Wärtsilä consortium to develop fuel cells for ships FUEL CELLS


F


UEL cells have presented the marine industry with the prospect of an environmentally-friendly


power source for some time and have a number of potential advantages. The advantages of fuel cells include the fact that they are modular, potentially more efficient than conventional combustion engines, and cleaner, producing lower levels of CO2


,


NOx, and SOx emissions. Recognising these potential advantages, the


European Union (EU) recently selected a consortium co-ordinated by Wärtsilä to receive a s1.0 million grant to develop the use of fuel cells that use methanol to provide electrical power to marine vessels. Although primarily aimed at the market for commercial vessels, the technology developed in the project will be equally applicable to warships. The project is entitled ‘Validation of a Renewable


Methanol Based Auxiliary Power System for Commercial Vessels (METHAPU),’ the overall cost of the programme is some s1.9 million, and the consortium consists of leading players in the field of fuel cell system integration, sustainable shipping, classification work, and environmental assessment, including, in addition to Wärtsilä:


• Lloyd’s Register. • Wallenius Marine. • The University of Genoa. • DNV.


As Lloyd’s Register noted recently, in the context of


marine applications, arguably the greatest challenges facing the industy are those associated with fuel cell compatibility and availability - although as Lloyd’s Register also noted, these difficulties are being overcome, and fuel cell installations may soon become a reality. Currently, there are no published fuel specifications


for fuel cells intended to be used in the marine environment, and there are a wide range of fuels that could, potentially, be used, including methane, propane, hydrogen gases, methanol, and even bio fuels. As Lloyd’s Register also points out, the qualities


and characteristics of these fuels may well be significantly different to those associated with traditional marine fuels, and the storage and distribution will be very different, and will, for instance, need to take into account associated safety and cleanliness requirements not normally needed with marine fuels. It will also be necessary to address the arrangements for storage of any associated waste products from filtering/cleaning the fuels and in operating the fuel cell. As Ed Fort, engineering rules co-ordinator at


Lloyd’s Register noted, the location of fuel cells and related equipment onboard needs particular attention, as the current requirements for machinery and electrical installations onboard ships are driven by fire safety considerations, which recognise categories of machinery space and the risks associated with installed equipment. Separation of spaces containing fuel cells and related equipment from other spaces will need attention. The ventilation arrangements for spaces containing


fuel cells and associated equipment will also need to be evaluated in respect of maintaining all components within their safe working temperature under all operating conditions, and may entail the


52


Wartsila has developed a solid oxide fuel cell prototype, the WFC20, shown here.


use of independent ventilation systems. There may also be a need to provide a means of purging system to enable safe maintenance procedures. The operation of fuel cells in the marine


environment and in conjunction with other shipboard systems is another important consideration and will entail type testing to marine standards or equivalent, to demonstrate that the equipment performs safely and satisfactorily under defined operating conditions when the ship is at sea. Interfacing with other systems whether they be electrical, control, or piping, requires consideration in respect of maintaining availability and correct functioning of other equipment. Maintenance regimes for fuel cells and associated


equipment need to be defined, recognising the marine environment and classification society survey requirements. Items of equipment with a defined life need to be identified, and inspection and maintenance procedures need to be established. Safe and ready access arrangements to equipment to facilitate inspection and maintenance need to be considered at an early stage. Given all of the above-mentioned issues, the main


purpose of the METHAPU project is therefore to develop and validate renewable-fuel-based technology onboard a vessel involved in international trade, but it is anticipated that the research project will also serve as a springboard for future research related to the concept of a ‘sustainable society’; specifically, new greener marine power sources and a methanol-based economy. Having already developed a 20kW high


temperature solid oxide fuel cell, the WFC20, the company plans to launch a 50kW model of the fuel cell in the next few years, with the ultimate aim of developing a commercial 250kW fuel cell. Its role in the project is therefore to study the


suitability of a methanol-based fuel cell system onboard the cargo vessel. A further important aim of the project is to lay the technical groundwork to support the introduction of the regulations necessary to allowing the use of methanol as a marine fuel.


METHAPU – what are the objectives?


The objectives of the METHAPU project include:


• •


Validate marine compatible solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology running methanol.


Innovate necessary technical justifications to support the introduction of necessary regulations allowing the use of methanol as a marine fuel.


•


Introduce a renewable and sustainable fuel onboard in support of the wider use of sustainable fuels in the marine transportation sector through research activities.


•


Assess short-term and long term environmental impacts of the application by Life Cycle Assessment methodology.


•


Facilitate future research activities on larger marine compatible SOFC units and methanol based economy.


The specific components of the technology to be


validated are methanol fuel bunkering, distribution, storage system, and a solid oxide fuel cell system that consumes methanol.


WARSHIP TECHNOLOGY MAY 2007


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