Military Applications of Fuel Cell Technologies
Publication Date:15-October-2006
12:30 PM US Eastern Timezone
Source:Defense Update
Fuel cells offer significant savings of loads, in weight and volume,
compared to conventional power sources. For example, a 13 pack BA-5590
batteries weigh more than 29 lbs and cost $100 each. (Thirteen
batteries are required to support a typical 72-hour deployment.) The US
Army is evaluating the use of inexpensive, injection-molded fuel cell
technology formed into the common BA-5590 form factor, to power SOF
PRC-117 field radio, resulting in a weight saving of over 13 lbs and
decrease its cost by at least 50%. Other power sources are provided by
Direct Methanol Micro Fuel Cell (DMFC), under development at MTI Micro.
The company has already demonstrated the operation of its power system
on 100% methanol fuel resulting in 0.9 watt hours of energy per cubic
centimeters (cc) of fuel, extracting from methanol more than three
times the energy of most current lithium ion batteries. The company is
teaming with Harris RF Communications Division, to develop a fuel cell
prototype that will replace standard batteries in Harris' Falcon II
portable, military radio. The MTI Micro-Harris prototype is currently
producing a power output of 5 watts with a peak power of 25 watts and
an energy content of greater than 50 watt hours. The fuel cell is
designed to fit into a size and form of a standard BA-5590 battery,
while generating twice the energy of the radio's internal battery, and
approaching the energy of the external rechargeable battery - the
BB390.
DMFCC Introduces Methanol Fuel Cell Cartridges
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Corporation (DMFCC), has completed product
development of a first methanol fuel cell cartridge. The new cartridge
was co-developed with and manufactured by DMFCC's Korean partner, SMC
Co., Ltd. Fuel cells offer longer operating time as compared to current
lithium ion batteries. With the introduction of the new cartridges,
fuel cells could be instantaneously recharged by replacing the
disposable fuel cartridge.
These fuel cell powered devices are expected to be introduced into the
marketplace by major electronic product manufacturers in 2007. One
cartridge is expected to provide five to 10 hours of computer operation
depending on the efficiency of the fuel cell. The DMFCC methanol
cartridge holds 50 cubic centimeters of 100% methanol and is designed
for a laptop computer and similar applications. Cell phones will
require smaller cartridges, and other applications may require larger
ones. DMFCC also plans to develop cartridges for other fuels such as
formic acid or ethanol, as customers require.
DMFCC focuses on producing disposable fuel cartridges containing liquid
fuels, such as methanol, to provide the energy source for laptop
computers, cell phones and other portable electronic devices powered by
direct methanol fuel cells.
Palm Power Application
Another use of DMFC studied by DARPA is Palm Power program. This future
portable man-packed power unit could replace larger diesel generator
sets that are currently towed on a trailer. Palm Power will utilize
compact fuel cells and thermal to electric energy conversion
technologies. Where applicable, these power sources are also providing
co-generation (producing heating, hot water, or cooling, in addition to
electricity). Fuel chemistries considered for the program are Direct
methanol oxidation fuel cells (DMFCs). The Palm Power Program will
produce a completely packaged 20-watt direct methanol fuel cell, that,
combined with a battery, could yield a hybrid soldier power system with
significantly longer endurance than a system using batteries alone.
Typical consumers for such power cells are robots and autonomous ground
vehicles, future soldier systems, micro-air vehicles etc. DARPA is
expecting radically new approaches developed to meet the specific
energy goals of the program, which is on the order of thousands of
Whr/kg at the system level. Higher power levels envision other
approaches, including planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC),
thermo-photo-voltaics (TPV), alkali metal thermal to electric
converters (AMTEC), and small turbine engines, that will operate in the
300- to 500-W range on approved military fuels.
Vehicular Power Cell
A different fuel cell technology is considered for an auxiliary power
unit developed by Radian Inc. The system is planned for deployment on
US army vehicles. The fuel cell consists of the Proton Exchange
Membrane (PEM) technology, developed by Hydrogenics Corp. Since modern
armored vehicles rely on the use of many electronic and electrical
systems, even when positioned in stationary positions, the APU will
offer adequate supply of electrical power, to operate digital equipment
and extended silent watch requirements. As an alternative to the
battery systems and diesel generator sets currently being used by the
military, fuel cell power generation offers longer operation, zero
emissions, improved cycle-life, low noise signature, reduced
deterioration and improved cold weather performance. In Regenerative
fuel cell technology the system's electrolyser will recharge the
hydrogen supply while the vehicle engine is operating, supplying the
hydrogen storage subsystem with sufficient fuel to operate the fuel
cell auxiliary power system for up to ten hours at the field
destination with a load of 3 kW average, and peak demand of 5 kW.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Process (SOFC)
SOFC to Operate on Military JP8 Fuel - (January 16, 2006): Gas
Technology Instituute (GTI) has demonstrated operation of a
high-power-density solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) using standard military
logistics fuel (JP8) containing 600 to 700 ppm of sulfur. This is an
important milestone on the path to developing SOFC technology providing
efficient, clean, and quiet power for military applications.
The process uses steam reforming process that prepares the gas for the
SOFC stack, enabling effective thermal management which is key for the
system's efficiency. The JP8 fuel processor uses an advanced sulfur
tolerant catalyst, novel JP8 burner, and radiant heat transfer system
to convert JP8 military logistics fuel into hydrogen and other SOFC
fuel gases. This JP8 fuel processor has operated stably for 600 hours
of testing to date. The overall system is designed to capture and
recycle water so that it can operate without an external water supply.
The planar SOFC stack was supplied by Versa Power Systems (VPS). It is
built of twenty-one cell stack, producing about 800 watts from JP8
processing, with an impressive power level of 315 mW/cm2. The next
generation demonstration system will use advanced SOFC stacks to
achieve the 3 to 10 kW power goal - suitable to meet the military's
Mobile Electric Power (MEP) generation requirements.
The work is funded through the U.S. Department of Defense under the
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Construction
Engineering Research Laboratory (ERDC-CERL).
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