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U.S. Department of Energy
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NASA redox storage system development project. Calendar year 1981

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5874054· OSTI ID:5874054

The most significant development in the NASA Redox Storage System Development project during calendar year 1981 was the demonstration that raising the operating temperature from 25/sup 0/C to 65/sup 0/C greatly enhances the kinetics of the chromium electrode charging reactions. The design of the auxiliary electrochemical cell, which is used to keep both reactants at the same state of charge, was modified, leading to better and more stable performance. Preliminary testing has shown that the four-tank mode of operation improves energy efficiency as much as 5 percentage points over the conventional two-tank mode. Another variation in operating mode, the use of mixed reactants, potentially offers several very attractive advantages. Preliminary reactant cost studies lend further weight to the feasibility of the mixed-reactant concept. Electrose studies have shown that reproducibility of performance is very dependent on the pyrolysis temperature at which the carbon/graphite felt substrate is formed. Membrane development work continued to concentrate on cost reduction and the enhancement of resistivity and selectivity.

Research Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
DOE Contract Number:
AI04-80AL12726
OSTI ID:
5874054
Report Number(s):
DOE/NASA/12726-19; NASA-TM-83087; ON: DE83015305
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English