Current Development Status of Hydrogen-powered Ships
From:
Zhonglin International Group Date:06-26 373 Belong to:Industry Related
Introduction
The annual carbon emissions of the shipbuilding industry are over 1.12 billion tons, accounting for approximately 4% of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions5%, and still in a continuous increasing trend. Reducing carbon emissions is a fundamental requirement for social development. In recent years, the country and industry institutions have introduced multiple policies to reduce carbon emissions in the shipbuilding industry, so green ships are the main direction for future ship development.
1. Development forms of hydrogen-powered ships
Fuel cells, as a clean, efficient, and emission free energy conversion equipment, are highly valued in the development of green ships. The Three Gorges has decided to introduce a catamaran transport ship mainly powered by 500kW rated output Hydrogen fuel battery and supplemented by Lithium iron phosphate battery, which is mainly used for transportation, inspection and emergency work in the Three Gorges reservoir area and between the two dams. Weishi Energy signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the New Energy Ship Power Technology Research Institute of Dalian Maritime University to jointly carry out cooperation in technical research, standard formulation, inspection and testing, product finalization, market promotion and other aspects of Hydrogen fuel cell powered ships.
The first domestic company to focus on hydrogen powered boat power systems&flash; ExplorMar also announced in October that it had obtained seed round financing from a US dollar fund led by Xianfeng Changqing, and was the first to launch a domestic commercial yacht project. The first 60 foot yacht equipped with a self-developed hydrogen power system will be launched on the market early next year.
For many years, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Japan and other countries have continuously developed fuel cells as a type of ship technology reserve. As shown in Table 1, as early as the 1980s, the Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell was valued by the German Navy because of its low infrared, low operating noise, no air supply (AIP), long operating mileage and other advantages, and was first used in 212 submarines. The fuel cell system was provided by Siemens and equipped with two sets of 120kW fuel cell modules. The United States has also constructed a fuel reforming system combining MCFC (molten carbonate fuel cell) and PEMFC (Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell) in the SSFC project. The rated power of the system is 625kW, which is used in warships.
The United States has launched the world's first fuel cell marine ferry with a system power of 100kW, capable of carrying 84 passengers, loaded with 242kg of hydrogen gas, and able to operate continuously for two days. The European Union has invested approximately 8 million euros in FELICITAS to build an efficient SOFC system with energy utilization efficiency exceeding 60% (comprehensive thermal efficiency exceeding 60%), which is used as an auxiliary power for large cruise ships. In recent years, five Japanese enterprises, including Nippon Yusen, Kawasaki Heavy Industry and Japan Classification Society, will cooperate to develop Japan's first fuel cell commercial ship project. The project is expected to build a 150 ton high-power fuel cell vessel that can accommodate approximately 1000 passengers, and is scheduled to begin demonstration operation in 2024.
Due to its low power density, methanol fuel cells have not been demonstrated in any other projects except for those used once in Japan. Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a fuel cell technology that has developed rapidly after the successful research and development of solid electrolyte membrane. Because of its outstanding advantages such as good dynamic response capability, low temperature operation characteristics and high power density, it has not only received high attention in the field of vehicle fuel cells, but also been widely used in the field of marine fuel cells. However, the optimal output power range of Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell is generally below 300kW. When the output power is further increased, such as for ocean going ships, solid oxide fuel cells and molten carbonate fuel cells are better choices. They have higher operating temperatures, generally 600-700 ℃, so they can provide high-quality heat, which can not only meet the hot water needs of passengers during long-distance navigation, It can also be combined with power equipment such as gas turbines to further improve the comprehensive utilization efficiency of fuel.
2. Application trends of hydrogen-powered ships
At present, hydrogen energy is mainly applied to ships in two types of power devices: firstly, it is applied to traditional heat engines, including direct pure hydrogen internal combustion engines and indirect internal combustion engines stored in the form of ammonia/methanol; Secondly, it is applied to new power devices&flash.
Hydrogen internal combustion engine
The use of hydrogen internal combustion engines as ship power can significantly reduce the carbon emissions of marine engines. Due to minimal changes to the hull structure, high durability, low requirements for hydrogen purity, mature manufacturing industry chain, and low production costs, it is easier to achieve industrialization.
However, due to the soft output characteristics and slow transient response of hydrogen internal combustion engines, they are not suitable as the main propulsion power of ships alone, and are more suitable as generator sets for ship power stations or hybrid propulsion systems matched with energy storage batteries.
Hydrogen cell
Hydrogen cell is a device that directly converts fuel Chemical energy into electric energy through electrochemical reaction. It is not limited by the Carnot cycle, and its efficiency can reach 50%~80% (the thermal efficiency of marine internal combustion engine is only about 40%). It has low vibration noise and only produces water, which can truly achieve zero carbon emission. Fuel cells can be divided into five categories based on the type of electrolyte, among which solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and proton membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are more suitable for use as ship power.
It can be seen that although the initial cost, operating cost and investment in supporting facilities of Hydrogen fuel cell powered ships are high, their costs will be significantly reduced with the localization and scale effect of raw materials, key parts and systems. Hydrogen fuel cell has the characteristics of zero carbon emissions, good safety performance and high energy efficiency.
