Portable Power Systems

It is felt by many that fuel cell systems for compact, portable applications (< 500 W) will be the first to achieve significant market penetration because of the high cost of the batteries they will replace on a $/W-hr/kg basis. Despite the opportunity, realizing small systems involves challenges not faced at larger scales. This session will present recent results, both fundamental and applied, relevant to the deployment of small scale, compact fuel cell systems. Topics will include approaches to miniaturization through integration of micromanufacturing techniques, results of prototype studies, thermal integration, MEA and stack challenges and solutions, BOP for small systems, and more.