SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell
For submarines
Marine & Shipbuilding
Answers for industry.
Introduction
page 3
PEM Fuel Cell:
function and design
page 6
PEM Fuel Cell:
2
modules and power plant
page 8
Outlook
page 11
Fuel cells enable the direct generation of electric power from hydrogen and oxygen with significantly
higher efficiency, with noiseless
operation and without pollutant
emissions compared with conventional combustion engines.
3
Application potential
Decentral power plants
Freighter
Grid-independent
operation (SOFC, PEM FC)
Emergency power supply
(PEM FC)
Reformer gas/air
Submarine
H2/O2
Bus
H2/air
Air-independent
propulsion (PEM FC)
Emission-free and
noiseless operation (PEM FC)
Space shuttle
Delivery trucks
Fuel Cell power plants
Present and future
applications
Air-independent
power supply (PEM FC)
Emission-free and
noiseless operation (PEM FC)
Storage system
for regenerative energies
Passenger car
Siemens Electrolyzer
(PEM FC)
Emission-free and energy-­
efficient operation (PEM FC)
Reformer gas/air
4
Railroad
Gas tanker
Electrical propulsion
(SOFC, PEM FC)
Electrical propulsion
(SOFC, PEM FC)
Fig. 1: Possible applications for fuel cell power plants
In addition to these basic advantages, the fuel cell with
a solid, ion-conducting, polymeric membrane (polymer
electrolyte membrane – PEM) has more positive
properties:
◾◾ Quick switch-on, switch-off behavior
◾◾ Low voltage degradation and long service life
◾◾ Favorable load and temperature-cycle behavior
◾◾ Capability of overload operation
◾◾ Low operating temperature (80° Celsius)
◾◾ Absence of a liquid-corrosive electrolyte.
All of these characteristics make the SINAVY PEM
Fuel Cell an ideal power unit.
Aboard submarines they show their outstanding
­advantages over other AIP (air-independent propulsion)
systems for conventional submarines. Using oxygen and
hydrogen stored in liquid or gaseous form on board as
reactants, the only process result besides electricity and
small amounts of residual gases which are given into
the boats atmosphere is process water which could be
used for different purposes – such as weight balancing
to avoid process-related needs for trim adaptions of the
submarine.
Siemens has two types of SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell modules
for you to choose from. The FCM 34, with a rated power
of 34 kW, and the FCM 120, with a rated power of
120 kW.
Submarines of Class U 212 A (six in the German Navy
and four in the Italian Navy) are equipped with FCM 34
modules, which were developed from 1985 at the
request of the German Ministry of Defense. Submarines
of Class 214 and Class 209 PN – in the Hellenic Navy,
Republic of Korea Navy, Portuguese Navy, and Turkish
Navy – are equipped with FCM 120 modules, which were
Energy
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Water
Fig. 2
developed in a later phase. Development work on the
third-generation ­module (FCM NG) has recently started.
The rated power of FCM NG is flexible in the range
between 80 and 160 kW.
Operational submarines of Class 209 can be upgraded
with an additional fuel-cell power plant during refit, and
so acquire the benefits of air-independent propulsion
(AIP) at a much lower price than for acquiring a new
submarine.
The suitability of fuel-cell technology on board submarines has been demonstrated by earlier tests and more
recently on submarines of classes U 212 A, 214, and
­Dolphin AIP.
5
PEM Fuel Cell:
function and design
A simplified representation of the SINAVY PEM Fuel Cells'
basic function and design is shown in (Fig. 3): the
­electrochemical element at which the chemical energy
is converted into electrical energy is the membrane
­electrode unit. It consists of the polymer electrolyte,
the gas diffusion electrodes with a platinum catalyst
and carbon sheets on each side.
After the abstraction of the electrons from hydrogen –
they flow from the anode via the electrical load to
the cathode – the resulting protons migrate from the
anode to the cathode where they combine with oxygen (and the electrons) to form water.
The theoretical voltage of an H2/O2 fuel cell is 1.48 V
(referred to the upper heat value of hydrogen). At
­zero-load conditions, slightly more than one volt
per cell is available.
The cooling units or bipolar plates, in combination
with carbon diffusion layers, distribute the reactants
­uniformly across the area of the cell, conduct the
6
­ lectrons across the stack, remove the heat from the
e
electrodes, and separate the media from each other.
Figure 4 shows the two core components of a cell
with outside dimensions of 400 x 400 mm, as used
in FCM 34 modules.
