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Structural Dynamic Testing Results for Air-Independent Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell Technologies for Space ApplicationsIn 2016, the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) project office funded research at the NASA Glenn Research Center to evaluate the maturity of the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology and its viability for supporting launch vehicle and space applications. This technology evaluation included vibration, reactant purity, and vacuum exposure sensitivity testing. The evaluation process did not include microgravity testing. This paper discusses the vibration sensitivity testing of two air-independent fuel cell stacks provided by different vendors to assess the ability of currently available fuel cell stack hardware to survive the projected random vibrational environment that would be encountered in an upper stage launch vehicle. Baseline performance testing was utilized to quantify stack performance and overboard leak rate at standard atmospheric conditions in order to provide a reference for post-test comparison. Both fuel cell stacks were tested at a random vibration qualification level of 10.4 grms for five minutes in each axis. Low-level sinusoidal sweeps were conducted before and after each random vibration level run to see if any significant change in resonances were detected. Following vibration facility testing, the baseline performance testing was repeated. Test results demonstrated no measurable change in fuel cell electrochemical or mechanical performance, indicating that the two evaluated PEM fuel cell stacks may be suitable for space applications pending microgravity testing.
Document ID
20190033073
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Gilligan, Ryan P.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Jakupca, Ian J.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Smith, Phillip J.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Bennett, William R.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Guzik, Monica C.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Kacher, Henry F.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
November 18, 2019
Publication Date
November 11, 2019
Subject Category
Engineering (General)
Report/Patent Number
GRC-E-DAA-TN68132
Meeting Information
Meeting: ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Country: United States
Start Date: November 11, 2019
End Date: November 14, 2019
Sponsors: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 469947.04.27.22
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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