Project Title:

Internally Humidified Lightweight Regenerative Proton Exchange

Lynntech, Inc.
7610 Eastmark Drive, Suite 105
College Station, TX 77840

93-1		10.09	0017			Amount Requested $70,000

Internally Humidified Lightweight Regenerative Proton Exchange 
Membrane Fuel Cell

Abstract:

Power requirements for manned U.S.  spacecraft missions have been 
provided by fuel cells powered by cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen 
launched from earth.  For long-term missions, propellant weight 
makes this approach prohibitive.  Regenerative H2-O2 fuel cells 
have been identified as an enabling technology for many long-term 
space applications and are particularly advantageous where high 
power, low weight and very long cycle life are important.  Since 
the physical and chemical requirements of the oxygen positive 
electrodes differ in the charge and discharge modes, the tendency 
has been to separate the functions of the charge and discharge 
units.  However, a bifunctional regenerative fuel cell is highly 
desirable because it would considerably lower weight and volume and 
increase reliability, since no separate valves for gas and water 
transfer between charge and discharge modes would be required.  
Thus, the objective of this project is to develop a new generation 
of bifunctional regenerative fuel cells having ultralight 
components and a simple means of construction.  If successfully 
developed, it would offer substantial improvements in performance 
and lower cost over previously developed regenerative fuel cells.  
The long-term impact of the proposed effort will be broad based, 
since the innovations can be applied to advance the development of 
other electrochemical subsystems important to long-term space 
missions.  A dual-use development approach will be followed because 
the technology has both NASA uses, along with commercial 
applications.

Spin-off technology associated with lightweight, efficient PEM 
electrochemical systems will have many commercial applications.  
Lightweight, high power density fuel cells wi!l be used as power 
sources for electric vehicles, portable power sources for 
communications/news teams and portable medical instrumentation.  A 
cost-effective and energy efficient PEM water electrolyzer for on-
site generation of high-purity hydrogen gas would be very 
attractive to a number of industries that presently use merchant 
hydrogen.

Fuel Cells, Proton Exchange Membrane, Regenerative, Energy Storage, 
Hydrogen, Oxygen