North Haven, CT (June 7th, 2024) – Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) announced today that it has been awarded a NASA SBIR Phase I project, Efficient and Sustainable Paradigm for MW-hr Electric Propulsion (ESP for MEP), for research and development of an advanced solid oxide fuel cell (A-SOFC) system which converts the chemical potential energy from hydrogen or other liquid fuels into electrical energy. The development of the SOFC technology will address the growing needs for a sustainable electric air propulsion (EAP) system. PCI’s SOFC system allows for exceptional power density, fuel flexibility, and capability for fast startup, supporting NASA’s aeronautics mission to develop sustainably fueled commercial aircraft, as well as a wide range of similar applications such as space, aviation, and unmanned aerial systems.
Benefits of PCI’s SOFC system include its fuel flexibility, fast startup, and a novel hybrid approach, allowing it to realize exceptional efficiency, and high gravimetric and volumetric power densities for various aerial and space applications. The core SOFC technology was developed for transportation applications and has been advancing through continuous development with support from multiple Federal agencies. Compared to typical Proton-exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), the advanced SOFC system utilizes hydrogen fuel much more efficiently with higher volumetric stack power density, allowing for smaller overall size essential for aerial applications where considerations of weight and volume are of great significance.
PCI’s team consists of industry leading experts in electrochemistry, manufacturing, and system development. During Phase I of the effort, risk identification and mitigation are among the priorities. The team will focus on addressing the system’s durability, fuel flexibility, and specific power. The newly structured advanced SOFC cells will be fabricated and tested for durability, and tests will confirm important performance metrics like its power density, size, weight, and efficiency. Transition plans for fielding will also be developed with partners, pushing the development to a future Phase II effort where a large size cell fabrication process will be developed, as well as a modular design suitable for easy scale-up. The system design will also be integrated for a specific target airframe alongside feasibility studies with supporting experimental and modeling data.
According to Kevin Burns, President of PCI, “We’re developing a new approach especially for mobile fuel cells that offers major advances for the aerospace and aviation industry. This offers special promise for Mars exploration, and we’re working hard with NASA to bring it to its potential.”
Precision Combustion, Inc. is a clean energy and environmental technology company developing new reactors and systems for energy and environmental sector applications.
For more information, contact:
Anthony Anderson
Director, Marketing and Business Development
Email: aanderson@precision-combustion.com
