Tactical Fuel Cells

Energy Technologies partners with Ovonic Fuel Cells

Energy Technologies and Ovonic are working together to develop reliable, cost-effective backup power equipment combining UPS functionality with fuel cell efficiency:

Energy Technologies' products are in use around the world where high-reliability and high-quality power conditioning, power generation and computer peripherals are needed. ETI's units are designed and built rugged to prevent damage due to mechanical shock and vibration. These products also incorporate numerous intelligent monitoring and control features while conforming to all pertinent commercial and MilSpec standards.

Ovonic Fuel Cell Company is developing rugged, kW-scale metal hydride fuel cells (MHFC) targeted at backup and mission-critical power for military, industrial and commercial applications. The MHFC is comprised of low cost components, including non-platinum metal catalysts, carbon powders, nickel meshes, plastic binders and plastic stack components. Fabrication and manufacturing of the MHFC involves conventional processing equipment similar to that used commercially in the battery industry. MHFC technology offers an excellent opportunity for fuel cell stacks that overcome the serious cost issues facing the fuel cell industry.

Fuel Cell Power Plant (FPP)

• Total Packaged Power Solution: Integrated UPS, Fuel Cells & Power System Control
• 3 in 1 Application: Power Generation, Power Conditioning, Emergency Backup
• Currently runs on safe, swappable Hydrogen Fuel Canisters (with fuel reformer in development)
• Global Input Voltages and Frequencies
• Global Output Voltages and Frequencies:
       115/120/220/240 VAC
       50, 60 or 400 Hz
       3.3, 5, 12, 24, 48, 72, 125 VDC
• Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) selects between internal Fuel Cells or external power sources
• Runs while closed to protect internal components and reduce heat signature.
• Nearly silent operation in all modes.

What Are Fuel Cells?
Fuel cells are power generation devices that operate on hydrogen and oxygen to provide clean, efficient electrical power with only water and heat as byproducts. Fuel cells can provide power for a variety of applications including portable, stationary, and transportation. Unlike battery systems, fuel cell systems have separate energy storage and power generation components, making them well-suited for backup power applications. With fuel cells, the runtime can be extended for many hours or days by adding inexpensive hydrogen cylinders rather than investing in extensive battery banks. Fuel cell backup power system products are available and have recently been used in hurricane and blackout conditions to provide critical power. However, further advances are needed in cost, durability, and reliability to achieve widespread introduction into the backup power market. The metal hydride fuel cell (MHFC) offers a practical, low cost approach for fuel cell backup power systems.

Efficient electric power generation from hydrogen fuel
• Clean operation
• Water & Heat are the only byproducts
     • Applications include
     • Stationary
     • Portable
     • Transportation


Metal hydride fuel cells
New approach with unique performance advantages

Metal hydride fuel cell (MHFC) technology has been scaled up and demonstrated in stacks and systems ranging up to 1.5 kW. This enables fuel cell stack building blocks in the range of 1-5 kW and beyond for military backup power and power generation applications.

Simultaneously, a specific power capability of 200 W/kg has now been achieved - more than double the specific power previously reported for ambient temperature fuel cells without platinum catalysts. This 200 W/kg specific power rivals that of PEM (proton exchange membrane) stacks now being demonstrated in backup power applications, but with key advantages in performance and cost.

The fundamental materials durability of the MHFC technology has been demonstrated by the operation of several multicell stacks for 8,000 hours. Unique charge storage characteristics of the metal hydride active material provide for special features including instant start, fuel hot swap capabilities, good low temperature performance, and inherent bridging and transient handling capabilities. The MHFC is comprised of low cost components, including non-platinum catalysts, carbon powders, nickel meshes, plastic binders, and plastic stack components.

Fabrication and manufacturing of the MHFC involves conventional processing equipment similar to that used commercially in the battery industry. MHFC technology offers an excellent opportunity for fuel cell stacks that overcome the serious cost issues facing the fuel cell industry.

Fuel Cells for Back Up Power

• Increasing demand for extended runtime backup power
• Metal hydride fuel cells have been demonstrated up to 1500 W and higher power stacks are under development
• Metal hydride fuel cells can provide cost and performance advantages for extended runtime backup power

Instant Start Capability

• Energy storage in fuel cell stack
• Instant start performance
• Capabilities to operate without hydrogen fuel providing: Fuel hot-swap capabilities and continued operation even with fuel supply interruptions

Low Cost Materials

Tactical Fuel Cell Power Plant:

• The FuelCellPowerPlant (FPP) can address global inputs (85-280 VAC, 45-440 Hz or 10-32 VDC) and global outputs (120/220 VAC, 50, 60 or 400 Hz; 12, 24, 48, 72 or 125 VDC) allowing it to be deployed anywhere in the world and used with any electronic equipment.
• Built in UPS/Line Conditioner cleans up any external source and produces continuous computer grade power.
• Additional hydrogen fuel canisters can provide several hours to days of continuous operation.
• Individual Load Control: local and/or remote manually or via TTY, HTTP or SNMP software
• Optional 12 or 24 VDC Input with NATO Slave connector for quick setup with Military Vehicles.
• The Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS) automatically selects between multiple external sources or the internal fuel cells.
• Fuel Cell backup provides uninterrupted operation upon loss of external sources.
• Very quiet operation in all modes.
• Trays slide for easy access.
• Rugged easily deployable cases.

The UPS in the FPP is always supplying clean, reliable power to the load equipment in all modes of operation. When the FPP is fed from an external power grid, and that power is lost, the UPS continues to supply power to the load without interruption. An alarm will sound then, signaling the use of the fuel cells while your equipment continues to operate seamlessly through the UPS.

When the external power returns, and remains stable for two minutes, the unit automatically transitions to the grid source and will shut down the fuel cells. That same scenario is true when operating from a 12 or 24 VDC source. Continuous Fuel Cell operation is also a choice.