LETTER TO (SANITIZED) FROM (SANITIZED)

Document Type: 
Collection: 
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
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
June 8, 1956
Content Type: 
LETTER
File: 
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PDF icon CIA-RDP78-03424A002400070018-1.pdf280.74 KB
Body: 
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424A002400070018-1 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 (1 p`u ~Ii33~p.a~1l' Ii~A~'I~I~ ? dio rt?eeiveesi up ti L? air Luba a~ Qeal crith a tut, thernw eayu}Jb~IP. tte?y t- .rehed in th 19:,5 ea9ititsn of eoupk l~ca ArnaeGug I}iiana-hon'" 1~uhli~ha+I in 1Io- Cory. The then ,duple krntor iiyt~ 'Ifl of two piiey eontniniuyz want eonaintn aeriea 3) ihertnonottpli'~ aaan'lt' of naetal- ConneeWi Ceramiaa." tine of these vetaermtore 2v at 2aamlw 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, The thermOOouple generator id heated with a tcPeo me lasap t hir?h is usral at the ennae ttnaa' I for illaominutaon It h?u3 n Iona sa-rvia?e life H- ip not homed by Ihort eircatita. I. KoaQr a. Ylaoraac=meaplo Pilo lcb 3. Dra$Q Chictoy 4. Cod1iRq 0 Fben separated Ymm enelosaras, ian& 819 document as UNCLASSIFIED" rc F 11 rir Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/09/20: CIA-RDP78-03424AO02400070018-1