Hydrogenics Corp. (Toronto, Canada), a designer and manufacturer of fuel cell technology, has sold a 5 kW hydrogen/oxygen, proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell stack to the NASA Glenn Research Center, which will use it in an experimental closed-cycle, hydrogen-oxygen, regenerative fuel cell.
This type of system can be used for energy storage in places where oxygen is not easily available, such as very high altitude, space or underwater environments. NASA will use this stack as part of its research program to understand how the regenerative fuel cell will operate in future aerospace applications.
"Our expertise and experience in this range of PEM stacks was an important part of the reason why NASA chose us," said Hydrogenics President and CEO Pierre Rivard. "Hydrogenics has been developing PEM stacks for over eight years, and this is a testament to the state of our proprietary technology. This sale has the potential to open the door to other sales of this lightweight hydrogen fuel cell technology, particularly for aerospace and underwater applications, where weight is a consideration."
