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Fuel Cell Systems for First Lunar Outpost: Reactant Storage OptionsA Lunar Surface Power Working Group was formed to review candidate systems for providing power to the first lunar outpost habitat. The working group concluded that the most attractive candidate included a photovoltaic unit, a fuel cell, a regenerator to recycle the reactants, and storage of oxygen and hydrogen gases. Most of the volume (97 percent) and weight (64 percent) are taken up by the reactants and their storage tank. The large volume is difficult to accommodate, and therefore, the working group explored ways of reducing the volume. An alternative approach to providing separate high pressure storage tanks is to use two of the descent stage propellant storage tanks, which would have to be wrapped with graphite fibers to increase their pressure capability. This saves 90 percent of the volume required for storage of fuel cell reactants. Another approach is to use the descent storage propellant tanks for storage of the fuel cell reactants as cryogenic liquids, but his requires a gas liquefication system, increases the solar array by 40 percent, and increases the heat rejection rate by 170 percent compared with storage of reactants as high pressure gases. For a high power system (greater than 20 kW) the larger energy storage requirements would probably favor the cryogenic storage option.
Document ID
19970009454
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Nelson, P. A.
(Argonne National Lab. IL United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: Space Electrochemical Research and Technology
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Accession Number
97N14948
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: W-31-109-eng-38
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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