Innovative fuel cell device for cleaner, greener recreational sailing
The need for auxiliary power in recreational ship applications is widespread. An auxiliary power unit (APU) that works independent of the engine based on fuel cell technology is an attractive solution. Such APUs already available on ships require no infrastructure modification or fuel storage. Propane or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) is already available on many vessels for cooking, refrigeration and heating. The fuel cell provides an efficient and environmentally friendly means for the power supply by boosting efficiency while minimising noise, vibration and pollution. The EU-funded PURE (Development of auxiliary power unit for recreational yachts) project developed a portable APU fuel cell system for use on board recreational yachts. The system runs under nominal conditions of 500 Watts, and is based on LPG as the primary fuel which is converted into a hydrogen-rich stream. The hydrogen is used in a high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell to generate electrical power. It meets all major technical conditions, codes and standards required for integration in maritime applications. To determine robustness and prepare the system for the next phase of field trials, the PURE team designed and built two working prototypes. The prototypes feature membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) in the fuel cell stack that contain new binderless electrodes and an autothermal reforming catalyst which has an improved sulphur tolerance. Project partners tested the prototypes both in the laboratory and on a yacht. They operated up to almost 800 hours with multiple start/stops and different power levels. No degradation was observed during testing. The stack, MEAs and hydrogen production catalysts performed very well. The system is expected to run 1 000 hours with 100 start/stops, thus reaching its targets. The low-noise, no-smell system achieved a 50 % reduction in size and weight compared to contemporary small-scale APU fuel cell systems. Its 25 % efficiency surpasses the typical 15 % for engines of the same power class. Thanks to PURE, the maritime industry’s interest in fuel cells has been intensified.
