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

A -- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR FUEL CELLS, DIRECT INJECTION ENGINES, AND FUELS: ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY FOR TRANSPORTATION AND BUILDINGS. SOL DE-SC02-98EE50526 DUE 081798 POC John O'Keefe, Contract Specialist, (630) 252-2125. WEB: DOE Chicago Operations Office Acquisition and Assistance Page, http://www.ch.doe.gov/business/ACQ.htm. E-MAIL: John O'Keefe, Contract Specialist, john.o'keefe@ch.doe.gov. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR FUEL CELLS, DIRECT INJECTION ENGINES, AND FUELS: ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY FOR TRANSPORTATION AND BUILDINGS The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to issue a solicitation for financial assistance applications on or about July 1, 1998 for research and development 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 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 of fuel cell technologies for building applications. 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 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 Nafion(TM) 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 Nafion(TM). 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 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 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. The solicitation 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. Any requests regarding the content of the solicitation and its amendments shall be directed to John O'Keefe, DOE Chicago via e:mail (address noted below) or directly mailed to the office address above. The cooperative agreements are expected to be awarded on or about March 1, 1999. All responsible sources, as indicated above, may submit an application which shall be considered by the government. (0125)

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