FUEL CELLS FOR NAVAL AUXILIARY POWER

ANALYTIC POWER PROPOSES A SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF THREE POTENTIAL NAVAL AUXILIARY POWER PLANTS USING FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY. A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF THIS APPLICATION IS MANDATORY BECAUSE, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THE FUEL CELL IS NOT THE LIMITING TECHNOLOGY. IN MANY CASES, THE FUEL PROCESSOR CAN BE MUCH LARGER THAN THE FUEL TAN AND THE POWER CONDITIONER MAY BE LARGER THAN THE FUEL CELL. CONVENTIONAL COMMERCIAL FUEL CELL POWER PLANT TECHNOLOGIES BEING DEVELOPED FOR STATIONARY APPLICATIONS HAVE SPECIFIC WEIGHTS (1LB/KW) MORE THAN AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE LARGER THAN DIESELS AND GAS TURBINES. THESE UNITS HAVE SPECIFIC VOLUMES (FT(3)/KW) AND SPECIFIC COSTS ($/KW) MORE THAN TWO ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LARGER THAN DIESELS AND GAS TURBINES. MOREOVER, SEVERAL FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE WHICH RANGE FROM 2000 DEG F SOLID OXIDE TO 200 DEG F ALKALINE, WITH A HOST OF TECHNOLOGIES IN BETWEEN. ANALYTIC POWER HAS THE EXPERIENCE IN SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING FUEL CELLS AND STACKS. WE PERFORM SYSTEMS ANALYSIS FOR FUEL CELL MANUFACTURERS. IN THIS PROPOSAL WE HAVE SELECTED THREE APPROACHES WHICH HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF COMPETING SUCCESSFULLY WITH CONVENTIONAL AUXILIARY POWER SYSTEMS.