Apollo Energy Systems, Inc ("the Company") started its advanced Alkaline Fuel Cell ("Apollo™ Fuel Cell") program at the Technical University of Graz, in Graz, Austria ("TU Graz") in 1997 under the direction of Dr. Karl Kordesch, a world renowned fuel cell and battery scientist. Dr. Kordesch had developed earlier generations of this fuel cell in the 1960s while working as a scientist for Union Carbide. It was there that he invented a composite carbon electrode for the fuel cell which made it possible for his Union Carbide group to build a 150 kW Alkaline Fuel Cell for the General Motors "ELECTROVAN" and a 50 kW Alkaline Fuel Cell for Ford Motor Company in 1966.

Dr. Kordesch subsequently made improvements in this alkaline fuel cell, adding a re-circulating electrolyte system (which made it possible to shut down the fuel cell when not in use) and air electrode (so that oxygen could be taken from the air). Then he built one for his own Austin A-40. This was coupled to a lead-acid battery which gave the car excellent performance. It was driven continuously for over three years by Dr. Kordesch as his only means of transportation. Thus, Dr. Kordesch was the first person in the world to build a practical, full performance, electric car with a fuel cell – battery combination. The fuel cell could be shut down when not in operation, thus improving safety, especially at night, and extending the life of the electrodes. 

The Apollo™ Fuel Cell represents a considerable improvement over Dr. Kordesch’s previous fuel cells. The new electrodes develop over 200% more power than the previous ones. In addition, a new ammonia-based "Propulsion Fuel" has been developed together with an Ammonia Cracker. This Propulsion Fuel is fed into the Cracker which then breaks down the ammonia (NH³) into hydrogen for the fuel cell and harmless nitrogen (normal air contains approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen). The Company believes that this is the best way to produce hydrogen for a fuel cell. Ammonia is produced throughout the world in large volume, around 105 million tons a year, and is used for agriculture and refrigeration. It is estimated that over 50% of the refrigerators in Europe operate on ammonia. 

As the major work in the fuel cell program at TU Graz has been completed and patent applications on the new Electrodes, Propulsion Fuel and the Ammonia Cracker have been filed, the Company has transferred the fuel cell program to Pompano Beach, Florida. Prototypes will be made at the Company’s new pilot plant for use in Electric Propulsion Systems for electric vehicles and in Apollo™ Power Plants for supplying on-site power to homes independent of the national electric power grid. 

APOLLO™ FUEL CELLS vs. PEM FUEL CELLS

The Company believes that its alkaline Apollo™ Fuel Cell ("AFC"), with circulating liquid electrolyte, will be a better choice than PEM fuel cells (Proton Membrane Exchange) for electric vehicles and on-site power systems for the following reasons: 

1. AFCs are much less expensive to build than PEMs because:

   1. AFCs contain less noble metal catalyst material than PEMs (platinum and palladium are very expensive).  A cost analysis has shown that the cost of the AFC will be US$100 to $150 per kW without accessories and US$180 to $200 per kW with accessories, while the cost of the PEM is US$1,000 to $1,500 per kW without accessories, and US$2,000 to $3,000 per kW with accessories.
       

   2. AFCs require less accessory equipment. Noisy and power-consuming air-compressors and PEM separator humidifying machines are necessary for PEM fuel cells operating at kW levels over 60°C. Humidifiers must keep the PEM separators moist 24-hours a day which makes it almost impossible to shut down a kW level PEM fuel cell for long periods of time. If the PEM separators dry out, a difficult and expensive process must be followed to re-wet the separators. Also, water builds up in those PEM fuel cells and must be driven out by air compressors. Air compressors and humidifying machines are not needed by AFCs.
       

2. AFCs produce higher voltage than PEMs. The operating cell voltage of an AFC is 0.8 volts while that of the PEM is 0.6 volts. 100 AFC cells produce 80 volts. 100 PEM cell produce 60 volts.
    

3. AFCs can be shut down for long periods of time. The ability to shut down a fuel cell for maintenance or rest is very important. AFCs do not contain separators which must be kept moist at all times, but instead have a built-in circulating electrolyte system and therefore no water-build-up problem. Humidifiers and air compressors are unnecessary. To shut down an AFC, just turn off the switch. The electrolyte is automatically removed from the stacks and the AFC becomes inactive. This is a safety factor and is important to homeowners as an AFC can be automatically shut down from midnight to 6:00 a.m. with no problem.
    

4. An AFC has a potentially longer life. Its electrodes are not in operation while the fuel cell is shut down and the electrolyte drained out of the cells. The electrodes in a PEM are continuously active and can never come to rest and for that reason may have a shorter life than AFC electrodes.
    

5. AFCs can operate on Hydrogen derived from Ammonia. Anhydrous ammonia (NH3) is rich in hydrogen and one of the best carriers of hydrogen as it is not a hydrocarbon (methanol, ethanol and gasoline are hydrocarbons and produce harmful emissions). There are no emissions from AFCs. Hydrogen can be produced from ammonia through an Ammonia Cracker. This hydrogen carries with it a trace of ammonia gas which enters the fuel cell with the hydrogen. This does not hurt the AFC as ammonia is an alkali. However, a PEM fuel cell, which is acidic, cannot tolerate even a trace of ammonia and therefore cannot avail itself of hydrogen derived from ammonia.

IN SUMMARY, LABORATORY TESTS HAVE SHOWN THAT AFCs ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND PRODUCE A HIGHER VOLTAGE THAN PEMs; AND COST STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT AFCs CAN BE BUILT AND OPERATED AT MUCH LOWER COSTS THAN PEMs. IN ADDITION, AFCs CAN USE HYDROGEN PRODUCED BY AMMONIA CRACKERS, WHILE PEMs CANNOT USE THIS KIND OF HYDROGEN. (SEE NAGOYA PAPER)

University Development

DIRECT METHANOL ALKALINE FUEL CELL

The Company's Apollo™ Fuel Cell development is being carried out at two Institutes, under the direction of Dr. Karl Kordesch.

Institute for Chemical Technology of the Technical University of Graz. Here, development of advanced electrodes for the fuel cell is in progress. This Institute also makes the fuel cell stacks and assembles the stacks with accessory equipment.  Five prototype Apollo™ Fuel Cell have been made.

High Voltage Institute of the Technical University of Graz.  Testing of fuel cells and development of fuel cell systems for various applications is being accomplished here.  Development of the Ammonia Cracker and special Propulsion Fuel was completed at this Institute.

Institute For Chemical Technology

Electrode development, Stack and Assembly Operations

Left to right:  Robert Raymond Aronsson, Dr. Karl Kordesch,
                 Dr. Jurgen Besenhard, Dr. Josef Gsellmann,
                         Engineer Mathilde Friessnegg, Dr. Cifrain Martin