"Weaned" means that the cell is being taken off all the support equipment needed to make it run. "Life support", in this case, refers to the use of special equipment for pre-processing (purify, etc) the fuels before feeding them into the cell. It also means having special temperature regulation systems (ie, cooling jackets or ovens) to closely regulate the environment around the cell so that it can operate as intended. Of course, these expensive "life support" systems can't be used in the real world, because they would rob the cell in terms of cost and functional practicality. No secondary user would agree to have a fuel cell that came with a massive infrastructure needed to make it operate.
This is one of the huge problems with the PEM cell. Guys like Ballard need reactor vessels to accompany their cell for fuel purification purposes. From an engineering point of view, this really sucks because it means undertaking a complicated process before you can make the cell work. Heavy cost, weight, and complexity are added in such a system, and, if the reactor fails to feed the cell fuel that is at least 95% (or thereabouts) chemically pure, then the cell gets "poisoned" and is rendered inoperative. The only solution then is to replace the whole stack.
In closing, the SOFC cell has to be able to run by itself, with an absolute minimum of primary or secondary processing equipment, to be economically and functionally viable. This is the news we absolutely need to have as investors. If the cell can't be taken from the lab, then $9.00 stock will soon be a pipe dream. |
