Originally published March 2 2005
Ballard's new fuel cell starts at -20C and can operate for more than 2,000 hours
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Ballard Power Systems, a leading researcher in the field of fuel cells, has shown a new fuel cell stack that can start at -20 degrees Celsius, operates for 2,200 hours, and costs less than many other fuel cells, thanks to a 30% reduction in the amount of platinum. This fuel cell stack also showed no performance degradation compared to other fuel cells, showing that the technology is closer to commercialization.
Ballard scientists and engineers have demonstrated a stack design that can start repeatedly from -20 degrees C (-4 degrees F) and operate for more than 2,000 hours at a substantially reduced cost with no performance tradeoff.
"We achieved a technology hat trick by demonstrating three of the requirements most critical to advancing fuel cells along the path to commercialization.
Ballard continues to make considerable progress toward meeting the goals set by the auto industry and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)," said Charles Stone, Ballard's Vice President, Research and Development.
"Most demonstrations today involve testing one requirement at a time - freeze start, power density, cost reduction - which involves tradeoffs in other requirements," Dr. Stone continued.
Ballard demonstrated its achievements on a 10-cell demonstration fuel cell stack, reducing the amount of platinum by 30%, and subjecting the stack to start-ups from -20 degrees C, all without compromising performance.
The test lowered the fuel cell stack and its supporting systems to -20 degrees C and then subjected the unit to a drive cycle test from start-up through power down.
"While we have a future goal of operating at -30 degrees C, a -20 degrees C temperature is well within the operating requirements for most of North America and Europe," said Dr. Stone.
The new stack design incorporated a 30% reduction in platinum catalyst loading with no reduction in performance.
Freeze start capability, increased durability and cost reduction were identified as three of the crucial performance goals set in 2003 by the U.S. DOE when it launched a $350 million, five-year funding program targeted at making hydrogen-fueled vehicles a commercial reality by 2015.
"In April, we plan to roll out our technology roadmap, which highlights key technology milestones we intend to meet on the path to developing commercially viable automotive fuel cell stack technology by 2010."
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