Blue Origin has agreed to use Nimbus Power Systems’ polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cell to facilitate electric power and potable water production in space applications.
Nimbus’ technology reportedly features gravity and momentum-independent water management, a “critical enabler of fuel cell power production in space environments.”
Fuel cells for space applications are designed to react with oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity, heat and potable water, which is vital for crewed space operations. In comparison, fuel cells used for terrestrial applications are managed using a combination of gravitational and reactant momentum forces.
Nimbus’ solutions feature gravity and momentum-independent water management, which removes product water via a combination of capillary and hydraulic forces that are “uncompromised by the space environment.”
