NEWS RELEASE
Power + Energy, Inc. Gets Navy Contract For Hydrogen From High Sulfur Diesel Fuels
Office of Naval Research awards $1M SBIR pact supports fuel cell used with logistical fuels
IVYLAND, Pa./EWORLDWIRE/May 10, 2007
Power+Energy, Inc. (P+E) has been awarded a Phase II SBIR contract by the DOD’s Office of Naval Research (ONR). This contract funds the construction and demonstration of palladium alloy membrane assemblies that can practically and reliably separate hydrogen from logistic fuels containing high concentrations of sulfur. Sulfur immunity is essential in order to use widely available logistics fuels as the hydrogen feedstock for fuel cells. The use of sulfur-immune hydrogen membranes will greatly simplify the reforming and separation processes. In addition, it will improve the efficiency of extracting hydrogen from liquid fuels including diesel, jet fuel, gasoline – all of which are more practical to store than hydrogen. This project is a key milestone in P+E’s ongoing efforts directed at providing a unified solution for delivering hydrogen on demand from liquid fuels widely available through existing infrastructures.
P+E’s fueling technology has significant implications for the implementation of fuel cells for vehicle applications as well as auxiliary/backup power and remote power applications. This fuel processor technology will permit the use of widely available fuels and infrastructures (including high sulfur fuels) without the need for a sulfur removal step. P+E’s high efficiency fuel processors, in combination with PEM fuel cells, can double the useful work derived from a gallon of any liquid fuel including synthetic and bio fuels. It will also reduce carbon dioxide emissions by half and will aid the nation in reducing its dependence on imported oil.
P+E is actively working with a number of leading organizations in integrating fuel cell systems. This includes a series of contracts with the Army Research Office (ARO), DARPA, and the Navy (NAVSEA and ONR) to develop hydrogen separation systems for extracting Hydrogen from Methanol, Ethanol and Diesel fuels. P+E has delivered hydrogen separation systems to the Navy, Battelle and a number of other industry leaders over the past year. The technology is scaleable from small portable systems (50-500 watts) to power plants in the megawatt range. Applications include portable battery chargers, auxiliary and back-up power systems and remote, off-grid power systems.
About Power+Energy
Power & Energy is headquartered in Pennsylvania, USA. Established in 1993, the company’s mission is to enable the hydrogen economy and promote energy efficiency through the application of micro-channel technologies. The company provides a full range of micro-channel hydrogen purifiers to ultra-high purity users across the U.S., Asia and Europe.
Power & Energy is leading the way to the hydrogen economy with proprietary manufacturing and patented hydrogen purification, separation and generation technologies. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel palladium-alloy hydrogen purifiers purify any grade of hydrogen to nine-nines purity, meeting the most stringent requirements for semiconductor fabrication processes, including light emitting diode manufacture, solar cell manufacture and the manufacture of other compound and silicon semiconductors. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel hydrogen purifiers are also ideal for metallurgy, R&D, and instrumentation applications. Power & Energy’s Micro-Channel membrane systems can also be used to efficiently separate hydrogen from reformed fuels and synthesis gas mixtures.
Power & Energy is now applying its hydrogen expertise to the fuel cell vehicle refueling market. Power & Energy has recognized that highly compact, low cost, and efficient hydrogen generators that can convert existing liquid fuels to hydrogen at the refueling station will enable the rapid development of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure that fuel-cell vehicles will require. The company’s expertise in the design and manufacture of micro-channel gas processors provides the basis for this exciting new venture.
For further information, contact Neol Leeson, Power & Energy Inc., 106 Railroad Drive, Ivyland, PA 18974-1449, e-mail sales@powerandenergy.com.