IIT Gandhinagar’s Diesel Autothermal Reforming
IIT Gandhinagar has pioneered an innovative non-catalytic diesel autothermal reformer, a game-changer for marine fuel cell system applications. Developed by a team led by Atul Bhargav, this technology addresses the challenge of efficient power generation using fuel cells, particularly when high-energy-density liquid fuels like diesel are the primary source.
In strategic applications, where silent and efficient power generation is paramount, fuel cells offer a compelling solution. However, conventional catalytic processes for reforming fuel cease to be effective in the presence of sulfur-containing impurities, which are inevitable in logistic fuels like diesel. IIT Gandhinagar’s breakthrough technology, developed in collaboration with DRDO and IMPRINT, overcomes this limitation.
This cutting-edge solution enables the use of logistic fuels in fuel cell applications through a robust and efficient on-board reforming process that is not susceptible to sulfur and other impurities. The team is on track to achieve further process efficiency, stability improvements, and size reduction.
This breakthrough holds significant promise for advancing marine fuel cell systems, ensuring efficient and clean power generation. IIT Gandhinagar’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of technology is evident in this groundbreaking contribution to sustainable energy solutions.
For more information on this revolutionary development, please contact Atul Bhargav at atul.bhargav@iitgn.ac.in.
–Raja Aditya
