Positive Temp. Coeff. Polymers (PTC)

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Subject: UFTO RFI — Positive Temp. Coeff. Polymers (PTC)
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 19:17:40 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth
TO: National Lab Contacts

**UFTO Request for Information ***
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Positive Temperature Coefficient Polymers (PTC)
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Is any research carried out in National Laboratories regarding Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) polymers?

These materials are made of polyethylene (or others polymers) and carbon. When the temperature is low the carbon atoms are very close and the resistance is low. When the temperature increases the distance between carbon atoms is bigger and the resistance increases rapidly.

Due to this very high positive temperature coefficient, the applications of such materials are essentially current limiters. These limiters might favorably replace circuit breakers in some cases. Are there any developments for low, medium and high voltage applications?

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| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
|
| NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: edbeards@ufto.com
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NIST Strategic Plan

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Subject: UFTO Note — NIST Strategic Plan
Date: Thu, 14 Nov 1996 10:42:35 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

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| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
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NIST Strategic Plan for Electric Power Industry

The Electrical Systems Group at NIST has prepared a Draft “Strategic Plan For Measurement Support for the U.S. Electric-Power Industry,” July 31, 1996. It is an attempt to identify the highest priority technical needs of the industry during these times of dramatic change, and particularly where NIST can make a significant contribution.

Based on a comprehensive review of needs in areas of power system efficiency and reliability, environmental protection and power quality, the report focuses on implications for NIST. It may prove a useful benchmark for your own technology needs identification purposes.

More immediately, however, NIST is anxious to have a greater degree of input, review and comment from the industry, and will happily send you a copy. You can relay your request through UFTO, or directly to:

James K. Olthoff, 301-975-2431 james.olthoff@nist.gov or
Jerry Fitzpatrick, 301-975-2737 fitzpatrick@nist.gov

Multi-Function Power Transfer Controller (MPTC)

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Subject: UFTO Note — Multi-Function Power Transfer Controller (MPTC)
Date: Thu, 07 Nov 1996 10:40:31 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

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| *** UFTO *** Edward Beardsworth *
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
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Multi-Function Power Transfer Controller (MPTC)

A patent application has just recently been submitted by the University of Minnesota for this new contender in transmission flow control, with claims to be simpler, more reliable and cheaper than alternatives, such as thyrister controlled shunt reactors (TCR), Thyrister Controlled Series Capacitors (TCSC), or the Universal Power Flow Controller (UPFC).

MPTC proposes a different approach, using thyristers (instead of the more expensive GTOs) to inject a portion of the primary voltage back into the secondary windings of a transformer, separately for each phase. The proposed devices is described in a paper available from the inventor, Dr. Ned Mohan. The patent application and other details will be shared under a non-disclosure agreement. The University is looking for a major company to license, develop and market the technology, and sent information to a number of major vendors very recently.

Contact: Dr. Ned Mohan, Electrical Engineering, Univ. of Minn.
Tel 612-625-3362, fax 612-625-4583, mohan@ee.umn.edu

3rd DOE Public Meeting on Elec. Industry Restructuring

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Subject: UFTO Note –3rd DOE Public Meeting on Elec. Industry Restructuring
Date: Mon, 04 Nov 1996 09:25:36 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

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| *** UFTO *** Edward Beardsworth * Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
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A letter went out last Friday from the DOE Office of Policy inviting participation in the 3rd regional public meeting on electric industry restructuring. (See UFTO Note, Oct. 17)

It will be held in Chicago on November 15, 1-5 pm at the Downtown Marriott. It will begin with a “town meeting”, then panelists, then Q&A.

Questions are being handled by a hotline at 423-576-3610. I just called them and they are very helpful. They can provide additional information, including summaries of the first two meetings and guidance on how to become a panelist.

DOE Reliability TF members named

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Subject: UFTO Note — DOE Reliability TF members named
Date: Wed, 04 Dec 1996 13:29:02 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth

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| ** UFTO ** Edward Beardsworth ** Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
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The full roster of members of the Task Force has just been released. See below. First meeting tentatively set for January 16. Purpose to set a long term research agenda! Will undertake specific projects in the short term. (See UFTO note Oct 23 for background).

