CAPURE AND RELIQUEFACTIOIN OF HYDROGEN BOILOFF AT SHUTTLE LAUNCH SITE

THE LIQUID HYDROGEN FUEL USED FOR THE SPACE SHUTTLE AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IS EXPEECTED TO GROW FROM A CURRENT ANNUAL RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 5 MILION GALLONS TO 10 MILLION GALLONS IN THE LATE 1980'S. ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THIS VOLUME LIQUID HYDROGEN IS LOST FORM STEADY STAT , AND PERIODIC SOURCES SUCH AS PRE-COOLING, LOADING AND UNLOADING OPERATIONS. IT IS THE INTENT OF THIS PROPOSAL TO ILLUSTRATE HOW A SYSTEM OF METAL HYDRIDE HYDROGEN ABSORBERS CAN CAPTURE THIS LOST HYDROGEN AND PROVIDE FOR ITS LIQUEFACTION. THIS TECHNICAL OBJECTIVE OF THE PHASE I PROPOSED EFFORT IS TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A METAL HYDRIDE COMPRESSOR IN CONJUNCTION WITH A CONVENTIONAL LIQUEFIER. THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY GENERATING A BASELINE DESIGN THAT CAN RELIQUEFY THE STABLE BOILOFF. UNLIKE THEIR MECHANICAL COUNTERPARTS, HYDRIDE COMPRESSORS HAVE AN INHERENT HYDROGEN STORAGE CAPACITY. THIS FEATURE WILL BE EXPLOITED BY MODIFYING THE BASELINE DESIGN TO ALSO ALLOW CAPTURE AND STORAGE OF PERIODIC BOILOFF. THIS RESOURCE CAN CAN THEN BE RECOVERED BY EITHER SUBSEQUENT RELIQUEFACTION OR USED AS A DIRECT SOURCE OF PRESSURIZED GAS. IT IS THE VALUE AND VOLUME OF HYDROGEN SOURCES AND USES AT KENNEDY WHICH MAKES THIS NEW APPROACH WORTHWHILE.