Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Technology Development
Petra Power and LibertyWorks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rolls Royce, proposes the development of 10kW auxiliary power units (APUs) for military vehicles and stationary power generation. These units will be powered by the company’s patented solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology. Petra Power’s technology is capable of converting fossil fuels to electricity with significantly greater efficiency than even the most advanced combustion engines of the same size. The small and lightweight nature of Petra Power’s SOFC allow for a power system many times lighter and smaller than comparable combustion engines. Our patented design reduces startup times and increases operational lifetime, allowing our SOFC power systems to compete with the reliability and functionality of engines and turbines on the market today. The 10kW APUs developed during the project timeline would be optimized for JP-8 fuels but Petra Power’s technology can also be run on virtually any hydrocarbon, including pure hydrogen to produce zero-emission power.
The numerous benefits and capabilities of these fuel cells enables the production of auxiliary power units that can reduce DoD auxiliary fuel usage by up to 90%, saving countless lives otherwise lost in the transport and securing of fuel, and significantly reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of the DoD. With the supply chain and product development expertise of LibertyWorks, Petra Power will develop the proposed 10kW units by sequentially increasing power capacity from 3 to 10kW. LibertyWorks also provides more than one hundred years of expertise in thermal management and systems integration, enabling the development of low-thermal signature units for sensitive autonomous vehicles.
About Petra Power
Petra Power is a precision manufacturer of solid oxide fuel cells, providing complete power solutions to individuals, companies, and government agencies that require a cost effective, lowe weight, high-efficiency, and durable source of auxiliary power. Petra Power harnesses the efficiency and versatility of our NASA-developed, patented Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) design to help our customers lower their fuel costs by up to 90%, improve total lifecycle costs, and reduce CO2 emissions without sacrificing price, convenience, or time.