Good find. Here is the text from the article:
thenextwave.emerchantpro.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Munich, Germany, February 16, 2001... After less than two years development time, the BMW Group
presents the first car in the world whose on-board electrical power is supplied by a gasoline operated
fuel cell (SOFC). The new type of fuel cell battery can be used in every conventionally operated
automobile, reduces fuel consumption and permits a whole range of new safety and comfort functions.
The energy system, which was developed together with Delphi Automotive, will be featured in coming
BMW model generations as the so-called APU (Auxiliary Power Unit). The BMW Group is the world's
leader in the development of fuel cell APUs for on-board power supply. Several of the
small-series-production, hydrogen-powered 750hL models are already equipped with such a fuel cell
APU featuring PEM (Polymer-Electrolyte-Membrane) technology.
SOFC fuel cell: effective, robust and reasonably priced
The new fuel cell is a so-called "Solid Oxide Fuel Cell", SOFC in short. In this solid fuel cell, hydrogen
is converted into electricity at approx. 800° C via zirconium oxide ceramics. In a start and a main
reformer, gasoline is evaporated and hydrogen is split off also at 800° C operating temperature. The
hydrogen then reacts with the oxygen from the air, which is supplied by a fan. In the process electricity
is generated and water is produced as a by-product. Non-reacted residual gas is combusted. The heat
produced in this way serves to heat the air required for the reaction and the reformer, which improves
overall efficiency even further.
It is not only this short process chain which makes the SOFC cell so ideally suited for operation in
conventionally powered gasoline cars. Compared to the currently generally favored PEM fuel cell
(polymer electrolyte membrane) the SOFC is also a lot less sensitive to impurities which are produced
in a gasoline reforming process since CO can also be converted into electricity and not only hydrogen.
In addition, it does not require expensive precious metal electrodes. Efficiency has been doubled
compared to conventional concepts. The task of the SOFC fuel cell unit for BMW passenger cars is to
supply the vehicle electrical system with electrical energy. This "electrochemical powerplant" is to take
over the function it does best: to generate electricity with a high degree of efficiency - independent of the
engine. The conversion of gasoline into electricity via SOFC fuel cell is almost twice as efficient as the
combination of engine, alternator and battery. For driving the car itself, the view held by BMW is that the
internal combustion engine offers more benefits.
The autonomous operation of the fuel cell APU makes possible new functions: windows can be
defrosted before getting in the car, seats and steering wheel can be warmed. In high outside
temperatures the air conditioning can be operated optimally regardless of the engine speed. Air
conditioning the car with the engine off can already be carried out using a quarter of the energy required
today. With today's level of electrical consumption in a vehicle, approximately one liter per 100
kilometers of fuel can be saved in city traffic. Future "by wire" systems such as electrically operated
steering or brakes require far more electrical energy which can then be efficiently provided by the SOFC
fuel cell. The use of Internet and online services in the car and the "mobile office" are facilitated
considerably by fuel cell APU technology. The APU developed by BMW is ideally suited for the new
2-voltage electrical system. Existing APU vehicles not only supply the conventional 12 V system, but
also the newly developed air conditioning system with 42 volts.
APU to be available in a few years: customer benefit with no compromises
The BMW Group wants to offer the fuel cell APU and the benefits involved in approx. five years. This
means that BMW customers will be the first to benefit from specific advantages of fuel cell technology
without any compromises involved. The aim of series development, which has already begun, is to
reduce the size and optimize the overall system even further. Output will be approximately five kilowatts
for which the reformer is already designed today. The compact fuel cell battery will only require approx.
the space of a conventional lead battery in the future. However, the fuel cell surpasses the power and
"endurance" of the lead battery by far. In the long term the fuel cell might even substitute the electric
generator in the car. With the APU, a new era will begin for the automobile whose electrical power
needs are ever-increasing. |
