High Temperature, Long Service Life Fuel Cell Bladder Materials
Abstract
This report was developed under SBIR Topic AF98-196. Modern aircraft engines use recycled fuel loops as coolants to remove excessive heat from engine components. This heated fuel is returned to the bladder, exposing the fuel inlet area to fuel that has not had time to cool. The temperature of the returned fuel was initially expected to be in the range of 135 deg F to 160 deg F. In today's fighter aircraft, fuel used to support engine cooling operations can create temperature spikes in the range of 300 deg F to 400 deg F at the bladder inlet of the return loop, and prolonged exposure to temperatures between 200 deg F and 250 deg F are now quite common. Under this program, METSS clearly demonstrated the technical feasibility of using commercially available material technologies to support the development of high temperature resistant fuel bladders that can be readily integrated into the existing fuel bladder manufacturing processes. Under the Phase II program, METSS identified two specific rubber materials based on hydrogenated nitrile rubber and epichlorohydrin that meet the criteria needed for a fuel cell bladder operating at 225 deg F. Of these, the hydrogenated nitrile rubber compound was particularly adaptable to the manufacture of fuel bladders. This relationship will establish a solid foundation for Phase III product commercialization efforts, providing a viable path for rapid technology transfer and implementation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA428222
Entities
People
- Donald Bigg
- Gideon Salee
- Kenneth Heater
- Mark Hodge