Tom Fuller
Professor
Contact Information
Building: Bunger-Henry
Office:
404
Phone: 404.894.2898 &
404.407.6075 (alt.)
Fax: 404.894.2291
email
Mailing Address
Georgia Institute of Technology
School of Chemical &
Biomolecular Engineering
311 Ferst Drive, N.W.
Atlanta, GA 30332-0100
Links
Tom Fuller
Education
B.S. 1982, University of Utah
Ph.D. 1992, University of California, Berkeley
Bio
Tom Fuller joined the faculty from United Technologies Corp. where he was Director of Engineering at UTC Fuel Cells. He was responsible for both leading technology development and completing the design, construction, and delivery of fuel-cell stacks to customers. Prior to UTC, Dr. Fuller worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. The primary project was the development of advanced lithium batteries for transportation applications. Dr. Fuller also spent six years on active duty in the U. S. Navy and continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until 2001, when he retired at the rank of Commander.
Research Interests
Dr. Fuller's research focuses on electrochemical systems for energy conversion and storage. His interests are in linking fundamental science and technology with practical applications to meet the growing energy challenges. Conservative estimates project that 10 TW of additional power are needed by the year 2050 to satisfy global demand. The key drivers for the increase in power are population growth and economic development. The scope of this power requirement is enormous, representing about a doubling of present capacity. If large amounts of energy are required, what will be the sources and what will be the environmental consequences of providing this power? For instance, limiting atmospheric carbon dioxide to twice pre-industrial levels can be accomplished with the introduction of 10 TW of carbon-free power by 2035.
Potential answers, whether fossil-fuel, renewable, or nuclear based, all present intense technical, environmental, and security challenges. Solutions will demand interdisciplinary research and a strong emphasis on understanding the underlying physics and chemistry. Without question chemical engineers have a critical role in developing the necessary technology, bringing solutions to market, and educating the public.
As an example, the key for the development of fuel cells is to simultaneously improve their durability, performance, and cost. The primary means to this end is through the introduction of new materials and appropriate component and system design. In both cases a fundamental and thorough understanding of the chemistry and physics of the relevant phenomena is essential. A mechanistic understanding may then be used to 1) guide the development of new electrolyte materials/membrane for instance, and 2) develop physics based models that provide predictive capability for the durability of the new materials or system configurations. The close coupling of physical and chemical phenomena make detailed models instrumental in identifying critical materials properties and in the understanding of failure modes.
GTRI
Dr. Fuller has an appointment as a principal research engineer at Georgia Tech Research Institute. He directs the Center for Innovative Fuel-cell and Battery Technologies, which is located in the Aerospace, Transportation, and Advanced Systems Laboratory. GTRI is recognized for their ability to develop and test prototypes rapidly. Their expertise is in integrating distinct and often disparate technologies into functioning systems. GTRI is also able to draw upon the resources of the university to provide state-of-the-art solutions to customers. The center has the capability to develop, design, build, test, and deliver prototypes to customers for power systems from a few watts to 100 kW.
Dr. Fuller is a member of the Electrochemical Society and the American Chemical Society.