Development of Unitized Regenerative Fuel Cell Electrodes

Kurzfassung

Unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFC) in combination with photovoltaic modules are attractive systems for space missions because they enable extended operation times and low weight. During the planetary day electrical energy is stored which can be converted during night into electricity by the fuel cell. All air-independent applications like spacecrafts or space stations would profit significantly from the realization of URFCs. Significant advantages of the specific energy density can be expected from the use of a URFC (400-1000 Wh/kg) in comparison to secondary batteries (220-250 Wh/kg).