ABOUT US
The Advanced Power and Energy
Program (APEP) consists of four organizational elements:
The National Fuel Cell Research Center, The UCI
Combustion Laboratory, and The Distributed Technologies Testing Facilty
and the Pacific Rim Consortium on Combustion, Energy, and the Environment.
Major goals include Education, Research and Development,
Beta Testing, Demonstrations, and facilitation of new technologies into
the market.
| National Fuel Cell
Research Center |
|
The UCI Combustion Laboratory |
is one component of
the APEP program, is involved in the advancement of fuel cell technology.
Along
with its members and affiliates, the NFCRC has established
four integrated components to pursue this goal. They are research,
beta testing, technology transfer and education. Research is
composed of systems analyses, components, operations, enabling
technologies and the fuel cell market. Beta testing consists
of inspecting pre-commercial energy systems for operational
readiness. Technology transfer involves forming strategic alliances
as well as informing the fuel cell community about advances
in distributed power generation and emerging markets. Finally,
education comprises development and dissemination of scholastic
information to graduate and undergraduate college students
as well as performing outreach activities for continuing pupils
and K-12 students.
• More
information on the NFCRC.
| Distributed Technologies Testing Facility |
To support its laboratories, APEP special resources include
the Distributed Technologies Testing Facility, the Living
Laboratory, and the Pacific Rim Consortium in Combustion,
Energy, and the Environment.
is a major APEP resource for accomplishing beta-testing
(multi-month, pre-commercial testing) of distributed energy
technologies from a few watts to several mega-watts with
combined heat and power. Grid connectivity, power quality,
emissions, reliability, availability, maintainability, durability,
usability, and fuel flexibility of distributed energy technologies
are only some of the features that DTTF can determine through
beta testing.
• More information on
the DTTF. |
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is second component of
the APEP program, participates in the advancement of continuous
combustion technology. The lab maintains a focus
on gas turbines, boilers, furnaces and related technologies while
researching difficult issues to develop technical solutions. The
UCICL strives to bridge between engineering science and practical
systems while forming strategic alliances between university, industry,
agencies and national labs. The combustion lab has two components,
each with a different emphasis. The University Gas Turbine Laboratory
concentrates on high performance low emission combustors by evaluating
combustor active control, staged combustors, advanced fuel injection
techniques and next generation propulsion materials. The UGTL includes
programs in catalytic combustors and performance analysis of duel
fuel and biomass fuel systems. The second component, the University
Boiler and Furnace Laboratory conducts research and performs characterization
of systems including industrial generic burners, furnace burners
and industrial boiler-burners. The UBFL also has programs in burner
active control and air toxic emissions analysis.
• More information on the
UCICL.
|
Pacific Rim Consortium in Combustion, Energy,
and the Environment (PARCON) main goals involve the advancement
of the evolution of energy and environmental control technologies,
and to promote more informed decision making. The Consortium emphasizes
communication and the exchange of technologies and tools available
to address the energy challenges in the world with immediate focus
on those germane to the Pacific Rim region. PARCON is comprised of
two key industries, two universities, and a national laboratory from
each member country. The rationale is that collaboration and cooperation
can facilitate resolution of the conflict between energy generation
and environmental impact. Through access to university and industrial
labs in member countries, core participants work with cutting-edge
energy research.
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