IGF::OT::IGF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS' SIGNATURE ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL ARCHITECTURE PROVIDES A SOLUTION TO NA…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS' SIGNATURE ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL ARCHITECTURE PROVIDES A SOLUTION TO NASA'S SEARCH FOR REGENERATIVE SEPARATION TECHNOLOGY ENABLING MAXIMUM HYDROGEN RECOVERY FROM A STREAM CONTAINING WATER VAPOR (SATURATED), CARBON MONOXIDE (CO), AND HYDROCARBONS INCLUDING METHANE, ACETYLENE, ETHANE, AND ETHYLENE, AMONG OTHERS. SEPARATION OF HYDROGEN FROM MIXED GASEOUS STREAMS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT TECHNICAL CHALLENGE FOR VARIOUS NASA APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, THE ABILITY TO EFFICIENTLY PERFORM HYDROGEN PURIFICATION PRESENTS AN ATTRACTIVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS IS DEVELOPING A TECHNOLOGY THAT EXTRACTS HYDROGEN FROM A MIXED STREAM BY ELECTRO-OXIDIZATION OF THE HYDROGEN AND SUBSEQUENT ELECTRO-REDUCTION OF THE RESULTANT PROTONS IN A SEPARATE CHAMBER. THE PROCESS, WHEN COMBINED WITH AN ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL ARCHITECTURE THAT IS ENGINEERED TO TOLERATE HIGH DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE, CAN BE USED TO SEPARATE AND COMPRESS HYDROGEN IN A SINGLE STEP. THE PROCESS IS PROVEN TO BE EFFICIENT, QUIET, AND HIGHLY RELIABLE. IT REQUIRES NO RECIPROCATING COMPRESSOR, SO IT IS LARGELY MAINTENANCE FREE.