Aluminum Energy and Fuel Cells

Dr. Evgeny Kulakov, Chief Scientist and Dr. Allen F. Ross, Chief Strategist

Altek Fuel Group Inc., U.S.A. Email: info@AltekFuel.com

Breakthroughs in chemistry and technology have provided the opportunity for aluminum, an abundant and fully recyclable metal, to be used as a fuel to generate electricity in fuel cells, both efficiently and economically. In addition, using an energy source that is both plentiful and fully recyclable will dramatically enhance its use and provide benefits globally. To fully understand the significance of these breakthroughs, it would be important to illuminate the nature of these discoveries.

For decades scientists have been attempting to unleash the extensive stored energy locked in aluminum (enthalpy – theoretical energy density limit – 10.167kWh/kg), because it has one of the highest levels available in any metal or fuel. We can see the power of aluminum when its powder is ignited in fireworks.

Fortunately, the proposed technologies have enabled this to become more viable and to be competitive in the energy marketplace, a phenomenon that has not been previously possible. Having solved the major technical problems for production, the breadth of applications that can be undertaken advantageously is quite extensive. Furthermore, the technology and chemical analyses continue to be refined, adding to future efficiency.

Undertaking a completely new approach to the use of aluminum as the source of energy for fuel cells included the use of basic industrial aluminum and a more optimized electrolyte mixture to dramatically release the inherent energy. Because now there were no alloys to separate it from, the resulting mix could easily be recycled. Furthermore, the use of proprietary, but readily available, chemical formulations will simplify the process to a viable commercialized product.

While most other hydrogen-based fuel cell technologies rely on pressurized hydrogen stored in a gas or liquid form, these new technologies derive their power from water and a solid-state fuel. More energy can be liberated over a much longer period of time at a significantly reduced cost, because of the higher relative density of its power source

Integrated into these technologies are the crucial uses of both the on-board and the on-demand production of all the required energy. All the energy is held within the aluminum and water until it is requested. There are no outside storage units nor any problem with stability or combustion.

Technologies and Science

At the present time there are two substantial technologies that use aluminum as the key ingredient. One is known as the alkaline aluminum-air fuel cell technology and the other is the hydrogen production for fuel cell technology.

The aluminum-air fuel cell is composed of an aluminum anode set in an aqueous alkaline solution and uses a gas diffusion electrode/cathode. The emission-free oxidation of aluminum by oxygen from ambient air provides an efficient power supply. The safe and efficient proprietary components can be housed in a fully self-contained unit. One key to this technology is the use of two quickly replaceable cartridges, one containing the aluminum anode and the other containing an electrolyte mix with water. Once the anode cartridge is replaced, it can be recycled back to aluminum dozens of times for many years.

The main advantages of the aluminum-air fuel cell technology begin with its ability to convert about 80% of the theoretical energy (10.167kWh/kg) in aluminum to practical use (~8.1kWh of electrical energy and heat form 1kg of aluminum) and with a specific energy (300-500 Wh/kg) that can be up to ten times the amount of today’s lead-acid battery. Furthermore, the system has a scalable design that allows for the development of power systems of ten watts to hundreds of kilowatts.

Aluminum, as a solid-state fuel can be stored until needed and the proprietary components can be housed in a fully self-contained unit. The system is emission-free and all the byproducts are fully recyclable with no wastes. Finally, there are no flammable or combustible components and they are all easy to ship.

The hydrogen fuel cell is a fully self-contained unit that is capable of producing a virtually unlimited environmentally safe source of hydrogen, and it requires no high-pressure storage tanks. This creates unique advantages for utilizing this system, including military applications or for any hydrogen production and storage requirements (perhaps for extensive transportation “refueling” stations). On a technical note, it uses fully recyclable, relatively low cost and easily available chemical components and displays a highly efficient hydrogen output. The high performance, moderate cost, and level of enhancements in the availability of an ongoing source of pure hydrogen without any pressurized containment make this system unlike any other on the market today.

The crucial advantages of the two distinct methods of hydrogen production include: the high efficiency of hydrogen production; a fully recyclable green technology; a safe, environmentally clean technology; energy that is easy to store and distribute and available on demand as needed.

