2026-09-20T08:40:12Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/1394402022-01-15T03:21:40Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131023
Gallant, Betar
Roley, Andrew
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
2022-01-14T15:11:36Z
2022-01-14T15:11:36Z
2021-06
2021-06-29T19:28:21.346Z
https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139440
0000-0003-0638-1695
Previous Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) powering has focused primarily on improved efficiency and energy density. However, these gains are often offset by the need for additional buoyant volume, and drag penalties associated with this larger volume. While fuel cells have been proposed and implemented for both manned and unmanned undersea vehicles, they often rely on compressed and/or cooled liquid 𝐻₂ and 𝑂₂, with bulky containment structures either within or outside a pressure hull.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory (LL) has identified Liquid Fuel Cells (LFCs) (specifically Liquid-to-Liquid) as an especially beneficial energy source for UUVs. Literature examples exist which demonstrate LFC viability, although there is presently little to be found regarding applications to UUVs. Additionally, LFCs often make use of Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs), despite the lack of gaseous species present on either the oxidation side, reduction side, or both. This thesis seeks to investigate potential fuel cell improvements by eliminating GDLs from a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), and to identify the best candidates for a near-neutrally-buoyant fuel cell.
Nav.E.
S.M.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Copyright MIT
http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/
Evaluation and Characterization Testing of Liquid Fuel Cell Chemistry for Applications in Unmanned Underwater Vehicles
Thesis
application/pdf
Engineer
Master
Naval Engineer
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering
Publication
unknown
unknown
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<Abstract>Previous Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) powering has focused primarily on improved efficiency and energy density. However, these gains are often offset by the need for additional buoyant volume, and drag penalties associated with this larger volume. While fuel cells have been proposed and implemented for both manned and unmanned undersea vehicles, they often rely on compressed and/or cooled liquid 𝐻₂ and 𝑂₂, with bulky containment structures either within or outside a pressure hull.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory (LL) has identified Liquid Fuel Cells (LFCs) (specifically Liquid-to-Liquid) as an especially beneficial energy source for UUVs. Literature examples exist which demonstrate LFC viability, although there is presently little to be found regarding applications to UUVs. Additionally, LFCs often make use of Gas Diffusion Layers (GDLs), despite the lack of gaseous species present on either the oxidation side, reduction side, or both. This thesis seeks to investigate potential fuel cell improvements by eliminating GDLs from a Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), and to identify the best candidates for a near-neutrally-buoyant fuel cell.</Abstract>
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