Fuel Cell Industry Targeting Life-Cycle Strategies

ENERGY TECH

"CIMS is well positioned, due to its analytical capabilities and industry reach, to work with the U.S. Fuel Cell Council's Sustainability Working Group," states Nasr. "Over the past two years, in partnership with industry and the Environmental Protection Agency, CIMS has developed an analytical sustainable design tool that enables engineers to evaluate the total life cycle of a fuel cell."

Rochester NY (SPX) Jun 23, 2004
The potential use of fuel cell technology as a mainstream energy source takes a significant step forward with word today of a new fuel cell industry partnership spearheaded by Rochester Institute of Technology.

The announcement comes during the fourth annual Congressional Fuel Cell Expo in Washington, D.C. RIT's Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies (CIMS) is developing the partnership through the U.S. Fuel Cell Council and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The goal of this new effort is to provide for the logistics, guidance and sharing of information associated with the development of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) for the portable electronics market, particularly as it pertains to end-of-life strategies.

Growing at a rapid pace, the portable electronics market is expected to exceed two billion users by 2007. DMFCs, which mix methanol and air to provide an uninterrupted power supply, are being designed to help power this growing demand.

While offering the potential for greater efficiency over existing portable power supply products, the developing technology still requires an extensive level of research.

"There has not yet been a full evaluation of the environmental and economic impacts of DMFCs, from manufacture to disposal," explains Nabil Nasr, director of RIT's Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies.

"Evaluating the optimum end-of-life strategy will enable the industry to identify options for reducing life-cycle operating costs, improve product performance, and prepare their product platforms to be more sustainable in a robust fuel cell market."

Working with the Sustainability Working Group from the U.S. Fuel Council, CIMS will provide a forecast for DMFC technology, conduct analysis on the environmental impact and life-cycle economics, develop a reverse logistics model, and provide recommendation for the optimum end-of-life strategy.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy has also recognized CIMS's leadership in the research and development of alternative energy sources. Earlier this year, the agency provided funding for the creation of a hydrogen-technology learning center-one of only four such centers to be established nationally. The goal of the hydrogen-technology learning center is to serve as an educational resource in establishing a vision for a fuel cell economy.

ENERGY TECH

Cheaper Wastewater-Fueled Device Produces More Electricity

University Park PA - Jun 16, 2004
Penn State environmental engineers have removed and replaced one of the most expensive parts of their prototype microbial fuel cell and the device now costs two-thirds less and produces nearly six times more electricity from domestic wastewater. Earlier this year, the Penn State team was the first to develop a microbial fuel cell (MFC) that can generate electricity while simultaneously cleaning domestic wastewater skimmed from the settling pond of a sewage treatment plant.

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