LETTER TO (SANITIZED) FROM (SANITIZED)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03424A002400070018-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 20, 2011
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: June 8, 1956
• Content Type: LETTER

r Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424A002400070018-1
L~1 V Ej ~ X1
~iTIAL
June 8, 1956
o
Sanitized Copy Approved f
ehed at a meeting wit
of your office, the following
information is submitted:
1. In connection with the thermocouple generator discussed, information
appears on this item in the magazine, "Electronic Design," dated May 1, 1956,
page 83. We are attempting to obtain the reference mentioned in this article
(Radio Amateur Handbook, 1955 edition, published in Moscow).
2. In "Chemical and Engineering News," dated May 28, 1956, the
following item appeared: "The U.S. Army has established a research and
development liaison group in West Germany. Headquartered in Frankfurt, the
group will engage scientists and technicians for research work of interest to
the Army. Hoping to promote research that is further advanced or not available
in the U.S., the liaison group will finance and coordinate basic research in
unclassified subjects in universities, research institutes, and industry." This
is being organized by the Research and Development Division of the U.S.
Department of the Army under the direction of Lt. Gen. Gavin. We would be
very interested to know whether this group is sponsoring any work of interest
to our Power Sources Study, and would be interested in obtaining an interview
with this group. Please advise us as to when you can make the necessary
arrangements.
25X1
25X1
3. In connection with the German thermocouple developed by Dr. Justi for
Siemens and. Halske AG, additional information has been received. While the
demonstration of the Justi thermoco le to was not made in strict 25X1
confidence, the demonstration and name and affiliation should 25X1
not be mentioned in any future contacts to be made by the U.S. government.
SEET
CONE
TI AL
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
Beyond this precaution, however, government requests for information on the
device would not be detrimental to interests.
Dr. Justi's work was done for the Siemens and Halske AG, and it is
recommended that information requests be made to the company rather than to
Dr. Justi. Dr. Justi has reported that he has been approached by several
U.S. government agencies, each of whom was not aware of the interest of the
others. It is, therefore, possible that substantial information is already
contained in U.S. government files. We are not aware of any U.S, government
requests for information on the Siemens and Halske AG.
The addresses you requested are as follows:
1. Dr. Edward Justi, Director
Physikalisches Institut
Technische Hochschule
Braunschweig, Germany
2. Siemens and Halske AG
Erlangen, Germany
A self-explanatory enclosure is submitted which gives information on
the electrical energy available from a fuel cell operating from portable
hydrogen supply.
Your commentary on all of the above submitted information would be
appreciated.
Vei y,,truly yours,
June 8, 1956
25X1
Encls.
Cot` %;
r!
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
June 4, 1956
This letter is intended as a memorandum report for transmittal to the Government
Agency supporting the requisition mentioned above.
Whe returned from a visit to the Customer on May 31, 195625X1
he requested that calculate the electrical energy theoretically av*ilable from
consumption of the hydrogen contained in a standard "lecture bottled. Data from one
of the suppliers of the gas in this form indicate that two cubic feet'are contained
in a metal cylinder 15 inches long and 2 inches in diameter at a pressure of 1600
pounds per square inch. The cost of such a cylinder is seven dollars, with a one-
dollar charge for refilling tith hydrogen.
Assuming that the conversion of chemical into electrical energy is 100 per cent
efficient, the contents of this cylinder would produce 135 ampere-hours of current
at a potential approximating one volt. The energy output would therefore be about
135 watt-hours, at a cost of $C.052 per watt-hour, assuming that the tank will not
be refilled.Although this is far more costly than lead-acid storage battery of
similar capacity, it has the advantage of infinite'shelf-life and increased portabil-
ity. In addition, a fuel cell might be activated by opening the valve from the gas
bottle, and de-activated (with a return to long shelf-life) by closing the valve.
The combination of extended shelf-life, light weight (of the order of five pounds),
and the absence of necessity for maintenance during storage between uses may combine
to offset the high cost per watt-hour of the fuel and the additional expense of the
fuel cell itself.
Although the Customer did not specifically request it, I also investigated other
portable, easily activated sources of hydrogen. Lithium hydride and lithium aluminum
hydride have the disadvantage of beigg far more costly than the tank hydrogen, as well
as posing problems of storage in air- and moisture-free containers. An alloy consisting
of 35% sodium, 65% lead, and sold under the trade-name of "Hydrone" by the Fisher
Scientific Company is less expensive than the tank hydrogen and may be stored and handled
more readily than the lithium compounds. "Hydrone" produces hydrogen by chemical re-
action between the sodium in the alloy and water. The material may be fabricated in
the form of pellets which could be sealed individually in plastic containers and which
could be made to supply a predetermined amount,of electrical energy upon immersion
in water.
The advantages of "Hydrone" as a source of supply for a fuel cell over a small tank
such as is described above may be summarized: When separated .from eaclosares, handle this
document as UNCLASSIFIED"
afc4+r?esph in~z preesa '?
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
1. Lower costa The same amount of hydrogen as is contained in a bottle may
be generated from "Rydrone" at a cost of 1t.85. This corresponds to a fuel cost of
10.036 per watt-hour.
2. Lighter weights About 0.8 lb. of "ILydrone" (exclusive of packaging material
and a light-weight generating chamber) will generate as much hydrogen as is contained
in a five-pound tank. The volume would be one-fourth tmi* one-half that of the tank.
3. Metered gas-delivery: As explained above, a pelleted product could be
used to produce predetermined amounts of power. Valve leakage between uses of the
fuel cell would not be a hazard' as the only loss would be the gas evolved from the
pellets actually in the gas generator.
14. Safety in storages Since no gas is present during the storage periods, no
hazard from the high pressures obtaining in the tank-exists for the "Done".
The chief disadvantage of "Hydrone",, when compared to a tank of gas, lies in
the complexity of the oguipnent and handling needed to use it. A gas-generating chamber
must be developed., a supply of water must be found,,, and disposal of the sodium hydroxide
solution and lead sponge resulting from the reaction of "Iydrone" with water may
pose difficulties. It is, nevertheless,, my opinion that these difficulties may be
diminished by careful deoign of equipment.
I would conclude? on the basis of this brief study, that substantial amounts of
electrical energy may be produced from a fuel cell drawing its supply from a portable
source of gas. The choice between a tank of gas and a water-activated gas generator
would have to be made on the basis of other considerations than were included here.
;~ r-~;ucsci corn onclosnees, hgn1o nA
---s l U C IIS~IF17, D"
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1
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and io uaa?tl to (4aAppl) the platt 4?ireuats (If t)y.
r, eiver throutTh a vihrator eonverter, while the
other, delivering 'v fit O.5aaml)- i"+ %3'(l fi)r "he
filamentu. The battery lac atill another tap at
1.2v (faith a current rratintt of O.36ntnp,
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tcPeo me lasap t hir?h is usral at the ennae ttnaa'
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document as UNCLASSIFIED"
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Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1