- Author
-
McHale, E. T.
|
Geary, R. W.
|
Huggett, C.
|
vonElbe, G.
- Title
- Fuel Cells Environmental Hazards. Final Technical Summary Report. June 19, 1969-January 15, 1970.
- Coporate
- Atlantic Research Corp., Alexandria, VA
- Sponsor
- Naval Ship Research and Development Laboratory, Annapolis, MD
- Report
-
Final Technical Summary Report,
February 1970,
48 p.
- Keywords
-
fuel cells
|
environmental effects
|
flammability limits
|
flame temperature
|
gas composition
|
fluorocarbons
- Abstract
- A study has been made to establish the feasibility of reducing the flammability hazard associated with H₂/O₂ fuel cell systems by utilizing fluorocarbons to provide an inert environment that suppresses combustion. It was found that flammability limits for H₂/O₂ mixtures are greatly narrowed when these mixtures are diluted with inert fluorocarbon gases rather than nitrogen. Limits of flammability were determined using CF₄, CF₃Br, C₃F₈ and c-C₄F₈ as diluents. Initial conditions for these diluents were 77 deg F and 14.7 psia, and in addition the C₃F₈ system was investigated at 180 deg F, 14.7 psia and 77 deg F, 100 psia. As an example of the effectiveness of these agents, the minimum amount of a H₂/O₂ mixture of flammable composition that represents a potential hazard is increased from 9.5 percent with N₂ diluent to 32 percent with C₃F₈ diluent.