PROTONEX TECHNOLOGY has confirmed plans to adapt existing solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power systems for use with alternative fuels.
The company will supply the upgraded systems to the US Army in a lucrative $1,481,470 deal. Under the terms of a 24-month contract, Protonex is expected to "further develop and advance its existing SOFC systems operating on liquid fuels such as butanol, bio-diesel, gasoline, and kerosene."
 "We are pleased to have received this significant award," explained Dr Jerry Martin, VP of SOFC Development for Protonex. "Clean and quiet power generators that operate on readily available fuels are in high demand for military and commercial markets. This program will accelerate our SOFC product development at Protonex and allow us to further advance our leading-edge SOFC platforms."
Once upgraded, the modified SOFC units will provide the military with lightweight, quiet systems capable of functioning as an APU (auxiliary power unit), portable generator or field battery charger.
As The News previously reported, Protonex recently unveiled two advanced power managers targeting the military and security sectors. The SPM-611 and SPM-612 significantly reduce a soldier's logistics burden by eliminating excess batteries as well as redundant power sources. The sophisticated devices are capable of matching virtually any load - including those required by radios and computers - to available power sources such as batteries, fuel cells and solar equipment.
The SPM series incorporates new advances in component miniaturisation, high-efficiency conversion, intelligent management and battery charging technology. In addition, the power managers offer monitoring and discharge prioritisation, as well as advanced harvesting and scavenging abilities from alternative energy sources. The units feature full SMBUS and USB connectivity along with six configurable power ports.
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