The partnership will combine Parker’s expertise in controls, fluid management, and product development with the cost-effective sold oxide fuel cell technology developed by WATT Fuel Cell.
The agreement – established through the Parker Energy Systems business unit – will see Parker produce a family of propane-fuelled, SOFC-based products for the recreational vehicle (RV), marine, over-the-road trucking, and residential markets.
‘WATT Fuel Cell’s technologies were selected by Parker due to their cost-effective manufacturability, reliability, and overall suitability to commercial markets, particularly their ability to run on readily available fuels,’ says Steve Knight, Manager of Parker Energy Systems.
‘We’re very excited to be integrating WATT’s technologies into our own fuel cell-based products focused on applications that are well suited to leverage the quiet, lightweight, and environmentally friendly benefits of fuel cells,’ adds Knight. ‘We are currently focused on design verification, testing, and certification as we prepare for select OEM testing in the near future.’
The agreement includes Parker’s exclusive license of WATT Fuel Cell’s innovative, low-cost balance-of-plant (BOP) technology and exclusive stack supply for use in the RV, marine, and over-the-road trucking markets for applications rated from 500 W to 3 kW. Parker will manufacture the BOP and controls, and also integrate the fuel cell stacks into complete, packaged SOFC products.
‘We are very excited with the results of our initial 500 W system tests with Parker Hannifin,’ says Paul DeWald, Director of Systems for WATT Fuel Cell. ‘The momentum from this success has continued into our recent demonstration of a 1 kW power output on propane fuel. Doubling the capacity of our technology in just four weeks, we’ve substantially widened the markets we can address.’
WATT Fuel Cell has expertise in the fabrication of materials, components, and sub-assemblies to support state-of-the art SOFC technology. The company engineers its fuel cell products based on the ‘CORE’ approach – Cost-Optimized, Reliable-Energy – which is focused on commercial viability and flexibility. Its newly refined method to make complete SOFCs using additive manufacturing highlights its leadership in low-cost fuel cell manufacturing.