Lightweight Air Pumps/Blowers For Man Portable Fuel Cells

Fuel Cell technology is making great strides in terms of efficiency and size and may soon replace the battery in portable power source applications. However, there are issues in the balance of plant surrounding the fuel cell stack that must be resolved before the technology can fulfill its potential. Specifically, traditional electric motor driven pumps are limited in terms of miniaturization and power efficiency; have life spans that fall far short of the fuel cell they support; and do not integrate well into small packages. PAR Technologies, LLC proposes that a piezoceramic based technology is a superior choice for fuel cell balance of plant applications. Unencumbered by the physical requirements of a rotor, windings, shafts, and bearings, piezoceramic air pumps occupy a fraction of the volume required by traditional devices and can be readily integrated into a variety of packaging possibilities. PAR's proprietary RLPT (Ruggedized Laminated Piezo) technology lends significantly increased efficiency when compared to any other solution and has a reliability that is measured in terms of billions of cycles with an MTTF over 100,000 hours. PAR Technologies, Inc. specializes in advanced Piezo Applications Research using its proprietary line of high performance Ruggedized Laminated Piezo (RLPT) actuators.