Non-Flow-Through Fuel Cell for High Density Energy Storage

Giner’s Non-Flow-Through Fuel Cell (NFTFC) is a hydrogen/oxygen fuel cell for air independent operation. The NFTFC is able to achieve high fuel utilization for both hydrogen and oxygen by dead-ending the gasses into the stack, meaning almost all reactant is consumed by the fuel cell reaction. This makes it an ideal energy storage system for missions where air is not readily available. The non-flow-through setup also simplifies the supporting balance of plant, as the fuel cell does not require gas humidification or flow control. The NFTFC is well suited for missions with long discharge durations or aggressive energy density requirements. In larger systems, the NFTFC is capable of energy densities far greater than current battery systems. The NFTFC can be coupled with a suitable electrolyzer to form a Regenerative Fuel Cell, a closed loop energy system.