| Bloom Energy has unveiled its fuel
cell technology amid claims that the system can support neighbourhoods
and commercial campuses with enough energy to effectively take
them off the grid.
The new Energy
Server system, dubbed the 'Bloom Box' by industry
watchers, uses solid oxide slabs made from a 'sand-like
powder', stacked together with metal dividing plates.
Solid oxide cells avoid the historical problems associated
with fuel cells, such as the reliance on precious metals and
corrosive acids.
The fuel cells use 661,000 British Thermal Units per hour
of natural gas or directed biogas, equivalent to around 661
cubic feet of gas per hour, compressed at 15lbs per square
inch to produce 100Kw of power.
According to Bloom
Energy, previous attempts to use solid oxide materials
in fuel cells were hampered by having to operate at extremely
high temperatures of around 800°C. "This high temperature
gives them extremely high electrical efficiencies and fuel
flexibility - both of which contribute to better economics
- but it also creates engineering challenges," said the company.
"Bloom has solved these engineering challenges. With breakthroughs
in materials science - and revolutionary new design - Bloom's
solid oxide fuel cells technology is a cost-effective, all-electric
solution."
Each of the fuel cells includes four modular power generators,
which can be serviced individually so that a whole fuel cell
never has to be taken off the grid, Bloom Energy said.
The company announced its initial customer base at the same
time as officially unveiling the 10-ton units.
While the firm has been in stealth mode for years, it has
obviously spent significant time and money pulling a collection
of blue-chip firms into its lineup. Bank of America, Coca-Cola,
Cox Enterprises, eBay, FedEx, Google, Staples and Walmart
are all confirmed as early adopters of the system.
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