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

该小型企业创新研究（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，低成本的氢气分离膜，用于净化来自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被应用于生产薄（10微米）钯合金膜作为降低成本的主要步骤。这些新工艺在多孔金属上的初步试验在均匀膜的沉积、均匀合金成分和热循环稳定性方面显示出令人鼓舞的结果。现场和按需从碳氢化合物基燃料生产纯氢对于实现蓬勃发展的燃料电池行业至关重要。 目前，氢气的分销成本占氢气总成本的99%以上。 为了满足和/或超过2005年及以后固定式、便携式和汽车燃料电池市场的成本预测，需要创新的概念来降低大批量制造和材料成本。估计数预测，到2005年，燃料处理系统的费用必须减少3倍至6倍，以达到每千瓦1 500美元的费用目标，并使燃料电池工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.