Figure 5 compares the bipolar plate of the FCM 34 modules to the FCM 120 and the FCM NG. Two cells of the
FCM 120 produce about twice the power of one cell of
the FCM 34 type with nearly the same active area.
The theoretically high development potential in regard
to the membrane material is shown in Figure 6. With
improved materials, the power density can be nearly
doubled.
The voltage of a SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell with respect
to the operating time is stable, and degradation rates
are less than 2 µV/h per cell for FCM 34 module. Significantly lower values were achieved during the operation
of a FCM 120. This module went through different operational conditions (Fig. 7).
Electrical load
4e⁻
Hydrogen H2
Oxygen O2
H⁺
2H2 + 4e⁻ = 4H⁺
O2 + 4e⁻ = 20⁻
20⁻ + 4H⁺ = 2H2O
H⁺
Waste
H⁺
Anode
Cathode
Product water
H 2O + O 2
Polymer electrolyte
Fig. 3: Functional principle
Cooling unit
400 mm
Membrane
electrode unit
Cooling unit
224
220
Naf 115 200
0.6
Naf 117
0
500
1000
0
1500
216
Load Profile / 75 °C
212
208
0
500
1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500
Current I/A
Fig. 6: Potential output increases by using various electrolytes
Start–Stop Operation / 75 °C
400
0.7
0.5
232
228
Start–Stop Operation / 70 °C / 70 % VKW
0.8
236
Constant Load at
390 A / 70 °C
600
Start–Stop Operation / 75 °C
0.9
800
244
240
Load Profile / 70 °C
Naf 117
248
Start–Stop Operation / 70 °C
1.0
1000
FAT's
Naf 115
Constant Load at 560 A / 70 °C
1.1
Module Voltage [V]
Fig. 5: Comparison of cells: FCM NG Type (back),
FCM 34 Type (center), FCM 120 Type (front)
Cell Output PC/W
Cell Voltage [UC/V]
Fig. 4: Components of cell
Operational Hours [h]
Fig. 7: FCM 120 / Module Voltage at 560 A and 390 A
7
PEM Fuel Cell:
modules and power plant
PEM Fuel Cell modules
Siemens has put every effort into integrating the PEM
Fuel Cell stack, valves, piping, and sensors as well as
the corresponding module electronics control and the
ancillaries into a single container making the best use
of the limited space on board. The ancillaries comprise
the equipment for supplying H2, O2, and N2 for reactant
humidification, for product water, and waste heat and
residual gas removal. The container is filled with N2 inert
gas at 3.0 bar abs. to prevent a release of H2 and/or O2
in case of leakages. Thus, the operator can use the
PEM Fuel Cell as a working black box without having
to care about the processes inside the container.
The PEM Fuel Cell module can be operated at various
static and dynamic load currents. Currents below 650 A
for FCM 34 modules or below 560 A for FCM 120 modules can be applied in continuous operation. The output
power/current characteristics for FCM 34 modules are
shown in Figure 8.
For currents above the rated current, the loading time is
limited due to insufficient heat removal at these values.
Even loads up to double the rated current can be applied
for a short time.
At the rated operating point, the overall efficiency is
approximately 59 percent with respect to the lower heat
value of H2 (LHV). It increases in the part-load range,
8
reaching a maximum of approximately 69 percent at
a load factor of some 20 percent of the rated current
(approximately 100 A) (Fig. 9).
The properties of the FCM 34 and FCM 120 modules
are listed in the table on page 10.
PEM Fuel Cell power plant
Appropriate operating conditions for fuel-cell modules
are provided for submarine applications by a fuel-cell
system in which fuel cell modules are connected
◾◾ to the hydrogen and oxygen supply
◾◾ to disposal units for functions like
– cooling
– residual gas
– reaction water
◾◾ to auxiliary systems for functions like
– inert gas drying
– degasing for cooling fluid
– nitrogen supply
– evacuation system
◾◾ to the propulsion/ship’s system as to supply it
with demanded electrical power
Efficiency [%/h0]
Module output [kW]
180
160
140
120
70
60
50
100
40
80
30
60
FCM NG 160 kW
FCM NG 135 kW
FCM NG 80 kW
FCM 34
FCM 120
40
20
0
80
0
350
700
1050
1400
Current [A]
Fig. 8: Performance Data of FCMs –
outlook on different CM NG configurations
Operator control and visualization of the fuel-cell system
are facilitated by the integrated platform management
system or directly via the control panel of the fuel-cell
system. Figure 10 gives a simplified overview of the
AIP system.
