Notice of Solicitation for Research and Development for Fuel Cells, Direct Injection Engines, and Fuels: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Technology for Transportation and Buildings

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Notice of Solicitation for Research and Development for Fuel

Cells, Direct Injection Engines, and Fuels: Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy Technology for Transportation and Buildings

AGENCY: Chicago Operations Office, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation availability.

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SUMMARY: The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy announces its interest in receiving

financial assistance applications for research and development (R&D) on

automotive fuel cells, direct injection engines, and fuels in support

of the Government/automotive industry Partnership for a New Generation

of Vehicles (PNGV). The Partnership is

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developing light-duty vehicles that achieve up to 3 times the fuel

economy of comparable conventional vehicles, meet emissions standards,

and offer the same level of performance and cost as today's vehicles.

Direct injection engines and fuel cells have been selected for their

potential for attaining the goal of 80-mpg fuel economy in a six-

passenger sedan. In support of the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and

Renewable Energy fuel cell cross-cutting technologies, the Office of

Building Technologies also plans to acquire research and development

(R&D) of fuel cell technologies for building applications.

DATES and ADDRESSES: The complete solicitation document will be

available on or about July 1, 1998 on the DOE Chicago Internet Home

Page at http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/ACQ.htm under the heading

``Current Acquisition Activities,'' Solicitation No. DE-SC02-98EE50526

with applications due August 17, 1998. Any amendments to this

solicitation will be posted on the Internet. Please note that users

will not be alerted when the solicitation is issued on the Internet or

when amendments are posted on the Internet. Prospective applicants are

therefore advised to check the above Internet address on a daily basis.

The cooperative agreements are expected to be awarded on or about March

1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John O'Keefe, at (630) 252-2125, U.S.

Department of Energy, 9800 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439-4899;

by fax at (630) 252-5045; or by e-mail at john.o'[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Topic 1 includes research on proton-

exchange-membrane (PEM) fuel cells for transportation and buildings.

Proposals for light-duty transportation applications are sought in

three areas and building applications in another area: (1) Fuel cell

system integration issues, including delivery of complete sub-scale

fuel cell power systems; one to DOE for experiments to validate fuel

cell system models, another for use at the contractor(s) laboratory

facilities to develop engineering solutions for operation at extreme

conditions while ensuring water balance and demonstrating freeze-thaw

capability. DOE also seeks to update existing cost analyses

incorporating the principles of design for manufacturability. (2) Fuel

cell component R&D, including development of CO tolerant anodes, higher

activity cathodes, manufacturing technologies, air compressor/

expanders, controls and sensors, coolants, stack sealants, gaskets, and

adhesives for stack durability. (3) Fuel processing R&D, including CO

clean-up and design for manufacturability of preferential oxidation

system(s), start-up and transient response, durability, and innovative

ideas for reducing size, weight, and cost of the fuel processing

system. (4) The Fuel Cell for Buildings Program seeks advanced

components for PEM fuel cell cogeneration systems which are simple in

construction with no heavily loaded mechanical subsystems that limit

life and reliability; operate at a pressure of 1.5 atm or below; have

heat rejection temperatures in excess of 100 deg.C to provide access to

a broad range of applications for cogeneration systems and reduce the

cost of heat rejection when operating in a power only mode; and are

highly reliable during long-term operation on natural gas reformate

from low-cost fuel processors. PEM fuel cell technologies based on

NafionTM or similar materials as an electrolyte are unlikely

to meet these system requirements. In an activity which cross-cuts with

the needs of the transportation fuel cell program, the Fuel Cell for

Buildings Program seeks to acquire research and development of advanced

high temperature membrane(s) with performance equal to or better than

that of NafionTM.

