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s<br />

HMM<br />

Assessment Study<br />

Report: CDF-20(A)<br />

February 2004<br />

page 239 of 422<br />

• Standard illumination (1400 W/m2) and Earth thermal characteristics (albedo 0.4, infrared<br />

273 W/m2) are assumed<br />

3.4.3.3 Baseline thermal design<br />

3.4.3.3.1 Hydrogen storage<br />

Given that hydrogen storage is essential for fuel cells, life support and propulsion (Chemical,<br />

solar or nuclear), the efficiency of its storage is shown in Table 3-66:<br />

Type Features<br />

Compressed hydrogen in a gaseous state, can be stored under high pressure (up to 700 bars) within pressure vessels<br />

(aluminium, composite) increasing the hydrogen storage density<br />

Liquid hydrogen in a liquid state, is subject to boil-off (evaporation of liquid caused by heat leaks) depending on<br />

the vessel size, shape and thermal insulation. Density depends on saturated temperature<br />

Metal hydrides per absorption on transition metal, hydrogen storage density reach maximum 7% of metal<br />

weight (200-300C), 2-5% (alanates) under normal temp. and pressure. Investigations focus on<br />

more performance and lighter metal density, but so far weight is a problem for space<br />

applications<br />

Chemical hydrides per chemical reaction. A hydride solution (sodium borohydride for example) combined to water<br />

and catalyst produces hydrogen<br />

Carbon nanotubes per adsorption on activated carbon structure, hydrogen storage density could theoretically<br />

approach storage density of liquid hydrogen but mechanisms for adsorption/desorption are still<br />

under investigation (nanotubes)<br />

Glass microspheres per physical adsorption on micro glass sphere. Permeability is controlled per temperature<br />

chemical hydrides<br />

complex hydrides<br />

LH2<br />

GH2, 700 bar<br />

GH2, 350 bar<br />

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5<br />

Table 3-66: Hydrogen storage options<br />

kWh/kg<br />

kWh/L<br />

Figure 3-75:Comparative storage technology (L), Hydrogen phase diagram (R)<br />

For propulsive applications, storage in the liquid state is currently the most efficient technique<br />

available (shall remain so at least in the mid term) and has been retained for this study. The<br />

performance of this type of storage is related to the thermal design capability to maintain<br />

cryogenic temperature (20.2K at 1 bar).<br />

Condition of storage is a trade-off between the different constraints from the system and<br />

available thermal hardware. For example, supercritical storage eases the refrigeration<br />

requirement (higher efficiency at higher temperature) but lowers the density of the liquid (by a<br />

factor of 2.6 from triple point to critical point) and increases the pressure (by a factor of 170<br />

from triple point to critical point).

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