3. R&D status
In China, the use of hydrogen cell systems as ship power is still in the exploratory stage. At present, many leading cell enterprises, shipbuilding enterprises, universities, and research institutions in China have invested in the research and development and manufacturing of hydrogen cell ships. The hydrogen cell yacht "Lihu" and the yacht "Xianhu 1" (provided by Lianyue), as well as the high-temperature methanol fuel cell "Jiahong 01", have been launched for navigation.
Compared to China, international organizations and countries such as the European Union, Germany, the United States, Norway, and Japan are in a leading position in the field of marine hydrogen cell propulsion technology. They have achieved demonstration and application of marine hydrogen fuel cell power propulsion devices and have entered the stage of promotion and application.
The application trend of hydrogen energy in ship power should be analyzed from three aspects: hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, and terminal application. As shown in the figure, regardless of the type of hydrogen fuel powered vessel, it needs to face the problem of hydrogen production, storage, and transportation.
At present, the high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage technology industry chain is relatively mature, but due to the low hydrogen storage density, it is only suitable for small power and short range tourist boats and ferries, so the usage scenarios are limited. Most ships have high power requirements and long voyages, requiring high-density hydrogen storage methods, such as using biomass rich hydrogen fuel for reforming hydrogen production and liquid hydrogen storage. Especially, liquid hydrogen storage is easier to achieve standardized and unified management, which is an inevitable trend for future marine hydrogen energy storage. In this regard, Lianyue Future will also layout liquid hydrogen factories in coastal cities and actively promote the application of hydrogen energy in ships.
In terms of terminal applications, proton membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and hydrogen/ammonia internal combustion engines each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and different hydrogen storage methods and power forms need to be configured for different ship types and application scenarios.
Hydrogen cells can be used not only as propulsion power for ships, but also as power sources for ships, suitable for ferries, supply ships, patrol ships, cargo ships, and sightseeing ships. Compared to other energy solutions, hydrogen cells have the advantages of high efficiency, no pollution, and low noise, which have attracted the attention of countries and major shipping companies around the world.
According to Clarkson's prediction, by 2050, the proportion of hydrogen fueled ships to alternative energy ships will reach 40%. It can be seen that the future application prospects of hydrogen-powered ships are broad. With the continuous rise in world oil prices and increasing environmental requirements, as well as the reduction in the cost of hydrogen fuel, the widespread application of hydrogen fuel cells in the shipbuilding industry is just around the corner, leading the revolution in the replacement of ship power systems.
The annual carbon emissions of the shipbuilding industry are over 1.12 billion tons, accounting for approximately 4% of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions5%, and still in a continuous increasing trend. Reducing carbon emissions is a fundamental requirement for social development. In recent years, the country and industry institutions have introduced multiple policies to reduce carbon emissions in the shipbuilding industry, so green ships are the main direction for future ship development.
1. Development forms of hydrogen-powered ships
Fuel cells, as a clean, efficient, and emission free energy conversion equipment, are highly valued in the development of green ships. The Three Gorges has decided to introduce a catamaran transport ship mainly powered by 500kW rated output Hydrogen fuel battery and supplemented by Lithium iron phosphate battery, which is mainly used for transportation, inspection and emergency work in the Three Gorges reservoir area and between the two dams. Weishi Energy signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the New Energy Ship Power Technology Research Institute of Dalian Maritime University to jointly carry out cooperation in technical research, standard formulation, inspection and testing, product finalization, market promotion and other aspects of Hydrogen fuel cell powered ships.
The first domestic company to focus on hydrogen powered boat power systems&flash; ExplorMar also announced in October that it had obtained seed round financing from a US dollar fund led by Xianfeng Changqing, and was the first to launch a domestic commercial yacht project. The first 60 foot yacht equipped with a self-developed hydrogen power system will be launched on the market early next year.
For many years, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Japan and other countries have continuously developed fuel cells as a type of ship technology reserve. As shown in Table 1, as early as the 1980s, the Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell was valued by the German Navy because of its low infrared, low operating noise, no air supply (AIP), long operating mileage and other advantages, and was first used in 212 submarines. The fuel cell system was provided by Siemens and equipped with two sets of 120kW fuel cell modules. The United States has also constructed a fuel reforming system combining MCFC (molten carbonate fuel cell) and PEMFC (Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell) in the SSFC project. The rated power of the system is 625kW, which is used in warships.
The United States has launched the world's first fuel cell marine ferry with a system power of 100kW, capable of carrying 84 passengers, loaded with 242kg of hydrogen gas, and able to operate continuously for two days. The European Union has invested approximately 8 million euros in FELICITAS to build an efficient SOFC system with energy utilization efficiency exceeding 60% (comprehensive thermal efficiency exceeding 60%), which is used as an auxiliary power for large cruise ships. In recent years, five Japanese enterprises, including Nippon Yusen, Kawasaki Heavy Industry and Japan Classification Society, will cooperate to develop Japan's first fuel cell commercial ship project. The project is expected to build a 150 ton high-power fuel cell vessel that can accommodate approximately 1000 passengers, and is scheduled to begin demonstration operation in 2024.
