SBIR Phase I: Membrane Reformer for Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cells: Novel Application of Deposition Processes for Low-Cost Hydrogen Separation Membranes

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将专注于开发经济的工艺，以生产高选择性、长寿命、低成本的氢分离膜，用于净化蒸汽重整燃料处理器的燃料流。最近开发的快速直写沉积工艺将应用于生产薄(10微米)钯合金膜，作为降低成本的主要步骤。在多孔金属上进行这些新工艺的初步试验表明，在沉积均匀的膜、均匀的合金成分和热循环稳定性方面，取得了令人鼓舞的结果。现场和按需从碳氢化合物燃料中生产纯氢是推动蓬勃发展的燃料电池行业的关键。目前，氢气的分销成本可占氢气总成本的99%以上。为了达到和/或超过固定式、便携式和汽车燃料电池市场2005年及以后的成本预测，将需要创新的概念来降低大批量制造和材料成本。据估计，到2005年，燃料处理系统的成本必须降低3倍至6倍，以实现每千瓦1,500美元的成本目标，并使燃料电池行业成为一种可行的能源替代品。

This Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on the development of economical processes to produce a highly selective, long life, low-cost hydrogen separation membrane for the purification of a fuel stream from a steam reforming fuel processor. Recently developed processes for rapid direct-write deposition processes will be applied to produce thin (10microns) palladium alloy membranes as a primary cost reduction step. Preliminary trials with these novel processes on porous metal show encouraging results in terms of deposition of a uniform membrane, homogeneous alloy compositions and stability to thermal cycling. Producing pure hydrogen from hydrocarbon based fuels on-site and on-demand is critical to enabling the burgeoning fuel cell industry. At present, distribution costs for hydrogen can represent more than 99 percent of the total cost of hydrogen. To meet and/or surpass cost projections for 2005 and beyond in the stationary, portable and automotive fuel cell markets, it will require innovative concepts for reducing both high volume manufacturing and material costs. Estimates project that costs for fuel processing systems must be reduced 3x - 6x by the year 2005 to meet cost targets of $1,500 per kilowatt and allow the fuel cell industry to become a viable energy alternative.