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GES Demonstrates 1.4kW
Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Stack
Giner
Electrochemical Systems,
LLC, (GES), an electrochemical research and development company, announced today
the demonstration of a liquid feed direct methanol fuel cell (LFDMFC) providing
over 1.4 kW of power while operating on ambient pressure air. This stack is the
successful scale up of the 0.5 kW LFDMFC announced in July, 2001.
The stack is part of a
complete system being developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that
will provide 1 kW of net power output. It utilizes GES' proprietary
technologies in both the molded graphite bipolar plates and the advanced
membrane-electrode assemblies, said Cecelia Cropley, Director of Systems
Engineering for GES.
The fuel cell stack,
containing 68 cells with an active area of 400 cm2 per cell, provided
over 1450W of DC power at 60°C utilizing low-pressure air. This program is
being jointly funded by the California Air Resources Board and the Air Quality
Management District and builds on many of the advances made byJPL and GES over the last decade in projects funded by the Defense
Advanced Research Project Agency.
Accomplishment of this latest
milestone paves the way for further LFDMFC development up to the 3kW range,
according to Larry Gestaut, GES Vice-President of Technology. Liquid-fed fuel
cells have enormous potential to fill auxiliary power needs in military,
commercial, and consumer markets.
The LFDMFC has the benefits
of easy and direct re-fueling, rapid startup, and quick response to varying
power demands. Its quiet, low temperature operation without the need for
pressurized air make it a natural for auxiliary power requirements, said
Anthony Vaccaro, President of Giner, Inc, Its our goal to develop the
technology that exploits those advantages.
Contact Information:
Cecelia C. Cropley (ccropley@ginerinc.com)
Director, Systems Engineering
Phone: (781)
529-0506; Fax: (781) 893-6470
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