototyping
U
K-based fuel cell materials firm Bac2 used the recent Hannover Messe 2008 as an opportunity to launch
its first standard product, blank bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells. The plates, which are based on ElectroPhen™, a unique conductive polymer developed by the firm, can be machined more easily than metal plates, making them ideal for fuel cell prototyping and development work, says the company. Each plate measures 300 × 200 × 3 mm, and its conductivity easily exceeds US Department of Energy specifications covering automotive applications. The company anticipates that customers will purchase blank plates for stack evaluation before migrating quickly to custommolded ElectroPhen plates, to take maximum advantage of the material’s performance and low cost in mass production. While conventional bipolar plates make up to 30% of the cost of a PEM fuel cell stack, Bac2 claims that its ElectroPhen plates offer substantial cost savings without compromising performance. It says that the material has a raw state conductivity one billion times higher than commonly used resin binders, which means that no post-processing is required to meet conductivity goals. ElectroPhen plates are easily molded, and economical to produce in high volume. Contact: Bac2 Ltd, Millbrook Technology Campus, Southampton, UK. Tel: +44 23 8031 2784, www.bac2.co.uk
Military funding, contracts for Adaptive Materials’ SOFC power
M
ichigan-based Adaptive Materials has secured funding and contracts from the US military to develop its solid oxide fuel cell technology for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), military robots and communications devices. A Phase III Small Business Innovation Research grant of $2.35m was awarded to the company, to fund the continuing development of its portable SOFC technology for UAVs. This award is an extension of the firm’s project – sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) – through the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, to improve power sources for UAVs, including integration and flight testing. The DARPA-sponsored work ended in 2006. The company has also received $1.75m from the US Army Tank and Automotive Command to develop its fuel cell power system for use on the iRobot PackBot military robot. The fuel cells will increase the energy density available to the PackBot, extending the operational time from 2 h to more than 10 h. Packbots,
Fuel Cells Bulletin
9
NEWS currently powered by batteries, are used by the US Army for dangerous tasks, including examining mines and checkpoints. In addition, Adaptive Materials has been awarded a contract to develop a portable power source for US Army communications devices, including radios and GPS devices used by soldiers in the field. The firm says that its work aims to increase the functionality of these devices to provide greater energy density while reducing overall weight and size. ‘The lightweight power sources under development can extend the flight time of UAVs and operating time of military robots, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of these devices,’ says Michelle Crumm, chief business officer. ‘Adaptive Materials’ portable power systems for communications devices can increase functionality, and also reduce the weight of the load that soldiers need to carry to maintain contact with critical sources of information.’ She continues: ‘These contracts represent the next phase of growth for Adaptive Materials, as we go through a transition from research to product development.’ Contact: Adaptive Materials Inc, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. Tel: +1 734 302 7632, www.adaptivematerials.com
research
ACAL’s FlowCath fuel cell runs successfully
U
K-based ACAL Energy reports the successful first operation of what it says is a completely new type of fuel cell system, based on its proprietary recirculating liquid cathode technology, known as FlowCath®. According to the PEM fuel cell developer, the 50 W, fully integrated multi-cell system incorporating Flowcath technology produced even higher power levels than expected. FlowCath replaces the standard and expensive platinum cathode found in conventional fuel cells, with a system that uses a liquid nonprecious metal catalyst. This not only reduces the cost of the cell, but also naturally humidifies the membrane, eliminating the need for additional hydration systems, and better managing the generated heat. ACAL Energy believes that the FlowCath technology will provide a route to faster commercial application by reducing system costs and enabling greater reliability. ‘The fact that we have managed successfully to build a 10-cell stack, and get the integrated system working so quickly, is down to our approach of changing only those parts of the 10
Fuel Cells Bulletin
system necessary to adopt our FlowCath technology, keeping everything else the same,’ comments Dr Andrew Creeth, CTO and inventor of the technology. ‘Although FlowCath is radically different from conventional systems, it has so far been simple to make the modifications necessary to incorporate our technology.’ He continues: ‘Our next step is to scale up from this 50 W system to a 1 kW unit, as well as running the system to demonstrate the expected long-term durability advantages of our approach.’
An interesting outcome of these experiments is leading Wiesner down a new, related research path. As a result of the electrochemical reactions, small amounts of water are created as a by-product. ‘In the current technology, this water is used by the system to maintain the humidity within the cell,’ he says. ‘The water produced in these reactions is of high purity. So, if a fuel cell membrane could be developed that was not reliant on humidity, this water could be used for other purposes.’
Contact: ACAL Energy Ltd, Runcorn, Cheshire, UK. Tel: +44 1928 511581, www.acalenergy.co.uk
Contact: Professor Mark R Wiesner, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0287, USA. Tel: +1 919 660 5292, Email: [email protected], Web: wiesner.cee.duke.edu
Membrane research to improve efficiency
R
esearchers in the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University in North Carolina are developing a way to improve the efficiency fuel cells. The scientists have developed a membrane that allows fuel cells to operate at low humidity and theoretically at higher temperatures. The research was published recently in the Journal of Membrane Science [DOI: 10.1016/ j.memsci.2008.02.025]. ‘The current gold-standard membrane is a polymer that needs to be in a humid environment in order to function efficiently,’ explains Dr Mark Wiesner, professor of civil engineering and senior author of the paper. ‘If the polymer membrane dries out, its efficiency drops. We developed a ceramic membrane made of iron nano-particles that works at much lower humidities. And because it is a ceramic, it should also tolerate higher temperatures.’ He continues: ‘If the next series of tests proves that fuel cells with these new membranes perform well at high temperatures, we believe it might attract the type of investment needed to bring this technology to the market.’ In the most commonly used membrane, Nafion®, as the temperature rises the polymer becomes unstable and the membrane dehydrates, leading to a loss of performance. In addition to its temperature and heat limitations, Nafion is also much more expensive to produce than the new membrane, says Wiesner, adding that membranes make up as much as 40% of the overall cost of fuel cells. ‘The efficiency of current membranes drops significantly at temperatures over 88°C,’ he notes. ‘However, the chemical reactions that create the electricity are more efficient at high temperatures, so it would be a big improvement for fuel cell technology to make this advance.’
Wisconsin-Maryland team report on PtRu nanoparticle catalyst
R
esearchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Maryland have developed a new nanotechnology-driven chemical catalyst that is claimed to pave the way for more efficient hydrogen FCVs. UW-Madison chemical and biological engineering professor Manos Mavrikakis and UM chemistry and biochemistry professor Bryan Eichhorn describe a new type of catalyst in an Advance Online Publication of Nature Materials [DOI: 10.1038/nmat2156]. The catalyst is created by surrounding a ruthenium nanoparticle with one or two layers of platinum atoms. The result is a robust room-temperature catalyst that dramatically improves a key hydrogen purification reaction and leaves more hydrogen available to make energy in the fuel cell. Preferential oxidation of CO in the presence of hydrogen (PROX) is an important step in fuel reforming, using a catalyst to purge hydrogen of CO – which would poison the expensive Pt catalyst – before it enters the fuel cell. While a conventionally constructed catalyst combining Ru and Pt must be heated to 70°C to drive the PROX reaction, the same elements combined as core-shell nanoparticles operate at room temperature. The lower the temperature at which the catalyst activates the reactants and makes the products, the more energy is saved. ‘This polymer-based method developed by my colleagues in Maryland allows the exact amount of an element, in this case platinum, to be placed exactly where you want it to be on specific seeds of ruthenium,’ explains Mavrikakis. The nanoscale fabrication of Ru and Pt resulted in a different nano-architecture than when Ru and Pt are combined in bulk. This
May 2008