NEWS

Fuel cell poweredbicycle testedManhattan Scientifics hascompleted initial developmentand testing of its "Hydrocycle", afuel cell powered prototypebicycle that uses the company's

unique and proprietary mid•range power technologydeveloped by its NovArs unit inPassau, Germany. The companyalso said that it had openeddiscussions with industry leadersin the powered bicycle andscooter segments about possibleapplications, especially in Asia.

The unique design of theNovArs mid-range PEM fuel celltechnology is based on the use ofadvanced composite materials anelsealing technology to minimise sizeand weight. This makes itpotentially ideal as a power sourcefor portable electronic equipmentor lightweight, personal trans•portation applications.

The cylindrical-shaped fuel cellstack which powers the Hydrocycleweighs only 780 g, and delivers670 W ofpower to a hub motor. Thehydrogen fuel is contained in a 2 Icarbon-fibre reinforced pressurevessel, and provides a driving range of70-100 km at a top speed of30 km/h.

For more information, contact:Manhattan Scientifics l(lc, OlympicTower, 641 Fifth Avenue, Suite 36F, NewYork, NY 10022, USA. Tel: +12127520505, Fax: +1 212 752 0077.

Low-temperatureSOFe developedA Japanese research group hasreported a solid oxide fuel celloperating at temperatures as lowas 350°C, using samarium-dopedceria as the electrolyte. This isconsiderably lower than

previously reported cells runningon natural gas, and offers a

significant opportunity for

cheaper SOFC systems, which do

not need external reformers but

can still run on hydrocarbon fuels.

In the 16 June issue of Science,

Takashi Hibino of the NationalIndustrial Research Institute of

Nagoya and colleagues at NagoyaUniversity describe a unique SOFC

design in which the hydrocarbons

and air are pumped into a single

chamber, where they surround the

electrodes and an electrolytemembrane wafer made from cerium

oxide tinged with samarium. Ethane,

methane and propane were all tested

and worked efficiently, and the team

claims that liquid petroleum gas or

butane would work just as well.

Hibino's team found that theirfuel cell works well at around

500°e. In addition to deterring

hydrocarbon build-up on the anode,

the samarium-doped cerium oxide

membrane at such temperatures is a

far better oxygen-ion conductor

than the standard yttria-stabilised

zirconia (YSZ) membrane. The

lower operating temperature also

reduces heat Stress on the apparatusitself, which means engineers should

be able to use steel rather than

expensive, heat-resistant alloys.

For more information, contact: DrTakashi Hibino, Material StructureDesign Laboratory, Structural FormationProcess Department, National IndustrialResearch Institute of Nagoya, 1-1Hirate-cho, Kita-ku, Nagoya 462-8510,Japan. Tel: +81 52911 2111, Fax: +8152 916 2802, Email: thibino@nirin.go.jp

Teledyne,Humboldt Statelink upThe Energy Systems unit of

Teledyne Technologies has

completed a strategic agreementwith Humboldt State University

in California to produce, use and

sell fuel cell systems based on

technology developed at the

university's renowned Schatz

Energy Research Center.

"This agreement is the result of a

long and mutually beneficialrelationship we have enjoyed with

[director] Dr Lehman and his team

at the Schatz Energy Research

Center," said Bamdad Bahar,

general manager of TeledyneEnergy Systems. "This proven fuelcell technology has thousands ofhours of documented real-lifeperformance in the field."

Teledyne Energy Systems

provides commercial power systemsolutions within the micro•generation power range for on-site,continuous-duty, prime-powerapplications. The agreement shouldallow Teledyne Energy Systems to

greatly expand its business base bydriving down the cost for remoteprime-power systems.

The Humboldt State researchlaboratory recently designed and

produced a fuel cell generator thathelps bring reliable telephone serviceto remote Yurok tribal lands, bypowering a telecommunications

station on a rugged mountaintop inRedwood National Park.

For more information, contact:Teledyne Energy Systems, 10707 GilroyRoad, Hunt Valley, MD 21031-1325,USA.Tel:+14107718600, Fax:+1410771 8620.

Or contact: Schatz Energy ResearchCenter, Humboldt State University.Arcata, CA 95521-8299, USA. Tel: +17078264345, Fax: +1 7078264347.

Powermanagementmodule orderCalgary-based Sustainable

Energy Technologies has receiveda purchase order from IdaTech

Corporation of Bend, Oregon -

formerly Northwest Power

Systems for a power

management module which will

condition and distribute power

for IdaTech's stationary fuel cell

power generation system.

The companies have beencollaborating for several months to

develop a fully integrated power

management system that will meet

the requirements ofIdaTech's fuel

cell and fuel reformer. Delivery of

the power management modulefor alpha testing with the IdaTech

system was scheduled for the end

ofJuly.

For more information, contact:Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd,Suite 850, 1520 4th Street SW, Calgary,Alberta T2R OY4, Canada. Tel: + 1 403508 7176, Fax: +1 403 205 2509.

Or contact: IdaTech, 924 SE WilsonAvenue, Suite F. Bend, OR 97702, USA. Tel:+15413833390,Fax:+15413833439.

TexasA&Mlicenses ReliantEnergyThe Texas A&M UniversitySystem has granted Houston•based Reliant Energy exclusiverights to develop and market

important improvements in PEMfuel cell technology.

This new technology wasdeveloped by the Center for

Electrochemical Systems &

Hydrogen Research. Theagreement grants Reliant Energythe exc1usive right to assess and

develop the technology's

commercial potential for a varietyof applications includingdistributed generation, pOrtablepower and transportation.

The fuel cell developed by the

CESHR has several unique featuresthat may provide a cost advantage by

allowing it to be mass-produced. Thecell, invented by centre director Dr

A. John Appleby, is designed to use

common and previously overlooked

materials in the manufacturing

process, and to operate at low

temperatures and pressures. The

design will allow units to range in size

from 7.5 kW - the powerrequirement for the average Houston

home - to 150 k\v, which wouldpower light commercial andindustrial customers.

For more information, contact:Center for Electrochemical Systems &Hydrogen Research, Texas EngineeringExperiment Station, 238 WisenbakerEngineering Research Center, TexasA&M University, College Station, TX77843-3402, USA. Tel: +1 409 8458281, Fax: +14098459287.

Or contact: Reliant Energy, 1111Louisiana, Houston, TX 77002, USA. Tel:+1 713 207 3000, Fax: +1 713 207 3169.

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