Energy News  
UltraCell To Deliver XX25 Micro Methanol Fuel Cell Systems To USAF Research Lab

The portable, lightweight XX25 (pictured) has up to a 75% weight advantage over currently available military rechargeable batteries, based on a 72-hour mission at 20 watts. Credit: UltraCell.
by Staff Writers
Livermore CA (SPX) Aug 04, 2006
UltraCell has announced that it has received a contract award for delivery of its XX25, a 25-watt reformed methanol fuel cell system, to the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, for use as an airman power device. The contract was awarded by GTS, with the fuel cell units scheduled for delivery in September 2006.

"UltraCell has made significant technical progress with the XX25," noted Lt. Josh Johnson, of the PRPS group at AFRL, "and this award reflects AFRL's commitment to integrate fuel cell technologies into our development programs."

UltraCell's patented reformed methanol fuel cell (RMFC) system internally generates fuel-cell-ready hydrogen from a highly concentrated methanol solution. The new portable power system thus has the power density of a hydrogen fuel cell but uses readily available, low cost methanol fuel in a convenient, compact cartridge.

The portable, lightweight XX25 has up to a 75% weight advantage over currently available military rechargeable batteries, based on a 72-hour mission at 20 watts. (Longer missions at higher power levels will show greater improvements.) The XX25 also reduces operational costs through the reduction of throwaway primary batteries and the logistic burden of recharging batteries.

"This latest contract award demonstrates the continued support of our portable power technology by the military," said James Kaschmitter, CEO of UltraCell. "We look forward to working with the Air Force Research Laboratory in Ohio in its on-going fuel cell evaluation program." UltraCell has designed the XX25 for use by various U.S. military agencies, with units scheduled to be tested in field environments.

In addition to military evaluation, UltraCell is also accepting lead beta site customers in critical markets for testing a commercial version, the UC25.

UltraCell's methanol micro fuel cell systems provide "Totally wireless - portable power anytime, anywhere". Both the XX25 and UC25, for example, will be able to run a ruggedized laptop computer for up to three working days on a single fuel cell cartridge.

It will run other portable electronic devices for emergency responders, operating off of simple and inexpensive methanol cartridges. The XX25 and UC25 can also be configured with large volumes of fuel for weeks of runtime in stationary applications such as remote video monitoring.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
UltraCell
Powering The World in the 21st Century at Energy-Daily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Developing Alternatives to Fossil Fuels
Richmond VA (SPX) Aug 03, 2006
Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have developed a new storage system to hold large quantities of hydrogen fuel that may one day power cars in a more cost-effective and consumer-friendly way. Newswise � Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have developed a new storage system to hold large quantities of hydrogen fuel that may one day power cars in a more cost-effective and consumer-friendly way.







  • Challenging Conventional Wisdom About High-Temperature Superconductivity
  • UltraCell To Deliver XX25 Micro Methanol Fuel Cell Systems To USAF Research Lab
  • Crude Prices Slip As Hurricane Fears Fade
  • Developing Alternatives to Fossil Fuels

  • US Says New Pakistani Nuclear Reactor Not Very Powerful
  • Nuclear Plant Faced Possible Meltdown In Sweden
  • Leading Scientists Urge Britain To Bury Radioactive Waste
  • Lithuania invites Poland to join nuclear plant project

  • NASA Experiment Finds Possible Trigger For Radio-Busting Bubbles
  • California's Model Skies
  • ESA Picks SSTL To Develop Atmospheric CO2 Detector
  • Faster Atmospheric Warming In Subtropics Pushes Jet Streams Toward Poles

  • Debate Continues On Post-Wildfire Logging, Forest Regeneration
  • Malaysia And Indonesia Join Forces To Dampen Haze Problem
  • Fires Rage In Indonesian Borneo And Sumatra
  • WWF Warns Over Pulp Giant In Indonesia

  • Brownfields May Turn Green With Help From Michigan State Research
  • GM Cornfields Under Attack
  • Creative Debugging
  • Strong Indian Monsoon Brings Misery But Hopes Of Rich Crops

  • Toyota To Expand Hybrid Car Range In US
  • Ford First To Offer Clean-Burning Hydrogen Vehicles
  • Smart Cars To Rule The Roads
  • Nano Replacement For Petroleum

  • Boeing Puts Aircraft Market At 2.6 Trillion Dollars
  • Innovative Solutions Make Transportation Systems Safer Secure and Efficient
  • Joint Strike Fighter Is Not Flawed Finds Australian Government
  • Globemaster Airdrops Falcon Small Launch Vehicle

  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear
  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement