SBIR-STTR Award

In this proposed SBIR project, Nexceris will design, develop and demonstrate a man-portable solid oxide fuel cell system for U.S. Army applications. The targeted power system will operate on propane, deliver at least 2 kW of steady state power and support short-term peak loads of up to 13 kW. The system will be designed for a minimum efficiency of 25 percent, weight of less than 45 kg and volume of less than 65 liters. In Phase I, Nexceris will establish a design for this power system that meets requirements stated in the solicitation (which will be refined in the project). Work in the Phase I Option will involve design of a system to enable demonstration of the key features of the SOFC system design. In Phase II, the demonstration system will be built and tested to validate system operation under targeted conditions, and stack durability testing will be performed. Successful execution of this project will result in a substantial improvement in reliability, size and weight of SOFC-based power systems and provide the Army with a critical capability for our soldiers.

In this project, Nexceris will advance its design of its lightweight solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power system for military applications. This power system leverages a high power density SOFC stack and state-of-the-art fuel reforming technology with battery hybridization to meet the demanding needs of Army man-portable power applications. The system was designed for a five-hour mission with power spikes of up to 13 kW. Phase I of the project involved the design of the propane fueled hybridized SOFC power system to meet the requirements while achieving high efficiency and high gravimetric energy density (greater than 300 Whr/kg). In this Phase II project, Nexceris will procure the core components for the system (reformer, batteries and battery management system), integrate these components, and demonstrate the ability to meet key performance attributes via integrated system testing. Successful execution of this project will result in a substantial advancement in the performance and capability of soldier-portable power systems and potentially other applications of interest to the U.S. military, such as Group II-III unmanned aerial systems.