A hydrogen fuel cell system will be developed by Honeywell to power a number of electronic devices carried by U.S. Army soldiers.
Weighing roughly half as much as commonly used batteries, the system will deliver the same power foot soldiers need.
The fuel cell will enable a soldier to perform missions without the need to carry multiple heavy batteries or be resupplied regularly.
Honeywell’s small fuel cell will be used on the move to charge batteries and power equipment, reducing the number of spare batteries needed by the soldier or squad. Additionally, the system is designed to complement standard electronic equipment a U.S. soldier already uses.
“Today, a myriad of electronic devices, such as radios, computers, sensors and other mission-critical equipment, support soldiers on foot. All of this requires power, so the soldiers carry up to 45 pounds of batteries for an extended mission,” said Phil Robinson, senior director Engineering, Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
“Honeywell’s reliable and proven hydrogen fuel cell power system, when combined with a soldier’s power distribution and management system, lowers the weight burden, making soldiers more effective, and that can save lives.”
The hydrogen fuel cell system prototypes take advantage of Honeywell’s proven Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell technology, which is used in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in commercial and defense applications.
