Extremely Lightweight Fuel Cell Based Power Supply System for Commercial Aircrafts

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Program:
REEACH
Award:
$1,656,427
Location:
Princeton Junction, New Jersey
Status:
CANCELLED
Project Term:
01/01/2021 - 06/30/2022
Website:

Technology Description:

Fuceltech proposes to develop an innovative low-cost, lightweight Energy Storage and Power Generation (ESPG) system for commercial aircraft. Fuceltech will develop a monopolar wound single fuel cell potentially as high as 10 kW rating and a novel stacking approach to deliver hundreds of kWs of power from a single small and lightweight stack. Fuceltech will use ethanol as a fuel and a reformer that delivers extremely low CO concentration in the reformate to the fuel cell. In phase 1, Fuceltech will develop 2kW power single cells and demonstrate stacked cells of >5kW output power; in phase 2, the team will build and test a complete breadboard 5kWe system integrating a fuel cell stack and reformer and meeting stringent weight and power requirements of the REEACH program.

Potential Impact:

Electrified aviation propulsion systems have the potential to achieve ultra-high fuel-to-propulsive power conversion efficiencies compared with existing turbofan and turboprop systems.

Security:

This program could ensure U.S. technology leadership in ultra-high efficiency aircraft propulsion systems capable of exploiting CNLFs.

Environment:

A high specific power electrified propulsion system framework could enable net-zero carbon aviation by facilitating the transition to carbon neutral liquid fuels (CNLFs) while meeting all mission requirements.

Economy:

The developed ESPG sub-system could provide the foundational technology for a new industry in ultra-high efficiency propulsion systems while improving the competitiveness of the existing air transportation industry by reducing fuel costs.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Grigorii Soloveichik
Project Contact:
Dr. Chuni Ghosh
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
chuni.ghosh@princetoninnotech.com

Related Projects

• Fuceltech - Extremely Lightweight Fuel Cell Based Power Supply System for Commercial Aircrafts
• General Electric (GE) Global Research - FueL CelL Embedded ENgine (FLyCLEEN)
• Precision Combustion (PCI) - SOFCS for Flight
• Precision Combustion (PCI) - SOFCS for Flight (Phase 2)
• Raytheon Technologies Research Center - Zero-carbon Ammonia-Powered Turboelectric (ZAPTurbo) Propulsion System
• Raytheon Technologies Research Center - Compact Propulsion Engine Optimized with Waste Heat Recovery (CO-POWER)
• Tennessee Technological University - High Power Density Carbon Neutral Electrical Power Generation for Air Vehicles
• University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego) - High-Efficiency and Low-Carbon Energy Storage and Power Generation System for Electric Aviation
• University of Connecticut - High Performance Metal-Supported SOFC System for Range Extension of Commercial Aviation (Phase 2)
• University of Louisiana at Lafayette - High Performance Metal-Supported SOFC System for Range Extension of Commercial Aviation
• University of Maryland (UMD) - Hybrid SOFC-Turbogenerator for Aircraft

Release Date:
12/16/2019