The acceptance trials of the prototype auxiliary powerplant based on fuel-cell batteries and designed for power supply of Russian oil & gas production facilities were conducted at the end of September on the site of TSNII SET (business branch of Krylov Centre) where it was developed. The powerplant was commissioned under a state contract with the Russian Federation Ministry of Industry and Trade (Minpromtorg). The technologies elaborated under this project have led to quality alterations in the power supply concept of modern ships due to the high efficiency and environmental friendliness offered by fuel-cell solutions.
The powerplants of this type can be used as:
- sources of auxiliary power supply in ships with an option of using several auxiliary powerplants of different versions on the same ship, which can be picked from available range to suite the type and mission of the ship in question;
- part of modular electric power plants designed to supply shore sections of marine pipelines running from offshore platforms, as well as other remote oil & gas producing facilities;
- power supply solutions for stand-alone facilities and low-power distributed energy networks.
The acceptance tests were performed in keeping with the test program and procedures worked out by TSNII SET and approved by the Minpromtorg Department of Shipbuilding Industry and Marine Facilities.
The test program was completed in full scope without any equipment malfunctions or failures detected. The tests confirmed the specifications of the prototype powerplant against the design requirements. These trials were conducted by personnel from TSNII SET and St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University. The acceptance committee included Minpromtorg representatives as well as representatives of companies and organizations interested in the end product: CDB ME Rubin, Catalysis Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, CDB Baltsudoproekt (Krylov Centre), St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University, JSC NIPOM.
“The powerplant prototype developed here is the first step to practical implementation of break-through hydrogen energy technologies. The powerplant intended to supply, among other users, difficult-to-access oil&gas offshore facilities is of particular interest today, considering the RF Government’s Strategy for development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Moreover, this system could be successfully employed in other industry sectors to ensure high performance and sustainability meeting the environment protection requirements”, said V.V. Dyukov, Deputy Director General of the Krylov State Research Centre.
Krylov State Research Center was set up in 1894 as Russia’s first model testing basin in the central part of St. Petersburg. It is a scientific research organization of the national shipbuilding sector focused on conceptual and workshop designs of naval ships, merchant vessels and offshore structures as well as on their operation and disposal.