QUANTUM Delivers Third Hydrogen Refueling System
IRVINE, Calif., April 7 -- QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. , announced today it delivered a proprietary hydrogen refueling system to AeroVironment. This refueling system will be used to refuel QUANTUM's hydrogen storage tanks on the Helios unmanned flying wing, designed by AeroVironment for NASA. This is the third hydrogen refueling system delivered by QUANTUM.
More information about Helios can be found on AeroVironment's website: http://www.aerovironment.com/area-telecom/telecom.html or on Nova's website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/spiesfly/uavs.html# .
QUANTUM has developed a line of stationary, portable and mobile 5,000 and 10,000-psi hydrogen-refuelers to support the emerging fuel cell market. These compact units draw hydrogen from either a commercially available gaseous hydrogen supply and "boost" the pressure of the hydrogen for delivery to the fuel cell application at the desired pressure; or from a high pressure storage cascade based on QUANTUM's ultra-lightweight, all-composite TriShield(TM) hydrogen storage tanks. These units are designed to ensure a complete fill of hydrogen using software-controlled temperature compensation.
QUANTUM's portable refueling units are designed to be consumer-ready based on simple and fully automated control systems. They feature an interactive touch screen, one-button operation, automatic shut-off, and incorporate multiple redundant safety mechanisms and fueling controls in compliance with protocols set by the California Fuel Cell Partnership. The units are also designed with a defueling capability, which is important to accommodate servicing the vehicle. They operate on standard industrial power supplies, without the need for utility connections or special installations.
QUANTUM's refuelers are certified for use as refueling appliances by Germany's regulatory agency, TUV (Technischer Uberwachungs Verein), and meet the specifications of the California Fuel Cell Partnership. Certification agencies and industry specifications require the units to safely manage pressure, temperature and potential gas leakage issues with redundant safety features and thorough test and validation of components and systems.
QUANTUM began supplying hydrogen storage refueling stations to fulfill the need of its customers who are pursuing the development of fuel cell applications in the transportation, industrial, power generation and aerospace industries.
"Off-the-shelf compact refueling solutions are not readily available, leaving developers of fuel cell applications without a way to refuel their demonstration products," said Alan P. Niedzwiecki, President and CEO. "QUANTUM's core competencies in fuel storage, fuel metering, electronic controls and systems integration enabled us to win this contract and to provide a refueling solution for this important customer."
QUANTUM is currently marketing refueling devices to developers of fuel cell applications in order to enable the development process by ensuring the developers have a constant fuel supply. QUANTUM is also marketing these devices as the underpinnings of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure market that is developing as we move toward a hydrogen economy.
QUANTUM designs, manufactures and supplies components and integrated fuel systems to original equipment manufacturers for use in alternative fuel vehicles, fuel cell applications, and hydrogen refueling systems. These fuel cell applications include transportation and industrial vehicles, and stationary and portable power generation. QUANTUM's advanced fuel systems comprise the fuel storage, fuel metering, control, and injection of gaseous fuels to improve efficiency, enhance power output, and optimize emissions from fuel cell applications and internal combustion engines that operate on natural gas, propane, or hydrogen. QUANTUM is a member of the GM fuel cell alliance of fuel cell commercialization companies. More information about QUANTUM can be found on its website at www.qtww.com .
Certain matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current trends. These include the growth of the fuel cell and hydrogen refueling markets, competition, the company's ability to design and market advanced fuel metering, fuel storage or electronic control products, the company's ability to meet customer specifications, and other such risks as cited in the company's Form 10 and Form 10-K and other documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by QUANTUM.
For further information, please contact: Andy Abele, Director of Business Development, +1-949-399-4527, aabele@qtww.com; or Cathy Johnston, Director of Communications and Corporate Support, +1-949-399-4548, cjohnston@qtww.com; or Dale Rasmussen, Investor Relations, +1-206-315-8242, drasmussen@qtww.com, all of QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc.
(C)2003 QUANTUM Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc.
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