Simplifications in Regenerative Fuel Cell Systems Enabled by Inclusion of a Static Water Vapour Feed High Pressure PEM Electrolyser Subsystem

Clara Venture Labs AS (CVL), formerly Prototech AS, is developing a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) based Regenerative Fuel Cell System (RFCS) for satellites. Inclusion of a static water vapour feed (SWVF) high pressure PEM electrolyser subsystem will lead to a significant simplification of the overa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in2023 13th European Space Power Conference (ESPC) pp. 1 - 5
Main Authors Solheim, Bjarte G. B., Farnes, Jarle B., Bokach, Dmitry, Pettersen, Jon Eide, Ahmed, Jonas Somod, Heimstad, Fredrik, Krakhella, Kjersti Wergeland, Skjelanger, Kristoffer, Olnes, Jon Schawlann, Geneste, Xavier, Vik, Arild
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published IEEE 02.10.2023
Subjects
Electric potential
Estimation
fuel cell
Fuel cells
high pressure
Liquids
mass estimation
PEM
Propulsion
Protons
RFCS
satellites
Space missions
static water vapour fed electrolyser
thruster
VHTS
water propulsion
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Summary:Clara Venture Labs AS (CVL), formerly Prototech AS, is developing a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) based Regenerative Fuel Cell System (RFCS) for satellites. Inclusion of a static water vapour feed (SWVF) high pressure PEM electrolyser subsystem will lead to a significant simplification of the overall RFCS, designed for operation in microgravity, reducing the number of components and increasing the system overall attractiveness - holding the potential to shorten the time to adoption of RFCS on satellites, as well as opening new product markets for the electrolyser in satellite water propulsion systems. CVL has designed a high pressure SWVF PEM electrolyser which is undergoing testing and evaluation. The paper presents CVL's development of a SWVF high pressure PEM electrolyser, aiming to significantly simplify the RFC system and increase its attractiveness for various applications, and also presents comparative mass estimations of SWVF- and liquid feed electrolyser subsystems operating in the range of 50 W - 5 kW.
DOI:10.1109/ESPC59009.2023.10298116