High Pressure Hydrogen Supply for Increased Fuel Cell Efficiency

Fuel cells are being considered by the Army for future individual soldier power supplies. These power units are to be lightweight, compact and suitable for use on the battlefield. A compact, lightweight, safe source of pure hydrogen (and possibly oxygen) is urgently needed. The proposed report will examine a series of high pressure hydrogen and liquid hydrogen storage systems suitable for an individual soldier's power supply. Incorporation of high pressure H2 storage into the power system is felt to simultaneously simplify the system while reducing the size/weight of the fuel cell and boosting system efficiency. An air compression system operated by the expansion of high pressure gases will be conceptually designed to allow "supercharging" of the fuel cell stack. Fuel cell power systems which carry an oxidant supply in addition to a hydrogen supply will also be examined as a possible means of boosting fuel cell efficiency and reducing combined fuel cell/storage system weight and cost.