Ship Electric Engineering & Technology Institute (TSNII SET), a branch of Krylov State Research Center, has presented a hydrogen fuel cell battery with electrical power of 5kW, IAA PortNews journalist reports. The innovative technology allows for reduction of hazardous emissions (10 times) and shipping costs due to high characteristics of fuel cells (hazardous emissions - 0%, efficiency coefficient 50-60%, quietness, durability).
“Most of domestic vessels have long been failing to meet the environmental requirements set at many foreign ports. This is so much the case, that some vessels are not allowed to call the world’s leading ports,” says Igor Landgraf, Deputy Director of TSNII SET hydrogen energy department (HED) – HED Chief Designer.
Water is the only byproduct of such energy units, hence the zero impact on the environment, explained TSNII SET representative.
“Conventional fuel can be used when crossing the ocean and vessels can be switched to the environmentally friendly energy (hydrogen fuel) when approaching the ports’ water area. Fuel conversion technology hardly requires any special equipment,” explained Igor Landgraf. According to him, R&D already completed by Baltsudoproekt CDB (Krylov Center) is intended for creation of a fuel cell power plant. This R&D will be applied at the hydrographic research ship of Project 23340. The fuel cell power plant and the ship are under parallel development.
“Pilot projects based on the use of hydrogen fuel have already been launched in Norway and Finland, such vessels are already afloat. The projects of this kind are usually funded by the state as they are associated with venture investments”, told Mikhail Kasatkin, Head of Chief Designer Department at Krylov Center.
The Krylov State Research Centre is one of the world’s major ship research & design centres established in 1894. Over its century-long efforts in the field of innovative R&Ds for the benefit of national shipbuilding, in the best interests of the country’s defence and economic development, the Krylov Centre has accumulated the wealth of unique expertise in development of naval ships, commercial vessels and offshore structures. The Krylov Centre responsibilities cover the full scope of ship qualities including seaworthiness, strength, powering, acoustics, electromagnetic signatures, nuclear & radiation safety, definition of ship concepts meeting the combination of the above requirements.