Military Products

Fuel cells offer technological advances that provide benefits in a variety of applications. Features such as very low signatures render fuel cells difficult to detect in field combat environments. IdaTech's fully integrated Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell systems are based on a modular design which allows them to be developed to fit a variety of applications, including military needs.

IdaTech's military solutions are customized to meet specific field requirements. The scalable power solution replaces a combustion generator operating as a battery charger which reduces the amount of batteries and fuel required. The fuel cell system generates electricity from the selected fuel which is passed through the batteries to the customer load. The entire system is automated through IdaTech's proprietary controls system which can be customized for specific applications. Once installed, this feature simplifies operation requiring only connection to a fuel source and system initialization. Efficient fuel processing and power generation yield significantly lower fuel consumption than conventional portable generation systems therefore requiring less than half the typical logistics fuel supply. IdaTech's fuel cell solutions are fully scalable for many distributed generation applications. And, the systems incorporate IdaTech's standard product functions including one-touch start capability, remote monitoring and advanced automation and controls.

Previous Applications -

IdaTech developed a scalable power solution for the U.S. Army's Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM). In less than five months, IdaTech developed and delivered two, 2 kW systems to CECOM who reported that the systems operated flawlessly in field trials.

These systems were designed to power an array of electronic equipment in wheeled vehicles as auxiliary power units (APUs), where low signatures and high performance are critical. Preliminary tests report that the vehicle with the operating fuel cell system is virtually undetectable past 25 feet.