Regenerative fuel cell systems R and D

Conference · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ef970151w· OSTI ID:305605

Mitlitsky, F; Myers, B; Weisberg, A H ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., Livermore, CA (United States)

Regenerative fuel cell (RFC) systems produce power and electrolytically regenerate their reactants using stacks of electrochemical cells. Energy storage systems with extremely high specific energy (> 400 Wh/kg) have been designed that use lightweight pressure vessels to contain the gases generated by reversible (unitized) regenerative fuel cells (URFCs). Progress is reported on the development, integration, and operation of rechargeable energy storage systems with such high specific energy. Lightweight pressure vessels that enable high specific energies have been designed with performance factors (burst pressure/internal volume/tank weight) > 50 km (2.0 million inches), and a vessel with performance factor of 40 km (1.6 million inches) was fabricated. New generations of both advanced and industry-supplied hydrogen tankage are under development. A primary fuel cell test rig with a single cell (46 cm{sup 2} active area) has been modified and operated reversibly as a URFC (for up to 2010 cycles on a single cell). This URFC uses bifunctional electrodes (oxidation and reduction electrodes reverse roles when switching from charge to discharge, as with a rechargeable battery) and cathode feed electrolysis (water is fed from the hydrogen side of the cell). Recent modifications also enable anode feed electrolysis (water is fed from the oxygen side of the cell). Hydrogen/halogen URFCs, capable of higher round-trip efficiency than hydrogen/oxygen URFCs, have been considered, and will be significantly heavier. Progress is reported on higher performance hydrogen/oxygen URFC operation with reduced catalyst loading.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 305605
• Report Number(s): NREL/CP--570-25315-Vol.1; CONF-980440--Vol.1; ON: DE98007507
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
DESIGN
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTROLYSIS
ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
FABRICATION
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
PERFORMANCE
PRESSURE VESSELS
REGENERATIVE FUEL CELLS