Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Unit Of Truck
Delphi Corporation (PINKSHEETS: DPHIQ) and Peterbilt Motors Company successfully demonstrated a Delphi solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) auxiliary power unit (APU) powering a Peterbilt 386 truck’s “hotel” loads. During recent testing at Peterbilt truck Texas headquarters, the Delphi SOFC provided power for the Model 386’s electrical system and air conditioning and maintained the truck’s batteries — all while the Model 386’s diesel engine was turned off.
This demonstration, held in June, leveraged development supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Fossil Energy Solid State Energy’s Conversion Alliance (SECA) program.
Delphi’s SOFC technology directly addresses increasingly stringent anti-idling legislation and other proposals addressing commercial truck emissions, noise and fuel consumption.
Delphi’s SOFC converts chemical energy in conventional fuels directly into useful electrical power without combustion. A SOFC operates quietly and at a higher efficiency level than traditional internal combustion engines. By limiting idling time and running a SOFC instead of the main engine, emissions are reduced, noise is nearly eliminated, and operators realize significant fuel savings.
The new Delphi technology will have the capability of using a variety of fuels, including natural gas, diesel, bio-diesel, propane, gasoline, coal-derived fuel and military logistics fuel. In addition to its fuel flexibility, the SOFC will be compact in size.
