Premium Power (October 1998)

Propane-Fueled Fuel Cell Power System for Telecommunications Applications

Sponsor: H. Power Corporation

• Project Performance Period: 1/1/1999 - 10/31/2001
• Total project (est.): $6,376,772.00
• Requested ATP funds: $3,159,324.00

A joint venture formed by H Power Corp. proposes making fuel cells about the size of a large box of breakfast cereal and weighing only 14 pounds to replace rechargeable batteries in telecommunications. Miniaturization and field deployment of telecommunications systems demand power supplies that are small, light, cost competitive, ultrareliable, and robust. Batteries with these features are made mostly outside the United States. Fuel cells with propane canisters, however, would last up to four times as long as batteries of about the same weight. They represent a unique opportunity for America to compete vigorously in this new market. Fuel cells work much like batteries, except that they draw power from hydrogen and oxygen, which react electrochemically instead of by combustion. H Power will work with Epyx/Arthur D. Little, Inc. (Cambridge, Mass.), developer of fuel processing systems. The companies will base their cells on PEM (proton exchange membrane) technology, which has the broadest potential for commercialization. Epyx will shrink its reformer, the subsystems that use propane and other widely available high-energy-content fuels to make hydrogen. One of the most challenging tasks will be designing the catalytic structures in the reformer and its associated systems. If the reformer generates too much carbon monoxide, a contaminant produced as a byproduct, cell performance degrades, constituting a major hurdle in developing and commercializing small cells. H Power will redesign its smaller PEM cells now used in specialty applications to allow use of common fuels. The company also makes multikilowatt cells and will modify their design for telecommunications applications of up to six kilowatts. The partners have targeted a product cost of $1,500 per kilowatt, where fuel cells are expected to compete with batteries for telecommunications. In this application, the new fuel-cell design will enable telecommunication installations in more remote locations with improved service and reliability, while reducing maintenance and service requirements. Success is expected to spawn many applications, including emergency power equipment, small marine and terrestrial vehicular propulsion systems, and portable generators.

For project information:

Dr. Arthur Kaufman, (973) 450-4400
akaufman@hpower.com

Active Project Participants

• Nuvera (formerly Arthur D. Little, Inc.) (Cambridge, MA)
  [Original, Active Member]
  

ATP Project Manager

Francis Barros, (301) 975-2617
francis.barros@nist.gov