ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-11378
Open Date: 21/09/2022 11:31 CEST
Closing Date: 02/11/2022 13:00 CEST

Future exploration missions, including missions to the outer planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune as well as their Moons, would benefit from the study of alternative energy generation solutions. Generating electrical power at far distance from the Sun, as well as maintaining therequired thermal environment required for a specific mission, are both critical capabilities needed for such missions. Different technologies already exist to provide power in different operating conditions, and in different types of space missions, including Batteries, Solar Arrays and Nuclear Systems butthe large distances from the Sun and the unavailability of European RTGs suggest to explore alternative solutions. In particular, the hydrocarbon (e.g.methane, butane) O2 reaction is high in mass-specific energy, and would be potentially manageable over long timescales with pressurised storage compared to the very low boiling point of hydrogen (providing the highest mass-specific energy) for which storage for many years would not be easily achievable without major boil-off loss. A fuel cell system is well suited for this purpose since the efficiency is high, and it is a static, vibration-free device; successful space heritage of fuel cells exists from Apollo and STS.In order to use high energy density hydrocarbons as reactants, the concept must be based on existing Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology. As compared to other fuel cell technologies, which require pure hydrogen as reactant, SOFC is tolerant to hydrocarbon derived fuels and can even operate directly on hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, which are poisonsfor other fuel cells. SOFC technology has been flown on the Perserverance rover to generate O2 from the Martian CO2 atmosphere this year. The concept was successfully demonstrated.In order for the SOFC subsystem to be versatile for multiple functionalities and/or mission scenarios, it must be designed with the following basic features:- The SOFC should be capable to provide low power delivery (< 150 W)suitable for multi-year reliable space operation- The SOFC should be capable of throttleability and re-startability (thermal cycling) during the operational lifetime- The SOFC should require low quiescent power consumption for e.g. control and monitoring. Future exploration missions, including missions to the outer planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune as well as their Moons, would benefit from the study of alternative energy generation solutions. Generating electrical power at far distance from the Sun, as well as maintaining the required thermal environment required for a specific mission, are both critical capabilities needed for such missions. Different technologies already exist to provide power in different operating conditions, and in different types of space missions, including Batteries, Solar Arrays and Nuclear Systems but the large distances from the Sun and the unavailability of European RTGs suggest to explore alternative solutions. In particular, the hydrocarbon (e.g.methane, butane) O2 reaction is high in mass-specific energy, and would be potentially manageable overlong timescales with pressurised storage compared to the very low boiling point of hydrogen (providing the highest mass-specific energy) for which storage for many years would not be easilyachievable without major boil-off loss. A fuel cell system is well suited for this purpose since the efficiency is high, and it is a static, vibration-free device;successful space heritage of fuel cells exists from Apollo and STS.In order to use high energy density hydrocarbons as reactants, the concept must be based on existing Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology. As compared to other fuel cell technologies, which require pure hydrogen as reactant, SOFC is tolerant to hydrocarbon derived fuels and can evenoperate directly on hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, which are poisons for other fuel cells. SOFC technology has been flown on the Perserverance rover to generate O2 from the Martian CO2 atmosphere this year. The concept was successfully demonstrated.In order for the SOFC subsystem to be versatile for multiple functionalities and/or mission scenarios, it must be designed with the following basic features:- The SOFC should be capable to provide low power delivery (< 150 W) suitable for multi-year reliable space operation- The SOFC should be capable of throttleability and re-startability (thermal cycling) during the operational lifetime- The SOFC should require low quiescent power consumption for e.g. control and monitoring. Future exploration missions, including missions to the outer planets such as Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune as well as their Moons, would benefit from the study of alternative energy generation solutions. Generating electrical power at far distance from the Sun, as well as maintaining therequired thermal environment required for a specific mission, are both criticalcapabilities needed for such missions. Different technologies already exist toprovide power in different operating conditions, and in different types of space missions, including Batteries, Solar Arrays and Nuclear Systems but the large distances from the Sun and the unavailability of European RTGs suggest to explore alternative solutions. In particular, the hydrocarbon (e.g. methane, butane) O2 reaction is high in mass-specific energy, and wouldbe potentially manageable over long timescales with pressurised storage compared to the very low boiling point of hydrogen (providing the highest mass-specific energy) for which storage for many years would not be easily achievable without major boil-off loss. A fuel cell system is well suited for this purpose since the efficiency is high, and it is a static, vibration-free device;successful space heritage of fuel cells exists from Apollo and STS.In order to use high energy density hydrocarbons as reactants, the concept must be based on existing Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology. As compared to other fuel cell technologies, which require pure hydrogen as reactant, SOFC is tolerant to hydrocarbon derived fuels and can even operate directly on hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, which are poisonsfor other fuel cells. SOFC technology has been flown on the Perserverance rover to generate O2 from the Martian CO2 atmosphere this year. The concept was successfully demonstrated.In order for the SOFC subsystem to be versatile for multiple functionalities and/or mission scenarios, it must be designed with the following basic features:- The SOFC should be capable to provide low power delivery (< 150 W)suitable for multi-year reliable space operation- The SOFC should be capable of throttleability and re-startability (thermalcycling) during the operational lifetime- The SOFC should require low quiescent power consumption for e.g. controland monitoring. This activity shall be focused at validating the functional performance bybreadboard testing in laboratory environment. The activity will need to include the following activities:- System architecture design including SOFC technologies, materials and reactants trade-off and selection, fuel storage and fluidic chain design-Establishing a mathematical model to design and validate the system-Design the breadboard-Build the breadboard-Experimental demonstration of the breadboard including the main elements,i.e. the SOFC stack, reactant storage, fluid handling, gas pre-processing reactor, heat exchangers, thermal management for cycleability, electricalperformance and lifetime.The demonstration of flight worthy cryogenic CH4 and O2 tanks shall not be included in this activity, however, the testing of the breadboard shall be donebased on cryogenic reactants. Furthermore, a preliminary sizing of a later flight application of the full system shall be made and related high-level requirements for a tank and fluidic chain.

Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. Quality
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Authorised Contact Person: Maxime Nicolas Gislain Guy
Initiating Service: TEC-EPB
IP Measure: N/A
Prog. Reference: E/0901-01 - Technology Developme
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+GR+ES+FI+FR+GB+HU+IE+IT+LU+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 3-B-II-Fuel Cell Technologies / 3-C-I-Electro-Chemical Technologies for Energy Storage / 19-A-I-Liquid Propulsion Systems / 19-D-III-Propellants / 21-B-III-Passive Coolers and Stored Cryogens
Products Keywords: 2-J-6-Storage: Fuel cells / 2-M-4-c-Modelling tools (Model development, Non real-time execution, Code generation,...) / 2-O-2-a-Coating and insulation / 3-F-2-a-Batteries / 3-K-4-Other