Emerging Technologies & Products
Precision Combustion, Inc. is a privately-held clean energy technology company developing and manufacturing components and systems for clean and efficient power generation, combustion, emissions control and chemical manufacturing applications.
- Tactical Power Generators
- Fuel Processors
- SOFC Power Generation
- Hydrogen Augmentation
- Burners and Oxidizers
- Air Cleaners
- Combustors
- Specialty Products
PCI has developed lightweight, portable commercial-off-the-shelf-based systems proven capable of converting logistics diesel-type fuel into electricity with no loss in performance or accelerated wear compared to the gasoline-powered generator it is derived from. No special treatments, additives, or adjustments are needed during start up and operation. The user simply turns the unit on, waits a few moments for a green light, then draws power from the generator.
Tactical Power Generators
PCI has developed logistics fuel processors for SOFC, HTPEM, and other high temperature fuel cell systems. The fuel processors are designed for reforming liquid fuels such as diesel, JP-5 or JP-8 and biofuels as well as natural gas, and are currently sized for 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 50 and 250 kilowatt fuel cell systems. The fuel processors include the fuel preparation, reforming reactor, steam generator, sulfur remover and BOP components. Initial applications targeted are mobile power generators such as tactical gensets, vehicle APUs, Navy Ship APUs, UAS and UGV propulsion, as well as for fuel cell stack testing. PCI is also developing natural gas, biofuel and liquid hydrocarbon fuel processors to support industrial needs.
Fuel Processors
PCI is developing a family of ultra-compact solid oxide fuel cell systems. These systems utilize Microlith® reformers to run on logistics fuels. PCI’s systems are stack agnostic and can be adapted to both SOFC and HTPEM applications. PCI’s technology is readily scalable to small and large systems. This enables PCI to design solutions for a variety of industrial and government customers.
SOFC Power Generation
PCI’s Internal Combustion Engine combustion augmentation system takes a slipstream of incoming fuel and creates a high octane, highly combustible mixture that is injected into the engine with standard fuel. This method positively impacts engine performance, reduces emissions and enables improved engine efficiency. PCI’s engine augmentation has proven performance on both spark and compression ignition engine systems.
Hydrogen Augmentation
PCI has several very small to medium sized catalytic burner products in development for a variety of fuels including diesel, JP-8, natural gas, biofuels, propane, methanol, ethanol, fuel cell anode exhaust, and hydrogen. PCI has also developed, manufactured and delivered oxidizers for spacecraft ECCLS as well as PEM and SOFC fuel cell systems.
Burners and Oxidizers
PCI is developing air cleaning technologies focused on control of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) and other pollutants such as carbon dioxide, for IAQ, ECLSS and methane control applications. Microlith® catalytic air cleaners offer several advantageous performance features and benefits over other alternative technologies. In addition, PCI’s CO2 collector technology for regenerable direct air capture of CO2 and Post Combustion Carbon Capture System (PCCCS) offer significant reductions in energy costs while also reducing size, material cost and other operating costs. Our scalability and design focus towards a tight thermal integration of CO2 collector unit with low-carbon waste heat eases integration for varied situations and with a variety of application for maximum value uses for the concentrated CO2. Overall, PCI is demonstrating a pathway towards a new high performance solid sorbent for both post-combustion CO2 removal and Direct Air Capture.
Air Cleaners
PCI’s catalytic combustion technologies offer gas turbines and other large combustion systems the potential to achieve high flame stability (with near-zero hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions) while also operating at low enough temperatures to have near-zero NOx emissions. The result can be ultra-low emissions without efficiency penalty or the costs of post-combustion NOx controls, as well as substantially broadened low NOx turndown arising from improved flame stability.
Combustors
PCI is in various stages of developing other new products than those in its primary product groups (fuel processors, air cleaners, combustors and burners/oxidizers): Advanced Cetane Analyzer, Catalytic Glow Plugs, Chemical Reactors, and Catalytic Convertors.
Specialty Products
Our Markets
Fuel Cell Systems
Precision Combustion is developing a range of products for use in fuel cell systems: Our Microlith® fuel processor allows fuel cells to use available conventional fuels such as diesel, gasoline, biofuels and both high and low reactivity gases rather than hydrogen. They allow fuel cells to operate independent of any hydrogen infrastructure.
Automotive
Precision Combustion has created a range of novel products to benefit reciprocating internal combustion (IC) engine applications. In today’s environmentally focused world, engine manufacturers and system integrators are continuously developing products that are more efficient and create fewer emissions. PCI is helping manufacturers reach their goals with four unique categories of products.
Indoor Air Quality
Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) is developing air cleaning applications focused on control of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), CO2, Sulfur and other air pollutants. PCI’s nanostructured and catalytic air filters are modeled to achieve more reliable levels of indoor air quality while lowering energy use, and providing operating and capital cost savings.
Chemical Manufacturing
Precision Combustion is developing a variety of technologies for chemical and fuel manufacturing applications. These technologies, funded by DOE and others, provide high value in a compact package, thus providing opportunities for chemical and fuel manufacturers to increase efficiency, increase production capacity, improve product quality and reduce cost in these competitive commodity materials applications.
Agriculture
Precision Combustion is at the forefront of developing alternatives to chemical soil fumigants through its innovative catalytic steam generator technology. There’s an urgent need for more sustainable farming methods that don’t rely on harmful chemicals. PCI’s technology, supported by a Phase II SBIR grant from the USDA, provides a compact, mobile solution for soil disinfestation that can significantly improve crop yields and quality without negative environmental impacts.
