Enabling the full integration of very high power fuel cells in ship design using co-generation and combined cycle solutions for increased efficiency with multiple fuels (ZEWT Partnership)
The use of fuel cells (FC) for waterborne applications is becoming increasingly relevant as stack power increases and the problem of the storage of un-regulated alternative fuels is solved. Demonstrating and upscaling this technology will lead to initial and earlier applications in IWT and short sea shipping vessels, as well as to complementary power generation on-board ships with high power demand, whilst also setting foundations towards deployment within even larger scale long distance applications.
Whilst previous projects have addressed applicability of mainly smaller fuel cell systems on-board, the full integration of very high power fuel cells on-board large ships represents a major challenge.
The total efficiency of high temperature FCs, using a variety of fuels, can be substantially increased through their use within a combined cycle, recovering secondary heat or using them in combination with secondary combustion systems. Whilst such installations are operating on land with substantial improvements in energy efficiency compared to an internal combustion engine, a fully integrated dual cycle multi-MW FC system has yet to be achieved on-board a ship. Regardless of the fuel used efficiency improvements would be expected to substantially contribute to climate neutrality as well as moving towards high power 100% hydrogen operations.
The aim is to prove the use of high-temperature FCs in a co-generation and combined cycle mode, either on a ship powered uniquely by FCs, or on-board a large ship with high power demand together with other power and thermal energy generation and management systems. Solutions need to address comprehensively the complexity of ship integration, e.g. the balance of plant components, batteries for dynamic loads and waste heat recovery systems.
A demonstrator of a high-temperature system as a large efficient unit will be developed and installed on-board a suitable vessel, and the budget foreseen reflects this ambition. The power of the FC will aim to exceed significantly 3 MW. The system may be run with conventional fossil fuels, with the use of an internal reformer. In this case the system needs to show a significant efficiency gain in terms of reduced GHG emissions compared to the conventional use of the fuel. Overall, the superiority of a FC solution over conventional ICEs should be demonstrated in a comparable arrangement. This may include an IWT application with less power to show the early marketability of the concept and its applicability on a large scale.
Initial target applications are those where the existing regulatory framework facilitates the introduction of a prototype which may depend on the sector of application, the ship type or the fuel used. The project should address the propulsion architecture and/or the electric system, but it shall not address the development of new FCs per se.
This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT).