Primary and secondary electrical space power based on advanced PEM systems

For new space ventures, power continues to be a pacing function for mission planning and experiment endurance. Although electrochemical power is a well demonstrated space power technology, current hardware limitations impact future mission viability. In order to document and augment electrochemical technology, a series of experiments for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center (NASA LeRC) are underway at the Los Alamos National Laboratory that define operational parameters on contemporary proton exchange membrane (PEM) hardware operating with hydrogen and oxygen reactants. Because of the high efficiency possible for water electrolysis, this hardware is also thought part of a secondary battery design built around stored reactants - the so-called regenerative fuel cell. An overview of stack testing at Los Alamos and of analyses related to regenerative fuel cell systems are provided in this paper. Finally, this paper describes work looking at innovative concepts that remove complexity from stack hardware with the specific intent of higher system reliability. This new concept offers the potential for unprecedented electrochemical power system energy densities

Micro fuel cell

An ambient temperature, liquid feed, direct methanol fuel cell device is under development. A metal barrier layer was used to block methanol crossover from the anode to the cathode side while still allowing for the transport of protons from the anode to the cathode. A direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is an electrochemical engine that converts chemical energy into clean electrical power by the direct oxidation of methanol at the fuel cell anode. This direct use of a liquid fuel eliminates the need for a reformer to convert the fuel to hydrogen before it is fed into the fuel cell

Characterization of Devonian shales using laser pyrolysis-gas chromatography

Pulsed Nd pyrolysis with minimum sample pretreatment generates adequate quantities of products for analytical determinations. Significant quantities of pyrolysis products apparently result from methane and ethane released by thermal degradation. Focused power deposition leads to increased ethane production. This may result from a deeper penetration into the sample exploring regions removed from the surface that are less depleted in naturally occurring low molecular weight gases. Higher molecular weight components are readily apparent. These compounds may serve both as useful chemical markers and as component sections of the larger molecular weight species that contain the candidate gaseous fuels

Electrochemical energy storage using PEM systems

This paper gives the results of an engineering assessment for future, long-lived space power systems for extraterrestrial applications. Solar-based, regenerative fuel cell power plants formed from either alkaline or PEM components are the focus. Test results on advanced PEM fuel cell stack components are presented. 7 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

Long-term exposure of pressed plutonium oxide heat sources to aquatic environments

Plutonium-238 oxide fuel pellets were exposed to water for 2.5 to 6.4 yr, and the concentration of plutonium in the water was monitored. Water composition and temperature were found to be important factors in determining the rate of plutonium release into the water. Typical release rates ranged from 10 to 40 ng/m/sup 2//s in cold fresh water and from 0.3 to 11 ng/m/sup 2//s in cold sea water. Release rates in sea water varied over time and sometimes were erratic. The plutonium release per unit area did not depend on the size of the PuO/sub 2/ source. The released plutonium was in an extremely fine form, able to pass through 10,000 molecular weight cutoff filters. Apparent differences in the fuel pellet surfaces after exposure suggest that plutonium release is controlled by physical and chemical processes occurring at the solid-liquid interface. Release mechanisms and their implications are discussed