U.S. Department of Energy, Chicago Operations Office, 9800 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439

A -- SOLICITATION FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION FOR COOPERATIVE AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES (CARAT) PROGRAM SOL Financial Assistance Application No. DE-PS02-98-EE50493 DUE 022498 POC Brian Cass, Contract Specialist, (630) 252-2338 (Internet: Brian.Cass@CH.DOE.Gov); Contracting Officer, Gaile A. Higashi, (630) 252-2082; Internet, DOE Chicago Home Page, http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/ACQ.htm (it is critical that ACQ is upper case and all others lower case). The Department of Energy (DOE) plans to issue a Solicitation for Financial Assistance to invite applications to research and development for the Cooperative Automotive Research for Advanced Technologies (CARAT) Program. This first annual solicitation seeks innovative research and development in the following seven (7) topic areas consisting of a total of 17 subtopics: (1) VEHICLE SYSTEMS -- A. There is a need to develop technologies that would result in a significant decrease of the external thermal load (summer) in the passenger compartment of vehicles. The objective could be achieved through improved glazing material, use of special coatings or paint, improved insulation, or novel body design. The goal is to reduce the energy consumed by the air-conditioning system by decreasing the cooling load 30% or more. Develop methods to reduce heating demand (winter) by decreasing thermal losses from the passenger compartment will also be considered. B. There is a need for the development of new or improvedtechnologies which reduce energy consumption of vehicle power accessories, i.e. steering, braking, engine cooling, lighting, window regulators, windshield wipers, and locks. The development of improved devices with inherent lower consumption, higher efficiency, state-of-the-art controls optimizing operating cycles, or novel approaches are needed in this area. The goal is a 40% reduction in the energy consumption of power accessories of a baseline 1997 midsize passenger car. (2) ADVANCED GAS TURBINES -- There is a need for research and development of a low NOx combustion system for high temperature ceramic gas turbines. The combustion system must generate low levels of NOx by use of novel techniques such as catalytic or non-catalytic combustion of very lean mixtures, quick quenching of rich combustion products, or any other equivalent novel concept that clearly demonstrates the potential to reach emission targets. The proposed work should address all or part of the following tasks: overall concept, identification of design fuel(s), hardware to produce combustor inlet air temperature in -40 to 1800/2000 deg F range, fuel preparation concept, ignition system concept, combustor concept, and their respective hardware. Of particular interest are design provisions made for: 1) cold starting, 2) hot inlet temperature operation, 3) fast transient operation. In addition, the combustion system concept proposed must be suitable for low cost, high volume, automotive production, with components that can reach 3500 hours of operating life with high reliability. (3) FUEL CELLS -- A. There is a need to develop reliable, low cost sensors capable of detecting the presence of 1) CO, in concentrations as low as 10 ppm, in the gas mixture entering fuel cell stacks, and 2) H2, in concentrations as low as 4%, in the fuel cell compartment of a vehicle. These sensors must function adequately in an automotive environment, and perform reliably for the life of the vehicle (15 years). They must have the potential to be produced in highvolume at low cost. The sensor(s) must have an electrical output capable of driving a control system, and should have a reasonably fast response rate. B. There is a need for research and development of water-gas shift catalysts to reduce carbon monoxide produced during reform processing of hydrocarbon fuels. The goal is for improved high-temperature and low-temperature shift catalysts having: 1) higher activity than current state-of-the-art catalysts in order to reduce the weight and volume of the shift reactor, and 2) increased thermal and environmental stability in order to extend catalyst lifetime. C. There is a need to develop improved membranes and membrane-electrode assemblies for PEM fuel cells. Also, to develop new, low cost polymer membrane systems enabling: 1) improved performance at 80-90 deg. C over state-of-the-art membranes, 2) fuel cell operation at 120-200 deg. C to eliminate CO poisoning and alleviate water management problems, and 3) little or no diffusion of methanol for DMFCs. Projected area specific resistance must be less than 20 ohm-cm2 for all membranes. The development of low cost methods for fabricating membrane-electrode assemblies that are amenable to high-volume manufacturing will also be considered. D. Develop comprehensive computer models for simulation of fuel cell performance. Develop 3-dimensional fuel cell model based on new codes/subroutines or on existing computational packages such as FLUENT, FIDAP, TRANSYS, FIRE, etc., that involve realistic fuel cell size and velocities. Models must be capable of handling both steady state and transient operation. The former may be used to investigate the effects of operating conditions (temperature, pressure, flow rates, humidity of reactant gases), cell materials (smoothness of flow channels, porosity, tortuosity and hydrophobicity of electrodes), and cell geometry (dimensions of and configuration of cell channels, thickness of diffusion layer, etc.). The transient models may be used to investigate effects of any perturbation on fuel cell performance (formation of droplets, change of electrical load, change of reactants flow rate, shock and vibrations, etc.). To assure usefulness of the models, the principal investigator must work closely with a fuel cell developer. E. Assess and compare economic and environmental characteristics of PEM fuel cell vehicles, systems, and components, relative to conventional and alternative fuel vehicles. Conduct a detailed analysis of current and projected cost of fuel cell systems and components, including fuel flexible fuel processors. Identify cost and performance trade-offs for fuel cell components and systems, and determine their impact on fuel cell system/vehicle design. Conduct technical assessments of fuel cell vehicle performance compared to other conventional and alternative fueled vehicles, including relative impacts on petroleum imports, urban air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. 