I’ve established contact in the DOE Office of Policy with the newly appointed Staff Director for the new SEAB Task Force on Electric Reliability. His name is Paul Carrier.

I’ve already referred him to several people in the National Labs so the TF can draw upon that expertise. If you have experts in your company or elsewhere that you’d like to suggest as technical resources for the TF, now is the time. (It’s expected that panel members will be likely to provide some staff time from their companies.) Paul would be glad to hear about them. Let me know.
_______________________________________________

PS–The last of four public input meetings will be in Atlanta on Thursday December 12, 1:00 to 5:00 pm at the Hilton Towers. For information, the hot line # is 423-576-3610.

For full transcripts of the first three meetings, go to
http://webdev.doe.gov/transcripts

1996 Fuel Cell Seminar & Russian Amer. Consortium

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Subject: UFTO Note — 1996 Fuel Cell Seminar & Russian Amer. Consortium
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 1996 13:21:39 -0800
From: Ed Beardsworth <edbeards@batnet.com>

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| * UFTO * Edward Beardsworth * Consultant
| 951 Lincoln Ave. tel 415-328-5670
| Palo Alto CA 94301-3041 fax 415-328-5675
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The 1996 Fuel Cell Seminar is coming up next month, Nov 17-20.

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Fuel Cells — The Dawn of Commercialization
DATE: November 17-20, 1996
Kissimmee, Florida

For information, please contact:
Ms. Annmarie Pittman
655 15th Street, NW
Suite #300
Washingtion, D.C. 20005
Phone: (202) 639-4994
Fax: (202) 347-6109
EMail: 96FCSEM@mcimail.com
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On Tuesday Nov 19, there will be a special briefing about the RUSSIAN AMERICAN FUEL CELL CONSORTIUM (RAFCO). See earlier press release below.

*** UFTO members received copies of the proceedings of the US Russian workshop held in Sept. 1995 (SAND96-0945) Our contact at Sandia, Al Sylwester, is directly involved in RAFCO, and tells me he’d welcome utility involvement. ***
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DOE PRESS RELEASE September 17, 1996

United States and Russia To Co-Develop Clean, Efficient Fuel Cell Technologies

The United States and Russia today announced they will pool their resources on the research and development of fuel cells, a move that is expected to help speed this highly efficient, clean energy source to commercial markets. The Russian-American Fuel Cell Consortium (RAFCO) will draw on the scientific and engineering expertise of both nations to advance the development of commercially viable fuel cell technologies and promote defense conversion goals. American industry is expected to play a pivotal role in the consortium’s projects.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Hazel R. O’Leary and Russian Minister of Atomic Energy Viktor Mikhailov signed the agreement while attending meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria. “This is another milestone in Russian-American cooperation and a concrete step in the Clinton administration’s commitment to diversify the world’s energy supply with clean, efficient alternative technologies,” Secretary O’Leary said.

Fuel cells are a highly energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective power source. Originally developed by both countries for their space programs, they convert the energy released by oxidation of a fuel directly into electricity. By producing energy without combustion, they release much less carbon dioxide than conventional technologies.

Fuel cell technology is a national priority in Russia as a source of remote power for the rapidly developing oil and gas industry. In the United States, the Department of Energy supports research and development in fuel cells for power and transportation applications, including the enhanced use of natural gas, utility and other power grid applications, retail and industrial dispersed power applications, mass transportation and advanced automobile technologies. Pooling the resources of the two governments and American industry is expected to result in significant cost savings.

There is already a small, emerging U.S. and international market for fuel cell applications. International Fuel Cells, a leader in the field, is currently producing the 100th 200-kilowatt power plant using phosphoric acid fuel cell technology, which was developed largely with DOE support.

DOE’s Sandia National Laboratories first proposed a consortium in 1994 as an efficient way of combining the expertise and resources of Russian nuclear institutes, DOE national laboratories and U.S. industry. RAFCO will combine Russian and American scientists and engineers on specific projects and serve as an information clearing house. The consortium will further nonproliferation goals by helping to redirect the expertise in Russian and U.S. nuclear labs to peaceful applications.

The initial collaborations will include work on all four types of fuel cell technologies: solid oxide, molten carbonate, phosphoric acid, and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. -DOE- R-96-137