Green Technology

There are no polluting emissions with energy generated by the alkaline aluminum-air fuel cell and hydrogen production and storage technologies. All similarly designed future products should run continuously, quietly, and efficiently, while delivering a high specific energy at a relatively low cost. The new technologies should be more economically competitive than many other green technologies.

Both the electrical energy production cycle and the hydrogen production cycle create by-products that include water and chemicals, which are recycled back into the fuel cell operation; and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3, which are used in a number of industries, from water purification and sewage treatment to paper manufacturing and electronics. They also can be fully recycled back into aluminum. No residual waste products destined for a landfill are generated nor are any pollutants emitted into the air (see diagram).

Logistically, the storing, shipping, and distributing of anode cartridges (aluminum plates) and chemicals (dry powder) are much safer than pressurized hydrogen or methanol used by existing fuel cell power systems. Furthermore, there should be no safety issues either for travel on airplanes or for any military applications.

Unlike certain other methodologies, which use methanol, natural gas or other fossil fuel products, these technologies will have no environmental or health side effects while generating their electricity or hydrogen. In summary, they deliver electrical energy with zero pollution, complete safety and full recycling.

Viability and Vision – Applications

The diverse applications that these new technologies can be integrated into include almost all activities requiring the eventual production of energy, hydrogen and electricity. Given its inherent environmental advantages, comparatively good economics and availability, aluminum should eventually become an important part of the renewable energy industry. Obviously, the viable commercialization of the technologies is still in its initial stages, but the potential remains and the most difficult technical barriers have been overcome.

The range of applications touches all aspects of the fuel cell energy marketplace. Certainly the mobile soldier, with the multitude of electronic devices, would be one of many military applications. The ability to store and deliver hydrogen seamlessly, with no high-pressure storage tanks or instability, dramatically reduces the existing problems. New power supplies can be developed at a fraction of the weight or space presently required, leading to enhancements for items from computer data storage banks to critical manufacturing facilities. Given the longevity of the power output, laptop computers and numerous other portable devices could have remote operations lasting for more than 24 hours.

Larger, but quiet, unobtrusive stationary units can be developed for the residential, commercial and industrial locations. Because of the inherent energy in aluminum and water and the on-board/on-demand methodology of hydrogen production, a wide range of transportation vehicles, from boats and scooters to forklifts, golf carts, and even cars can be deployed in a safe, emissions-free environment with the elimination of the enormous storage and delivery problems.

Finally, the opportunity to establish operations in remote locations, without any need to build an extensive infrastructure tied to the electrical grid, creates additional possibilities for complementing today’s power plant operations.

Aluminum as Energy

There are number of benefits of using aluminum as the source of energy – “energy bank”.

1) Using aluminum oxide and aluminum hydroxide, the byproducts of the innovative technologies in the aluminum production process, will lead to conservation of energy and the cost reduction of aluminum production, completely eliminating “dirty energy” currently being used, e.g., from coal, petroleum, etc., using only renewable and recyclable energy provided by hydro-electric power plants.

2) Using aluminum and water as an energy storage and distributor through alkaline aluminum-air fuel cell and hydrogen production for PEMFC will achieve the following:

   a) Reduce criteria pollution

   b) Reduce carbon emissions

   c) The aluminum produced can be stored, distributed and transported anywhere safely.

3) New technologies do not produce any pollutants. The aluminum byproducts (aluminum oxide and aluminum hydroxide) are fully recyclable. The electrolyte solution is non-toxic.

4) The use of aluminum as a source of energy will provide a tremendous value-added opportunity for a wealth of applications and will dramatically enhance their efficiency and capabilities.

Conclusion

The utilization of aluminum for fuel cells should become an integral part of the solution for an economically, clean, non-polluting source of energy. Its ability to be used in a wide range of applications lends itself to the possibility that one or more of its inherent characteristics will be a most efficient choice for any number of critical uses. Given its abundance, light weight and being fully recyclable, the opportunities for the commercialization of the multiple technologies are quite evident. Certainly numerous design and manufacturing issues still exist, but because the critical technological challenges have been resolved, the potential is certainly quite high.