Markets for Fuel-Cell Auxiliary Power Units in Vehicles: Preliminary Assessment

2003 ◽  
Vol 1842 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Lutsey ◽  
Christie-Joy Brodrick ◽  
Daniel Sperling ◽  
Harry A. Dwyer
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Market Potential ◽  
Niche Markets ◽  
Cell Technologies ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Recreational Vehicles ◽  
Auxiliary Power Units ◽  
Potential Benefits

Fuel cells are widely expected to replace internal combustion engines in vehicles. However, their high initial costs preclude their introduction into the mass market for some time. A new approach is needed that focuses on niche markets. The potential use of fuel cells in auxiliary power units (APUs) on board various types of automobiles and trucks— in luxury passenger automobiles, law enforcement vehicles, contractor trucks, specialized utility trucks, recreational vehicles, refrigerated trucks, and line-haul heavy-duty trucks—is explored. Power requirements, volume and weight targets, costs, market sizes, and potential benefits for several fuel cell technologies and fuels are analyzed. The attributes of market applications are matched with fuel cell attributes to assess the market potential of fuel-cell APUs. Although data are insufficient and more analysis is needed, several market applications apparently could play key roles in introducing fuel cell technologies to the transportation sector.

Systems Analysis of Diesel Based Fuel Cells for Auxiliary Power Units

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Berry ◽  
Robert James ◽  
Todd H. Gardner ◽  
Dushyant Shekhawat
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Diesel Fuel ◽  
Systems Analysis ◽  
Cell System ◽  
Sulfur Poisoning ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Auxiliary Power Units ◽  
The Impact

The near-term commercial success for many fuel cell technologies will rely on their ability to utilize current infrastructure fuels. Several large ready-markets exist for fuel cell systems that utilize middle distillate petroleum fractions like diesel fuel. One particular application is diesel-based auxiliary power units (APU). Unfortunately, very little research and development has been devoted to this application. Ongoing research at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and other organizations is trying to address this need. In order for a fuel cell to utilize diesel fuel, it must be reformed into a synthesis gas containing primarily hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, steam and possibly methane. Because catalytic reforming of hydrocarbon fuels is conducted at the same relative operating temperatures of technologies like solid oxide fuel cells (800–1000°C) a high degree of thermal integration is possible. Unfortunately, carbon deposition and sulfur poisoning of catalysts in the reformer and fuel cell make system operation potentially complicated and costly. To help understand and quantify the impact of these issues on technology development and component, a number of systems analysis was conducted for a diesel-based fuel cell system. One particular system based on a hybrid combustor/reformer concept allowed for excellent utilization of available heat from the fuel cell and yielded an overall fuel to electric conversion efficiency of nearly 50%. This paper discusses its salient features and compares its characteristics to other possible system configurations.

Impacts assessment and trade-offs of fuel cell-based auxiliary power units

2005 ◽  
Vol 139 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 205-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Baratto ◽  
Urmila M. Diwekar ◽  
Davide Manca
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Auxiliary Power Units

U.S. Army Strategy for Utilizing Fuel Cells as Auxiliary Power Units

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Herbert H. Dobbs ◽  
Erik T. Kallio ◽  
James M. Pechacek
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Auxiliary Power Units

Dynamic evaluation of low-temperature metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell oriented to auxiliary power units

2008 ◽  
Vol 176 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenwei Wang ◽  
Jörg Oberste Berghaus ◽  
Sing Yick ◽  
Cyrille Decès-Petit ◽  
Wei Qu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Dynamic Evaluation ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Auxiliary Power Units

scholarly journals Fuel Cells: The Next Evolution

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 581-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Lashway
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Materials Science ◽  
Electrical Conductance ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Pure Oxygen ◽  
Combustion Engines ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Wide Range

AbstractThe articles in this issue of MRS Bulletin highlight the enormous potential of fuel cells for generating electricity using multiple fuels and crossing a wide range of applications. Fuel cells convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy, and as a powergeneration module, they can be viewed as a continuously operating battery.They take in air (or pure oxygen, for aerospace or undersea applications) and hydrocarbon or hydrogen fuel to produce direct current at various outputs. The electrical output can be converted and then connected to motors to generate much cleaner and more fuelefficient power than is possible from internal combustion engines, even when combined with electrical generators in today's hybrid engines. The commercialization of these fuel cell technologies is contingent upon additional advances in materials science that will suit the aggressive electrochemical environment of fuel cells (i.e., both reducing an oxidizing) and provide ionic and electrical conductance for thousands of hours of operation.

Improved Durability and Cost-Effective Components for New Generation Direct Methanol Fuel Cells - DURAMET Project

2014 ◽  
Vol 93 ◽  
pp. 61-64
Author(s):  
A.S. Aricò
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Direct Methanol Fuel Cells ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Power Sources ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Effective Components ◽  
Auxiliary Power Units ◽  
Direct Methanol ◽  
Methanol Fuel Cells ◽  
Distributed Energy Generation

Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs) have been postulated as suitable systems for power generation in the fields of portable power sources, remote and micro-distributed energy generation, and auxiliary power units (APU). The main objective of the DURAMET project ((http://www.duramet.eu) is to develop cost-effective components for DMFCs with enhanced activity and stability in order to reduce stack costs and improve performance and durability. The project concerns with the development of DMFC components for application in auxiliary power units and portable systems.

Life Cycle Assessment of microtubular solid oxide fuel cell based auxiliary power unit systems for recreational vehicles

2017 ◽  
Vol 165 ◽  
pp. 312-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Benveniste ◽  
Martina Pucciarelli ◽  
Marc Torrell ◽  
Michaela Kendall ◽  
Albert Tarancón
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Unit ◽  
Solid Oxide ◽  
Oxide Fuel ◽  
Auxiliary Power Unit ◽  
Auxiliary Power ◽  
Recreational Vehicles

Current Status of Fuel Cell Technologies

2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 207-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Ni
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Mobile Applications ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Principal Characteristic ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Cell Technologies ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Potential Applications

A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device for electricity generation using hydrogen fuel. The principal characteristic of a fuel cell is that it can convert chemical energy directly into electrical energy with higher efficiencies than conventional mechanical systems. The emission of fuel cells using hydrogen as a fuel is only water vapour. Fuel cells are currently under development for both stationary and mobile applications in response to the need for sustainable energy technology. This paper reviews current status of fuel cell technologies, compares different types of fuel cells. The potential applications of fuel cells are discussed.

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