FuelCell Energy Inc. announces $1.45 million in projects

FuelCell Energy Inc. of Danbury, a leading manufacturer of direct fuel cell (DFC) stationary power plants, announced it has been selected for four U.S. government small-business program contract awards totaling $1.45 million to support continued fuel cell development

* The U.S. Department of

Energy (DOE) selected FuelCell Energy for a two-year, $75,000 contract to further the development of advanced control modules for its patented Direct FuelCell/Turbine (DFC/T combined cycle power plant This will advance the developments of Phase 1 to include additional dynamic optimization mechanisms such as data reconciliation and fault accommodation techniques. FuelCell Energy will work with the National Fuel Cell Research Center in Irvine, Calif, as a subcontractor. The overall goal of this multiphase project is to reduce costly manual interaction by plant controllers and engineers and enhance electronic monitoring of the integrated fuel cell and unfired gas turbine hybrid system.

The U.S. Navy has selected FuelCell Energy for a nine-month, $100,000 contract to develop an alternative reforming process for the production of methane-rich gas for its Slip Service Direct FuelCell System. The plasma reforming system has potential costreduction advantages over conventional steam reforming due to its more compact design. This proposed plasma reformer project may result in breakthrough technologies for liquidfueled DFC power plants and increased power density of the system. FuelCell Energy will be working with Stevens Institute of Technology of Hoboken, N.J. Following a successful Phase 1, a Phase 2, two-year effort, may be awarded for up to $750,000.

Promising results

* The U.S. Army has selected FuelCell Energy for a two-year, $500,000 contract. The selection is based on promising results obtained in the Phase 1 program that demonstrated improved carbon monoxide tolerance when magnetic particles are introduced into the fuel cell anode, The objective of the Phase 2 research is to further develop this process and to test complete membrane electrode assemblies with a variety of techniques to define performance limits and favorable operating conditions. FuelCell Energy will be working with the University of Iowa as a subcontractor. The overall goal of this multi-phase project is to enhance carbon monoxide tolerance and performance of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells that will result in widespread use for portable, transportation and stationary applications.

* The DOE has selected FuelCell Energy for a six-month, $100,000 contract to develop advanced cathode catalyst structures for oxygen reduction reaction for PEM fuel cells. The company will develop molecular sieve structures to improve cathode reaction and reduce resistance losses. The goal of this project is to meet the DOE's objective to reduce the cost of the PEM fuel cell system and accelerate the commercialization of PEM fuel cells for both transportation and stationary applications. FuelCell Energy will be working with the University of Connecticut and Ion Power of Bear, Del., as subcontractors. As with the U.S. Navy project selection, successful Phase 1 projects are eligible for Phase 2 project awards with finding up to $750,000.

Expertise and success

"These awards recognize FuelCell Energys expertise and success in commercializing its fuel cell technology," said Hans Maru, FuelCell Energy's executive vice president and chief technology officer. "More important, the goal of these projects is to accelerate the process to make fuel cells more competitive and environmentally friendly. The government will be able to take advantage of our extensive knowledge, and these developments will allow us to advance our own expertise in our core DFC and other fuel cell technologies."