The PROJECT X - car is the ultimate challenge for the AFRG / FCRT. The car is a demonstration of pure ingenuity and excellence only because of the size constraint. The fuel cell car will be no longer than 3 feet in length and no wider than 2 feet.  The X-car will be powered by a fuel cell stack which will be housed in this small, six inch high vehical. Project X will then compete in an endurance trial against a R/C vehical with the same power requirements. This project is planned to be completed by the end of May to early June of 1998.

The electric power of the system is determined  by the number of cells and the surface area of the cells. The number of cells affects the voltage produced by the system, while the surface area of the cells is what determines the current density.  The amount of power required by a particular application determines the number and size of interconnected fuel cell arrays.  In some cases, some companies employ internal manifolds which direct the flow of fuel air (H₂ and O₂) and coolant, while water vapor produced by the cell's operation removes excess heat, maintaining the fuel cell array at its proper operating temperature.

After performing the appropriate research, we will soon demonstrate that fuel cell power plants are currently being "over engineered". Because of our previous testing of membranes purchased from Globe Tech, we show here clearly that fuel cells can operate much more efficiently without the use of manifolds or additional coolant pumps, etc. As can be seen in the diagram, we were able to operate a fuel cell without applying a load and obtaining an efficiency of 4 percent.

Our group is currently investigating this phenomenon by developing a computational model.  This model will show that a fuel cell can operate at acceptable efficiencies without having a "plant" built around the fuel cell.

Our group is also developing it's own, new, state of the art, fuel cell test station which will be at the end of February, 1998.