366 CONS/LGCS, PO Box 4037, 366 Gunfighter Ave, Suite 498, Mountain Home AFB, ID 83648-4037

A -- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT -- POTENTIAL SOURCES SOUGHT -- AEFB COOPERATIVE R & D AGREEMENT (CRADA) DUE 121599 POC TSGT Robert Wertz, (208) 828-3522 or robert.wertz@mountainhome.af.mil WEB: Mountain Home AFB Air Force Expeditionary Battlelab, http://www.mountainhome.af.mil/aefb/. E-MAIL: click here to contact the AEFB POC via email, robert.wertz@mountainhome.af.mil. DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE AIR EXPEDITIONARY FORCE BATTLELAB (AEFB) 360 GUNFIGHTER AVENUE, SUITE 1 MOUNTAIN HOME AFB, ID 83648 2 Nov 99 MEMORANDUM FOR FUEL CELL INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA FROM: United States Air Force Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab The Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab (AEFB), chartered to pull emerging technologies toward the needs of the United States Air Force (USAF), demonstrates innovative applications of commercial or government off-the-shelf capabilities. The AEFB's goals of reducing support structure, reducing response time, and/or enhancing combat capabilities are validated through successful initiatives intended to revise Air Force organization, doctrine, training, requirements, or acquisitions. The AEFB is soliciting support and ideas from industry and academia to demonstrate the potential benefits of using common interchangeable Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells in place of diesel and JP-8 power sources. Supplying electrical power to deploying forces typically requires hundreds of individual equipment items driven by more than 20 different models of diesel and turbine JP-8 fueled engines. These engines provide power for a variety of air conditioners, heaters, power converters, and other equipment required to support tent cities, aircraft sortie generation and aircraft maintenance. The AEFB believes there is potentially a large need and benefit, both militarily and commercially, for a standardized fuel cell replacement for these petroleum-fueled engines. The Battlelab is currently looking for industry or academia partner(s) to temporarily provide, under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), access to three (3) similar (form, fit, and function) 7.5kW to 10 kW PEM fuel cells and power conditioning equipment over a six-month period to demonstrate this concept. The demonstrations will be performed in a controlled environment such as the Fuel Cell Test and Evaluation Center at Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), Johnstown, PA and commence inApril 2000. The demonstration's intent is not to present a marketable, finished, deployable product. The intent is to evaluate the potential worth of "Common Core Power Production." Demonstration partners should anticipate benefits to include: extensive military and civilian publicity, information/data sharing relative to demonstration testing activities, demonstration of their product in use with actual flight-line equipment, exposure to the aviation industry; and experience with technical issues relating to interfacing fuel cells with various power conditioning hardware. Demonstration results will be briefed to senior defense officials and may have an impact on future funding and timelines for development of fuel cells for the Department of Defense. In addition to providing access to fuel cells and power conditioning equipment, the AEFB is soliciting industry and academia comments and feedback on the demonstration concept itself. The demonstration concept is predicated on the assumption that 7.5kW to 10kW PEM fuel cells will be used. The AEFB recognizes that there are a number fuel cell sizes/power levels currently available and encourages feedback on alternative approaches to our concept. Selection of concepts and offers will follow the selection criteria established in the AEFB's Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) dated 6 Oct 99 and active through 30 Sep 2000. This BAA can be found at the Commerce Business Daily website at http://cbdnet.access.gpo.gov, or viewed directly from the AEFB website at http://www.mountainhome.af.mil/aefb/contract/BAA.htm. Comments and suggestions are welcome. The AEFB web site at http://www.mountainhome.af.mil/aefb/ also offers brief descriptions of the AEFB fuel cell demonstration concept and an overview of CRADAs as well as additional information. For specific technical questions, please contact TSgt Bob Wertz at (208) 828-3522 or Email robert.wertz@mountainhome.af.mil. Regards, GREGORY J. MILLER, Colonel, USAF Commander Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab Common Core Power Production Initiative Scope: The Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab (AEFB) would like to demonstrate the feasibility that Common, interchangeable fuel cells can provide the Core of all Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) Power Production requirements from tent power to flight line power. Concept: This demonstration consists of three separate demonstrations, each building in complexity and available power levels. Accomplishing the demonstrations will require 3 PEM fuel cells in the 7.5-10KW range from industry/academia partner(s) and military or commercial power conditioning hardware to invert DC fuel cell power to various 2-phase and 3-phase AC voltage and frequency levels. The three proposed demonstrations are: 1. Office / Light Cart Demonstration This demonstration shall utilize one (1) 7.5kW to 10kW PEM fuel cell equipped with a DC to AC inverter. The conditioned output from the inverter shall be 5kW to 10kW, 120VAC, at 60Hz. Hydrogen fuel shall be supplied to the fuel cell from a supply system located at the demonstration facility. The demonstration shall consist of utilizing the conditioned voltage output to power an Air Force NF-2D Light cart and common office equipment (i.e. lights, personal computer). 2. AC Loadbank Demonstration This demonstration shall utilize two (2) 7.5kW to 10kW DC-bussed PEM fuel cells equipped with a DC to AC inverter. The conditioned output from the inverter shall be 10kW to 20kW, 208Y/120VAC, three (3) phase, 400Hz. Hydrogen fuel shall be supplied to the fuel cell from a supply system located at the demonstration facility. The demonstration shall consist of validating interchangeable fuel cell system components to achieve the desired voltage and power outputs (i.e. two fuel cells bussed together). The conditioned 208Y/120VAC output shall be used to power an AEFB "-6" cart (hydraulics, air blower) and a 1KVA AC loadbank. 3. High Voltage Demonstration This demonstration shall utilize three (3) 7.5kW to 10kW DC-bussed PEM fuel cells equipped with a DC to AC inverter. The conditioned output from the inverter shall be 15kW to 30kW, 480Y/277 VAC, three (3) phase, 60Hz. Hydrogen fuel shall be supplied to the fuel cell from a supply system located at the demonstration facility. The demonstration shall consist of validating interchangeable fuel cell system components to achieve the desired voltage and power outputs (i.e. three fuel cells bussed together). The conditioned 480Y/277VAC output shall be used to power air conditioners, heaters, bomblifts, industrial tools, mills and lathes. Posted 11/10/99 (W-SN399832). (0314)

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