Acumentrics Receives Dept. of Energy Funding to Raise Efficiency of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs)


			October 11, 2007 – Vol. 12 No.29 Acumentrics Receives Dept. of Energy Funding to Raise Efficiency of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). The Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding will be used to develop optimized manufacturing techniques and to build pre-commercial prototypes of a hybrid ceramic-metallic heat exchanger. The Phase I research demonstrated that, with a hybrid approach that combined high-temperature ceramics and low-temperature, lower-cost metallic elements in a single SOFC heat exchanger, can achieve the 80 percent effectiveness and reduced manufacturing cost needed for commercial viability. Previously, expensive high-alloy metals had been required for the 800 to 1000 degrees Celsius internal operating temperatures of SOFCs. According to Acumentrics, SOFCs are one of the most efficient, cleanest power generating systems currently being developed, producing power electrochemically using solid-state ceramic cells. SOFCs are highly fuel-flexible, and can operate on available fossil fuels including natural gas, propane, methane and diesel fuel, as well as ethanol and biogas. Because no combustion is involved, SOFCs produce virtually no emissions. In the Acumentrics SOFC system, the heat exchanger, or recuperator, ensures the incoming cathode air is sufficiently preheated by the exhaust flow so that optimum generator temperatures are maintained, permitting ion mobility within the cells to generate electricity. “This technology development moves Acumentrics closer to the commercialization of a low-cost, reliable, efficient and clean solid oxide fuel cell power generating system,” said Acumentrics CEO Gary Simon. Acumentrics is based in Westwood, Massachusetts.(10/11/07) Links: Acumentrics http://www.acumentrics.com Disclaimer, Forward-Looking or Safe Harbor Statement on original press release: No \| Front Page \| Events \| Archives / Resources \| Publications \| About / Contact \| Subscriptions / RSS \| Products / Services \| Requests for Proposals / Funding Opportunities \| Copyright 1996 - 2007 Green Energy News Inc