Topic 2 includes research in three areas: (1) Compression-ignition

direct injection engines (CIDI), (2) spark-ignition direct injection

engines (SIDI), and (3) innovative concepts. The primary technical

barrier facing automotive DI engines is the development of combustion

and emission control technology able to reliably meet stringent

emission regulations. (1) The focus of the CIDI engine research is on

NOX and particulate matter (PM) emissions control technology

for light-duty vehicle applications. Emission control component

development includes research on advanced after-treatment technologies

that will enable PNGV-candidate CIDI engines (operating on low-sulfur

diesel fuel) and SIDI engines (operating on reformulated gasoline) to

meet NOX and PM emissions targets (0.2 g/mi NOX

and 0.01 g/mi PM) as well as other requirements (e.g., cost and

efficiency). Examples of components being sought are advanced fuel

injection systems (high-pressure, rate shaping) and exhaust gas

recirculation in combination with after-treatment approaches such as

lean NOX catalysts, non-thermal plasma, and regenerative

particulate traps. (2) The focus of the SIDI efforts will be the

development of durable fuel injectors and associated equipment for

light-duty vehicles. After treatment devices and associated sensors for

SIDI engines are needed as well. (3) In addition, proposals are sought

for innovative, high-risk research into novel means of reducing

emissions or improving the efficiency of SIDI, CIDI or conventional

gasoline-fueled, spark-ignition engines. New, forward thinking devices

and systems that make significant improvements in engine performance

and are practical to implement are sought.

Topic 3 includes research on fuels and lubricants. Proposals are

sought in four areas: (1) Optimized CIDI fuels, including research on

advanced fuel formulations, fuel characterization test development, and

lubricity additive performance mechanisms. Advanced CIDI fuel

formulations including but not limited to oxygenate additives and

cetane enhancers which facilitate meeting future passenger car emission

standards are being sought. Recommendations for fuel characterization

test methods may include, among others, means for determining

compatibility with CIDI after-treatment systems, storage stability,

thermal stability, fuel system and engine deposit forming potential,

compatibility with engine and fuel system materials, blending

compatibility with petroleum fuels, combustion particulate forming

potential, cold start, and low-temperature operation. Determination of

CIDI fuel lubricity additive performance will include evaluation of

additive mechanisms such as surface adsorption at the temperature and

pressure of operation. (2) CIDI engine lubrication research, including

advanced lubricant formulations to help meet vehicle fuel economy and

exhaust emission targets, demonstrated through lubricant bench test

characterization methods. (3) Research to identify, characterize, and

test fuels specifically optimized for automotive fuel cells. The work

may include an analysis and/or formulation of fuels that offer

advantages for on-board reforming processes (e.g., less coking, ease of

operation at extreme ambient conditions, greater hydrogen yield, and

emissions reductions) and a determination of the cost of producing

these fuels and the impact of these fuels on the fueling infrastructure

and oil imports. Offerors should assess candidate fuels using current

automotive-type partial oxidation reformers as the fuel processing

baseline. (4) Research on innovative natural gas compressors to reduce

the size, noise, and cost of the compressor island, significantly lower

energy

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consumption for compression, and reduce maintenance requirements.

Innovative concepts for gas storage, gas dispensing, operating

strategies for the storage capacity, and providing the small amount of

highest-pressure gas needed to complete vehicle fueling are desired.

Research is also sought in the area of truly conformable tank

technology (i.e., storage devices that are integral to the vehicle),

either with or without storage density enhancement techniques. The

objective is to develop storage vessels in non-cylindrical shapes that

are conducive to incorporation into automobiles and light trucks.

A major DOE program objective is to increase the involvement of the

automotive industry supplier base in key engine-related R&D programs.

The Department of Energy anticipates that approximately twenty-five

cooperative agreements will result from this solicitation. Under Topic

1 there will be approximately twelve awards, with periods of

performance ranging from eighteen to thirty months and total estimated

DOE funding of $10,000,000.00 to $30,000,000.00. Under Topic 2 there

will be approximately five awards, with periods of performance of

thirty months and total estimated DOE funding of $40,000,000.00. Under

Topic 3 there will be approximately eight awards with periods of

performance of thirty-six months and total estimated DOE funding of

$10,000,000.00. Cost sharing requirements will vary from zero to fifty

percent, depending on the topic area, and will be specified in the

solicitation. Awards are subject to the availability of funds and the

solicitation will not obligate DOE to make any award(s). Any non-profit

or for-profit organization, university or other institution of higher

education, or non-federal agency or entity is eligible to apply.

Federal laboratory participation shall be minimal and will be subject

to DOE approval. The solicitation will provide further guidance in this

area. Awards resulting from this solicitation will be subject to the

requirements of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 which in general requires

that the awardee be a United States-owned company (including certain

non-profits) or that the foreign country in which the parent company is

located meets certain conditions of reciprocity in the treatment of

investments, access to research and development programs, and

protection of intellectual property. All responsible sources, as

indicated above, may submit an application which shall be considered by

the government.

Issued in Chicago, Illinois on May 4, 1998.

J. D. Greenwood,

Acquisition and Assistance Group Manager.

[FR Doc. 98-12677 Filed 5-12-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450-01-P