Project Title:

Capture and Reliquefaction of Hydrogen Boiloff at Shuttle Launch Site

13.06-0546
Capture and Reliquefaction of Hydrogen Boiloff at Shuttle Launch Site
Hydrogen Consultants, Inc.
P. O. Box 1054
Denver
CO
80210
Egan
Gregory J.
11290
49,997
KSC

Abstract:

The liquid hydrogen fuel used for the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center is expected
to grow from a current annual rate of approximately 5 million gallons to lO million
gallons in the late l98O's.  About one third of this volume of liquid hydrogen is
lost from steady state boiloff, and periodic sources such as pre-cooling, loading
and unloading operations.  lt is the intent of this project to illustrate how a system
of metal hydride hydrogen absorbers can capture this lost hydrogen and provide for
its liquefaction.
	This technical objective of the Phase I effort is to determine the feasibility of
using a metal hydride compressor in conjunction with a conventional liquefier.  This
will be accomplished by generating a baseline design that can reliquefy the stable
boiloff.  Unlike their mechanical counterparts, hydride compressors have an inherent
hydrogen storage capacity.  This feature will be exploited by modifying the baseline
design to also allow capture and storage of periodic boil-off,  This resource can
then be recovered by either subsequent reliquefaction or used as a direct source
of pressurized gas.  lt is the value and volume of hydrogen sources and uses at Kennedy
which makes this new approach worthwhile.