Due to its low power density, methanol fuel cells have not been demonstrated in any other projects except for those used once in Japan. Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is a fuel cell technology that has developed rapidly after the successful research and development of solid electrolyte membrane. Because of its outstanding advantages such as good dynamic response capability, low temperature operation characteristics and high power density, it has not only received high attention in the field of vehicle fuel cells, but also been widely used in the field of marine fuel cells. However, the optimal output power range of Proton-exchange membrane fuel cell is generally below 300kW. When the output power is further increased, such as for ocean going ships, solid oxide fuel cells and molten carbonate fuel cells are better choices. They have higher operating temperatures, generally 600-700 ℃, so they can provide high-quality heat, which can not only meet the hot water needs of passengers during long-distance navigation, It can also be combined with power equipment such as gas turbines to further improve the comprehensive utilization efficiency of fuel.
2. Application trends of hydrogen-powered ships
At present, hydrogen energy is mainly applied to ships in two types of power devices: firstly, it is applied to traditional heat engines, including direct pure hydrogen internal combustion engines and indirect internal combustion engines stored in the form of ammonia/methanol; Secondly, it is applied to new power devices&flash.
Hydrogen internal combustion engine
The use of hydrogen internal combustion engines as ship power can significantly reduce the carbon emissions of marine engines. Due to minimal changes to the hull structure, high durability, low requirements for hydrogen purity, mature manufacturing industry chain, and low production costs, it is easier to achieve industrialization.
However, due to the soft output characteristics and slow transient response of hydrogen internal combustion engines, they are not suitable as the main propulsion power of ships alone, and are more suitable as generator sets for ship power stations or hybrid propulsion systems matched with energy storage batteries.
Hydrogen cell
Hydrogen cell is a device that directly converts fuel Chemical energy into electric energy through electrochemical reaction. It is not limited by the Carnot cycle, and its efficiency can reach 50%~80% (the thermal efficiency of marine internal combustion engine is only about 40%). It has low vibration noise and only produces water, which can truly achieve zero carbon emission. Fuel cells can be divided into five categories based on the type of electrolyte, among which solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and proton membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are more suitable for use as ship power.
It can be seen that although the initial cost, operating cost and investment in supporting facilities of Hydrogen fuel cell powered ships are high, their costs will be significantly reduced with the localization and scale effect of raw materials, key parts and systems. Hydrogen fuel cell has the characteristics of zero carbon emissions, good safety performance and high energy efficiency.
3. R&D status
In China, the use of hydrogen cell systems as ship power is still in the exploratory stage. At present, many leading cell enterprises, shipbuilding enterprises, universities, and research institutions in China have invested in the research and development and manufacturing of hydrogen cell ships. The hydrogen cell yacht "Lihu" and the yacht "Xianhu 1" (provided by Lianyue), as well as the high-temperature methanol fuel cell "Jiahong 01", have been launched for navigation.
Compared to China, international organizations and countries such as the European Union, Germany, the United States, Norway, and Japan are in a leading position in the field of marine hydrogen cell propulsion technology. They have achieved demonstration and application of marine hydrogen fuel cell power propulsion devices and have entered the stage of promotion and application.
The application trend of hydrogen energy in ship power should be analyzed from three aspects: hydrogen production, hydrogen storage, and terminal application. As shown in the figure, regardless of the type of hydrogen fuel powered vessel, it needs to face the problem of hydrogen production, storage, and transportation.
At present, the high-pressure gaseous hydrogen storage technology industry chain is relatively mature, but due to the low hydrogen storage density, it is only suitable for small power and short range tourist boats and ferries, so the usage scenarios are limited. Most ships have high power requirements and long voyages, requiring high-density hydrogen storage methods, such as using biomass rich hydrogen fuel for reforming hydrogen production and liquid hydrogen storage. Especially, liquid hydrogen storage is easier to achieve standardized and unified management, which is an inevitable trend for future marine hydrogen energy storage. In this regard, Lianyue Future will also layout liquid hydrogen factories in coastal cities and actively promote the application of hydrogen energy in ships.
In terms of terminal applications, proton membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), and hydrogen/ammonia internal combustion engines each have their own advantages and disadvantages, and different hydrogen storage methods and power forms need to be configured for different ship types and application scenarios.
Hydrogen cells can be used not only as propulsion power for ships, but also as power sources for ships, suitable for ferries, supply ships, patrol ships, cargo ships, and sightseeing ships. Compared to other energy solutions, hydrogen cells have the advantages of high efficiency, no pollution, and low noise, which have attracted the attention of countries and major shipping companies around the world.
According to Clarkson's prediction, by 2050, the proportion of hydrogen fueled ships to alternative energy ships will reach 40%. It can be seen that the future application prospects of hydrogen-powered ships are broad. With the continuous rise in world oil prices and increasing environmental requirements, as well as the reduction in the cost of hydrogen fuel, the widespread application of hydrogen fuel cells in the shipbuilding industry is just around the corner, leading the revolution in the replacement of ship power systems.