4. BATTERIES -- A. There is a need to develop computer models that simulate the performance and main characteristics, i.e. life to failure, thermal behavior, of specific battery systems which include: NiMH, lithium-ion, lithium-polymer, advanced lead-acid, and possibly others. B. There is a need to develop new or improved concepts for advanced batteries against the long term requirements of the USABC for electric vehicle batteries or against the requirements of PNGV for high power energy. The innovation should be developed and demonstrated in small full or half cells. The full or half cells should be evaluated as closely as possible against the test procedures published by USABC for the testing of electric vehicle batteries or high power energy storage as appropriate. (5) FLYWHEEL ENERGY STORAGE -- The objective of this topic is to develop a light weight, relatively low cost burst containment system for a high speed energy storage flywheel system. The system must be capable of successfully containing the fragments of a bursting flywheel within a given safety envelope. The system must be capable of absorbing and/or dissipating the kinetic energy of the bursting flywheel fragments within the storage system envelope. (6) COMPRESSION IGNITION DIRECT INJECTION (CIDI) -- A. There is a need to develop a simple, accurate, and user friendly sensor to measure, directly or indirectly, particulate emissions from internal combustion engines. The system is to have the capability of measuring particulate emissions from internal combustion engines that is reasonably equivalent in accuracy but significantly simpler, lower in cost, and easier to use than current dilution-tunnel, filtration based systems. Also, a system with the capability to make continuous, transient measurements, would be of interest to the DOE. B. There is a need to develop a variable valve timing device that could operate in small, high-speed compression ignition engines, over a wide range of speed and timing. The development of a novel variable valve timing device that is low in cost and allows continuous intake and/or exhaust valve timing shift over a wide range during normal engine operation is of particular interest to the DOE. This device is to be suitable for operating in a small displacement of 1 to 2 liters, speed of 4500 rpm, and compression ignition engines. C. Research and development is needed for a novel fuel injection system concept for compression ignition engines that allows a wide degree of control over instantaneous flow rates during the injection period. The fuel injection system is to be suitable for operation in a small displacement of 1 to 2 liters, at speeds of 4500 rpm, compression ignition engine, and offers a wide and flexible degree of control over instantaneous injection flow rates. (7) ALTERNATIVE FUELS -- A. There is a need to develop a novel method to reduce sulfur content in diesel fuels down to the 100 ppm level or lower. The new process is not to be merely an incremental improvement over the current hydrogen treatment method, but a significantly new process with greater economical advantages. The process methods could be improvements in or additions to the refining process. The process may include post refinement treatment accomplished at the refinery, during distribution, or at the end use point -- diesel engine or fuel cell. The process could be selective for the conventionally intractable compounds containing sulfur atoms or compounds, physical, chemical, biological and/or electrochemical processes together with filtration and absorption/adsorption methods which should also be considered. B. There is a need to develop a low cost, fully capable fuel injection system for a light duty, CIDI engine fueled with DME. Design and develop a DME fuel injection system targeted for high volume automotive compression ignition, direct injection (CIDI) engine use. The system must be safe for the consumer market, and low cost in nature. Fuel leakage into the engine or external environment is not acceptable. The target engine should be a modern, GM, Chrysler, or Ford CIDI, with four cylinders, four valves per cylinder, and displacement of 2.2 liters or less. The system must have an electronic control, at least potentially based on an OEM processor. The system must develop adequate injection pressure, and have sufficient timing and injection rate shaping flexibility to achieve efficiency and emissions goals. C. Develop a new sensor or monitoring technology that can be readily incorporated or used on the composite overwrap of a natural gas vehicle (NGV) storage cylinder. The technology should allow for easy assessment of the external and/or structural condition of an NGV cylinder in order to determine whether or not the cylinder has been exposed to damaging physical or environmental conditions. The damage indicator mechanism should be able to clearly reveal any condition, ranging from slight to severe damage, that may compromise the structural integrity of the cylinder. The technology should: 1) be capable of surviving the rigors of the automotive environment with a 15 year life span comparable to the expected life of NGV cylinders, 2) be easy to apply to or be incorporated into the cylinder manufacturing process, and 3) limit incremental manufacturing cost by no more than 5% of the current cost of the cylinder. DOE anticipates that one or more projects, under each topic and/or subtopic area, may be selected for funding. (It is anticipated that a possible 17 applications may be selected for funding). The CARAT Program is a 3 phased program which is set aside for small businesses and higher education institutions. Cost matching is not required for Phase I but up to 50% cost matching is encouraged. Phase I may be funded up to $150,000.00 for a period of 12 months. Cost matching of at least 25% is mandatory for those projects which are selected from Phase I for Phase II awards. Phase II may be funded up to $750,000.00 for a period of 24 months. Commercialization, Phase III, requires at least 50% cost matching. Teaming arrangements are encouraged, however, no less than 51% of the work must be performed by the small business or higher education entity. Facilities and/or property for accomplishing this effort will not be provided by DOE. Applicants are expected to provide all necessary personnel, facilities, special test equipment and materials to complete the proposed project. Applicants are encouraged to utilize existing facilities to the maximum extent possible. DOE intends to issue the first annual Solicitation for Financial Assistance Application No. DE-PS02-98EE50493 on or about October 27, 1997. Depending upon availability of funds, it is anticipated that Cooperative Agreements will be awarded. The proposal due date will be approximately 120 days from the date the Solicitation is issued. The solicitation will be available on the INTERNET to view and download at http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/ACQ.htm (it is critical that ACQ is uppercase and all others are lower case). A limited amount of printed copies will be available at the Customers' Coordination Meeting (CCM) the week of October 27, 1997 in Detroit, Michigan; otherwise printed copies will not be available from this office; copies must be downloaded from the INTERNET. For information on the CCM meeting contact; Conference Management Associates, Inc., 1401 Spring Lake Drive, Haymarket, VA 20169-1008, FAX (703) 754-4261. (0269)

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