Over the years, the use of Aluminum as an anode has attracted many potential applications due to its very high theoretical amperehour capacity, voltage and specific energy. In reality, although these values are reduced due to system inefficiencies, this electrochemistry stiU yields energy densities that exceed many other couples. Since the early 1980% Aluminum-Air technology has rapidly advanced to a safe, reliable system that possesses practical energy densities of 300-500 Wh/kg and specific power to 22.6 Wkg. These advances include development of a very pure, alloyed aluminum anode, and the lowest cost air-cathode available today, Presently, this technology is used in a wide variety of applications. One significant application is the Reserve Power Unit. ATIT, Bell Canada, cellular phone and cable network operators in the UK and France Tdecoms, are Using this system to increase the reserve back-up power available from lead acid battery to over 60 hours. For Underwater Vehicles or UW Applications, the U.S. and Canadian Navy have on-going UW programs which could extend the vehicle range fiom 180 miles with silver-zinc batteries to over 540 miles with an Aluminum-oxygen System.Other applications include a small, highly energized Man-Pack portable Aluminum-Air battery for the Special Operation Forces. The aif electrode is also utilized in production of low-cost highly cfficicnt Ultracapacitors as well as in certain Electrosynthesis operations. This paper summarizes the present state of the technology and the current applications of the Aluminum-Air Technology.

A modular approach to ULTV power source design and construction is described. A range of output power for near term W V ' s from 300 W to 5 kW and a range of energy capacity from 15 to 500 kWh is considered. The different power and energy requirements are all met by use of a modular aluminum-oxygen semi-fuel cell with essentially the same anode area but with a different anode thickness and number of cells. The control system and many other components can also be used for different applications maximising the economical use of resources and reducing development time. The approach is illustrated by several examples including the pre-production prototype design being built with a capacity of 2.0 kW and 100 kWh for the ARCS vehicle. Test results for the cell stack are reported and life cycle costs compared to conventional batteries.

Alupower Canada Limited and the Department of National Defence with CRAD funding and DGMEM engineering support are designing and constructing a fuel cell power system (FCPS) to power small unmanned vehicles (UUV's). The ARCS 1, a DND/DREP owned experimental unmanned submersible has been chosen as the trial vessel.The FCPS will provide sufficient energy to allow the UUV to operate submerged, continuously for 30 hours which is approximately 4 to 6 times the endurance of its existing nickel cadmium system.Unmanned underwater vehicles are attaining increasing importance as "force extenders" for more conventional manned maritime vehicles in times of budgetary constraint. Despite rapid advances in many UUV systems such as navigation and sensor technology, U W ' s are now limited by the availability of an advanced power source capable of attaining the desired mission.A steady state power output of 1.7 kW is achieved within a volume of 375 litres and system mass of 315 kg.

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