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Gold/Mining/Energy : Global Thermoelectric - SOFC Fuel cells (GLE:TSE) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: marcos who wrote (850)	4/19/1999 1:10:00 AM
From: blue_chip	Respond to of 6016

1. Delphi 2. The largest furnace manufacturer in Europe (find the name, and remember it) 3. 6 pipeline projects coming up for tender. 4. Remote generators including fuel cell generators 5. Existing Military Contracts 6. New military contracts 7. END OF STORY

To: marcos who wrote (850)	4/19/1999 1:10:00 AM
From: axial	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 6016

Of key importance here: 1- GLE's fuel cell offers way more output than the PEM (Permeable Electron Membrane) cell of Ballard - apparently twice as much. 2- The Ballard cell requires pure hydrogen; you can use ethanol, natural gas, etc., but to do so you need a reformer - large, expensive.The reformer doubles the bulk of the power plant; its job is to take the fuel, and strip everything but hydrogen from the fuel. This is a major drawback, especially in cars. 3- Preliminary info suggests that the high heat that the GLE cell runs(GLE - 625 - 800 C)(BLD approx 60 C) at allows a significantly smaller reformer that works with catalysts to strip out the hydrogen. 4- In non-automotive applications, doubling the output seems to be the only advantage. 5- The question of waste heat, and operating temperatures are important for the GLE fuel cell. The technology initially required expensive alloys and ceramics,and operated at +1200 degrees C. Reduction of operating temperatures to 800-(claimed) - 625 degrees C. means that high grade stainless steel can be used, at a significant savings. In a stationary environment, the waste heat can be dumped into a secondary loop, used with steam turbines to develop more power, and then dumped into a tertiary loop to develop domestic hot water. You could build a transportable fuel cell, modular, that could take in fossil fuel, and supply an apartment complex,hospital, neighbourhood, town, city, province (theoretically), simply by adding more modules. Or, of course, just build a bigger fuel cell. Important here is reference to existing utilities, decoupling from grid, power independence, etc. 6- Finally, the high operating temp has already begun a dialogue in transportation use, but I don't see a severe problem - existing engines already run pretty hot, if you take off the cooling system. Probably would have to run cell in a jacket, but not insurmountable problem. More important is whether the cell will be able to withstand temperature extremes, vibration, etc. To make a proper evaluation, need numbers on amount of heat, not just temperature (i.e., BTU's/hr, not just temperature). However, have seen BLD fuel cells equal in bulk to a medium suitcase equal about 150 HP. If can double output, should be able to reduce size. 7- I was in BLD when Delphi first contracted to do work with the BLD fuel cell. Have seen it at work in buses here in Vancouver. There's a long development road to be travelled yet...for both fuel cells. Not being negative, just realistic. These points are made on the fly, would welcome correction/additional info on the science. These comments FWIW. Regards,JK