In the United States, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates the Hours of service for long distance truckers. Drivers are limited to 11 cumulative hours in a 14 hour period, which must then be followed by a rest period of no less than 10 consecutive hours.

So what does a driver do with 13 hours of downtime each day? Look in the back of the modern truck’s cab. You’ll find all the amenities of home, including air conditioning, microwave, refrigerator, computer, video player, television and more. In the industry, this equipment is grouped under the charming name, “Hotel Loads”.

Hotel loads require power to operate. Although this can be provided by the truck’s engine, idling is now restricted to periods as short as 5 minutes in some states. The combination of long downtime and short idling periods creates an obvious need for an inexpensive, clean auxiliary power supply.

Delphi Corporation, Peterbilt Motors, and Cummins and Protonex are among those companies working to provide an APU (auxiliary power unit) to satisfy that need. The focus of most effort has been the design of an APU consisting of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) along with a reformer that can operate on diesel fuel. The use of this combination reduces emissions, and lowers the cost of operations.

When fully developed, the APU will not be limited to use in commercial long distance trucking. These units will also find work providing primary and backup power for campers, homes and buildings.

Refractory Specialties anticipated this coming widespread use of the SOFC, and is ready to help. We have made significant investment, working to insure we are ready to provide the specialized insulation required by these SOFCs. Our T-Cast® All Alumina Insulation is the result of over 10 years of research and refinement of production methods. It is specifically formulated for SOFC use. It’s very low silica content helps insure the efficiency of the fuel cell remains high during years of operation. Extraordinary consistency of density is assured by the unique manufacturing process and stringent quality control. This material is especially suitable for CNC secondary machining for dimensional precision of the finished parts.

We are also ready to provide the insulation for the reformer. Here, our workhorse Gemcolite® and Gemcolite®-NS products present exceptionally flexible, efficient and economical solutions.

Greg Gorby, Editor
RefractoryBlog.com
Refractory Specialties, Inc.