Contaminant Resistant High Power Density Fuel Cells for Military Application

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 proposal to the Department of Defense plans to demonstrate a design of 2 kW modular contaminant resistant high power density fuel cell power system using logistic fuel reformate as the fuel. TreadStone will develop a lightweight fuel cell stacks, using contaminant resistant polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane electrolyte, corrosion resistive metal bipolar plates, and design the high power density fuel cell power based on this lightweight fuel cell stack. The design objectives of the power system are 53% fuel energy conversion efficiency, and 120 w/kg power density of the power system. TreadStone plan to apply its proprietary metal corrosion protection technology to develop the corrosion resistive metal bipolar plate, which is the key element of the high power density PBI based fuel cell power system. The success of this project will provide the solution to the high performance power system to meet the growing power needs in the battlefields. The contaminant resistant fuel cell power system will also have great commercial potential in stationary power generation markets.