Fuel Cells on the Fuel Cells on the High SeasHigh Seas

Naval Applications for Fuel Cells

Matt Chin and JC Sanders

Fuel Cell Types used on Ships

• Molten Carbonate– Large Surface Ships

• Proton Exchange Membrane– Surface ships (usually in conjunction with

Molten Carbonate fuel cells)– Submarines

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

• Operation Temperature: 650 degrees C

• Electrolyte: Salt Carbonates

• Fuel: Syngas or Hydrogen, and

• Additional: CO2 due to CO3 ion usage

• Catalyst: Nickel

• Power output: ~2MW units available

Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells

PEM Fuel Cells

• Operation Temperature: 100 degrees C

• Electrolyte: Polymer

• Fuel: Hydrogen

• Catalyst: Platinum

• Power output: 50-250 kW units available

PEM Fuel Cells

Fuel cell advantages for surface ships

• High efficiency vs. gas turbine and diesel powered naval vessels (40% vs. 16%-12%)

• Reduced emissions of all types• Low vibration and sound levels• Improved thermal efficiencies• Reduced cost for fuel (30% less for Navy)• Ship design flexibility (modular units)• Permits the use of alternative fuels

Fuel cell advantages for submarines

• High efficiency vs. diesel powered submarines (40% vs. 16%-12%)

• Low thermal profile compared to SSNs• Low vibration and sound levels• Reduced radar cross section• Does not require air breathing like diesel subs• Only has to come up every several weeks

Practical Applications

• Submarines– Fuel Cells = Silence = Increased Stealth– Fuel Cells = No air required = Longer dive times

• Surface Ships– Fuel Cells = Increased efficiencies = Longer time

out to sea– Fuel Cells = Reduced emissions = Reduced

Profile (Harder to detect)

Power Plan EfficienciesC

ourtesy of Edw

ard House:

Office of N

avy Research

Developers and Developers and ResearchersResearchers

• Germany – Working prototypes and service models of fuel cell submarines

• Canada – Prototype for fuel cell submarine

• United States – Prototypes and plans for both subs and surface ships

• United Kingdom – Prototypes and plans for subs and surface ships

Challenges to development

• Fuel Type (Logistics and Fuel Reforming)

• Cost and System Efficiency for Units

• Reliability and Maintainability

• Duty Cycle and Transient Response

• Fuel Cell Life and Contamination

• Fuel Cell Sensitivity to shocks and motion

Challenges – Fuel Type

• Unknown how fuel will react to shock

• Infrastructure for storing not yet established

• Method for extracting hydrogen from diesel not yet perfected

Challenges – System Costs

• Fuel is more expensive than other fuels

• Platinum catalyst- very expensive

• Hydrogen is expensive to process

• High cost of raw materials

Challenges – Contamination

• Anything other than hydrogen will foul PEMs

• Need to protect from salt water spray

• Many existing sources of hydrogen contain sulfur and other contaminants

Fuel Cell Power Plants

• Power Output: 1kW – 2MW (per unit)• Internal Size and Structure: Flexible and

modular (Can be placed throughout ship)• Fuel Type: Various (Hydrogen, Methanol,

Diesel, Synthetic, Gasoline, etc.)• Cost: High (New Technology)• Maintenance: High (Due to lack of robustness)• Types of vessels: Submarines, Destroyers,

Cutters

Power Plant Power Plant ComparisonsComparisons

Current Types of Power Plants used on ShipsCurrent Types of Power Plants used on Ships

• Fuel Cell based SystemsFuel Cell based Systems – The future of ships?• Diesel ElectricDiesel Electric – Workhorse of the world navies.• Gas TurbineGas Turbine – Successor to the Diesel Electric.• Nuclear PoweredNuclear Powered – Power overwhelming!

Fuel Cell Submarine

Germany’s HDW U214

Fuel Cell Ship

United States Navy DDX

Diesel Electric Power Plants

• Power Output: 1.5kW – 30MW• Internal Size and Structure: Large Housing

needed for battery block and motors, distributed system

• Fuel Type: Diesel• Cost: Low (Well established systems, simpler)• Maintenance: Low (Very robust system)• Types of vessels: Submarines, Destroyers,

Cruisers, Frigates, Command ships

Diesel Electric Sub

USS Blueback

Diesel Electric Ship

USS Leahy (Cruiser)

Gas Turbine Power Plants

• Power Output: 25kW – 100MW• Internal Size and Structure: Large Housing

needed for engines, centralized system• Fuel Type: Propane, natural gas, synthetics, diesel• Cost: Medium• Maintenance: Low• Types of vessels: Destroyers, Cruisers, Frigates

Gas Turbine Ship

US Oliver Perry Class Frigate

Nuclear Power Plants

• Power Output: 10MW – 300MW• Internal Size and Structure: Large Housing

needed for reactor and shielding, centralized system

• Fuel Type: Uranium enriched rods• Cost: Expensive• Maintenance: Low (Fairly robust system)• Types of vessels: Submarines, Aircraft Carriers,

Cruisers

Nuclear Powered Ship

USS Nimitz (Aircraft Carrier)

Nuclear Powered Sub

USS Ohio (SSBN)

Power Plant Comparisons

CO2 Output:

Fuel Cell 414

Diesel Electric 512

Gas Turbine 735

Based off of diesel fuel.

NOTE: Measurements are in (grams)/(hp*hour)

Data from: Office of Naval Research (2003)

Power Plant Comparisons

NOX Output:

Fuel Cell <0.001

Diesel Electric 12.9

Gas Turbine 6.0

Based off of diesel fuel.

NOTE: Measurements are in (grams)/(hp*hour)

Data from: Office of Naval Research (2003)

Power Plant Comparisons

SOX Output:

Fuel Cell 1.23

Diesel Electric 1.52

Gas Turbine 2.18

Based off of diesel fuel.

NOTE: Measurements are in (grams)/(hp*hour)

Data from: Office of Naval Research (2003)

Power Plant Comparisons

Annual Fuel Consumption/Costs:

Fuel Cell 214,315

Diesel Electric 321,703

Gas Turbine 641,465

Based off of diesel fuel.

NOTE: Measurements are in gallons/dollars

1 gallon ~ $1.00 US for Navy

Data from: Office of Naval Research (2003)

Future for Fuel Cells on Future for Fuel Cells on the High Seas?the High Seas?

I. In the United States• Surface ShipsSurface Ships

• US Navy DD(X) Destroyer Program (Land Attack)• US Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program (Detection/Interception)

• SubmarinesSubmarines• May utilize AIP fuel cell systems in future designs

II. In the World• 212A Class attack submarine (Germany, Italy)• Type 214 attack submarine (Greece, S. Korea)• Refit 209 Class attack submarine (Greece)• Type 800 Dolphin Class attack submarine (Israel)

Future for Fuel Cells on Future for Fuel Cells on the High Seas?the High Seas?

Outlook for Fuel Cells: Pretty Good!Outlook for Fuel Cells: Pretty Good!• Two fully funded programs by US Navy

• Adaptation for multiple sea platforms• Ongoing research in various countries• Sales of commercial units in Germany

• Actual vessel deployment in some countries