If the Apollo service module experienced 2 fuel cell failures while?
Hi GrahamThe notion that the failure of 2 fuel cells would have been fatal to the crew is not correct. One fuel cell could supply a max power of about 1.4 kW, which was sufficient (while being supplemented from the entry batteries) to supply the largest load requirement (for a short duration) which was typically a Service Propulsion System burn. Regarding which DC bus a single working fuel cell would be on, it would probably have powered both buses A and B, thru a feature called a bus tie. Any fuel cell (or combination of cells) could be tied to either (or both) of the DC buses. The normal connection of fuel cells to main buses was as follows Fuel Cell 1 to Main A, Fuel Cell 2 to Main A and Main B, and Fuel Cell 3 to Main B. When you ask how would loads be managed, Im not quite sure what you mean. The most straightforward answer here is that loads have to be managed to remain within the 1.4kW capability of the single working fuel cell. There were a number of pre-canned contingency procedures available for doing so, and the particular load management technique to be used would be dependent on what was going on in the mission at the time. I hope you find the above helpful.