Today, technological breakthroughs at Lamar University’s Advanced Fuel Cell Research Laboratory, under the direction of David Cocke, are helping improve U.S. military operations. Tomorrow, consumers across Texas and beyond could be the beneficiaries of this clean energy source.
The laboratory, which has been in operation at Lamar University for almost three years, received a recent visit from Texas Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones.
“Since I am very interested in types of energy that will be used in the future, I wanted to make sure I had a chance to come out here and see what’s going on,” Jones said after a tour of the laboratory Friday. “It is very exciting.”
Fuel cells react hydrogen with oxygen to produce clean energy with ordinary water as the byproduct. The fuel cells employ a catalyst to split hydrogen atoms so that the electrons can be used as an energy source. With enough fuel cells, this energy can be used to power anything from airplanes to office buildings. The split hydrogen then recombines with oxygen from the air and creates water as a byproduct.
Lamar University researchers have been working to improve fuel cell technology under a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The research is focused on mass transfer, heat transfer, water management, membrane materials and catalysts. A major focus is on testing different types of catalysts to improve efficiency and lower costs. The traditional catalyst has been platinum, but Lamar researchers are searching for less expensive and more abundant alternatives.
“We’ve invested a huge amount of resources into this facility,” said Jack Hopper, dean of the College of Engineering, as he showed Jones the laboratory. “We’ve got to continue to find more projects to work with this. We’re reaching out to corporate people to let them know we’ve got this facility and they can partner with us.”
The state could assist as the fuel cell technology developed at Lamar University is applied in new ways, Jones said.
“I think what could be very exciting is once it’s a little bit further down the line, and the military has what it needs, then the state can come in when we want to apply it in a commercial way so that every day Texans can see some benefit from what’s been discovered here,” Jones said. “It’s really impressive.”
Approximately 20 researchers are involved in the work in Lamar’s fuel cell laboratory, including full-time staff, professors and students. Because of security concerns and requirements of the Department of Defense contract, all the researchers in the lab must be American citizens. The lab works in conjunction with several high-tech entrepreneurial companies on different aspects of the project.
