Operation of the 25 kW NASA Lewis Solar Regenerative Fuel Cell Testbed Facility

Technical Report · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/460338· OSTI ID:460338

Voecks, G. E.; Rohatgi, N. K.; Moore, S. H. ^[1]

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1. Jet Propulsion Lab., Pasadena, CA (United States); and others

Assembly of the NASA Lewis Research Center Solar Regenerative Fuel Cell Testbed Facility has recently been completed and system testing is in progress. This facility includes the integration of 50 kW photovoltaic solar cell arrays, a 25 kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis unit, four 5 kW PEM fuel cells, high pressure hydrogen and oxygen storage vessels, high purity water storage containers, and computer monitoring, control and data acquisition. The purpose of this facility is multi-faceted, but was originally intended to serve as a testbed for evaluating a closed-loop powerplant for future NASA extended life support operations, such as a Lunar outpost, and also as a terrestrial powerplant example for remote or continuous back-up support operations. The fuel cell and electrolyzer subsystems design and assembly were conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the photovoltaic arrays and electrical interconnect to the electrolyzer were provided by the US Navy/China Lake Naval Weapons Center, and testing and operations are being carried out by JPL.

• Research Organization: Fuel Cell Seminar Organizing Committee (United States)
• OSTI ID: 460338
• Report Number(s): CONF-961107--Absts.; ON: TI97001494
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
ELECTROLYSIS
HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS
MASS BALANCE
OXYGEN
PERFORMANCE TESTING
SOLAR CELL ARRAYS
TEST FACILITIES