What does this Millennium hold in store for us ?

[Seeker]

This "Millennium"...

..as in 'Millennium Cell', an up and coming Tech company, which Don first brought to our attention, some months ago...

Here's the statement which caught my eye from this News release:

"....the automaker plans to introduce a fleet of "clean, efficient" hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in the U.S. next year as part of a "worldwide test program."

The automaker they're referring to, is DaimlerChrysler.


“For over two years, we have benefited from our cooperative relationship with the Liberty group of DaimlerChrysler. Today we are pleased to announce our continued cooperation to further develop the Hydrogen on Demand™ fuel system for their fuel-cell powered vehicles,” said Rex E. Luzader, Millennium Cell Vice President, Business Development for Transportation and Hydrogen-Fuel Infrastructure.

During DaimlerChrysler's recent North American Innovation Symposium in New York City, Bernard Robertson, DaimlerChrysler Senior Vice President For Engineering Technologies and Regulatory Affairs, announced that the automaker plans to introduce a fleet of "clean, efficient" hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) in the U.S. next year as part of a "worldwide test program."

http://www.millenniumcell.com/cgi-bin/news.pl?function=detail&id=12092002


Seeker

[Seeker]

According to the excerpts below, DaimlerChrysler in their implementation of Millennium's hydrogen on demand system in their Natrium mini van, is trying to find ways to make use of excess heat generated by the process.

Can anyone conceive of ways for a fuel cell to exploit this wasted heat energy...or would a good ole Stirling be better suited for such a job ? (assuming one can be made to be both efficient and fairly inexpensive)


"
“The success of the Natrium™ Town & Country minivan has exceeded our expectations and we are now focusing on further optimizing the fuel system in the areas of heat and water management,” said Thomas Moore, Vice President, DaimlerChrysler’s Liberty & Technical Affairs research and development group."



" Research of the Hydrogen on Demand™ system will continue to pursue the use of the heat that is naturally produced by the system and can benefit the fuel cell. "

Seeker

[Seeker]

I came across the statement below on a file which focuses on fuel cell technology. I haven't posted a link to it, because it's one of those pdf files that are automatically generated on the web :

"Typical electrical production and combustion machines produce electricity at an efficiency of 33-35%. Fuel cells are 40-50% efficient and may be more than 85% efficient if heat is reclaimed in the cell's heat exchanger."

It would be interesting to find out how sucessful fuel cell makers are becoming at harnessing the 'waste heat' of a fuel cell. Of course fuel cells can also be used for 'combined heat and power' (CHP) applications, in which the waste heat really isn't waste heat at all.

Seeker