The fuel-cell system in its entirety – the complete fuelcell power plant, especially the supply and disposal
­systems described above for AIP operation, including
spatial and functional integration on board – has been
developed by HDW (Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG).
The submarine classes U 212 A, 214, and Dolphin are
equipped with the new fuel-cell power plant by HDW
based on SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell modules by Siemens.
An AIP system with SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell modules can
be added to existing submarines.
20
FCM NG
FCM 34
FCM 120
10
0
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Current [A]
Fig. 9: Efficiency of FCM 34, 120, and NG
a
FCPP Switchboard 1
boats
mains
(main
switchboard)
FCM 34
or FCM NG
b
Converter
FCM 120
FCPP Switchboard 2
FCPP peripheral
­devices:
◾◾ oxygen
◾◾ hydrogen
◾◾ product water
◾◾ residual gases
◾◾ cooling system
◾◾ evacuation
◾◾ ...
EMCS
EMCS
boats
mains
(main
switchboard)
FCPP Switchboard
c
Fig. 10: Two types of fuel-cell power plants (FCPP)
a: f uel-cell battery with FCM 34; direct coupling of ­
FC voltage to boats mains at class U 212 A submarine
b: f uel-cell battery with FCM 120; coupling via converter at
class U 214 submarine
c: f uel-cell battery with n FCM NG, eg. n x 80 kW allows
higher system availability
Converter
boats
mains
(main
switchboard)
FCM NG
FCPP peripheral
­devices:
◾◾ oxygen
◾◾ hydrogen
◾◾ product water
◾◾ residual gases
◾◾ cooling system
◾◾ evacuation
◾◾ ...
EMCS
FCPP Switchboard
9
Number of Submarines
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Siemens FCM
Stirling
Mesma
other FCM
Type of AIP System
Fig. 11: Comparison of installed/contracted AIP Systems
Fig. 12: PEM Fuel Cell modules assembled in a test rack
Technical data
FCM 34
FCM 120
FCM NG 80
FCM NG 135
Rated power
34 kW
120 kW
80 kW
135 kW*
Voltage range
50–55 V
208–243 V
65–80 V
110–130 V
Efficiency at rated load, approx.
59 %
54 %
54 %
54 %
Efficiency at 20 % load, approx.
69 %
68 %
68 %
68 %
Operating temperature
75 °C
75 °C
75 °C
75 °C
H2 pressure
2.3 bar abs.
2.3 bar abs.
2.3 bar abs.
2.3 bar abs.
O2 pressure
2.6 bar abs.
2.6 bar abs.
2.6 bar abs.
2.6 bar abs.
H = 48 cm
H = 50 cm
W = 48 cm
W = 53 cm
L = 145 cm
L = 176 cm
650 kg
900 kg
Dimensions
Weight (without module electronics)
Similar to FCM 120
Similar to FCM 120
* The nominal load will be defined at the end of the
development in range of 130–140 kW
10
Summary and Outlook
SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell modules BZM 34 and BZM 120 are
well-established in the market. They have proven their
­performance and reliability in extensive tests, including
long-term tests on board of the Federal German Navy’s
­submarines, and have formed an integral part of an
FC-based AIP systems for modern submarines like those of
class U 212 A, 214, and Dolphin AIP for more than a decade.
There is also the possibility to repower and refit operational
submarines with an AIP system with SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell
modules. The SINAVY PEM Fuel Cell technology’s field of
application will be extended, when suitable reformers
are available to produce hydrogen from liquid fuels, for
example, methanol and diesel. Then, fuel cells may become
the sole power source for the submarines of the future.
With the ongoing R&D work on the 3rd generation
(or BZM NG) fuel cells, an improved and more flexible
­module design will be prepared to fulfill future
customer's expectations.
11
More information:
www.siemens.com/marine
Photo source: HDW, Blohm & Voss
Siemens AG
Industry Sector
Marine & Shipbuilding
P.O. Box 105609
20099 HAMBURG
GERMANY
E-mail: marine@siemens.com
Subject to change without prior notice 06/13
Order No.: E20001-A460-T197-X-7600 Dispo 16600
TH 464-130518 | WS | 06131.
GD.LD.VM.XXMS.52.3.03
Printed in Germany
© Siemens AG 2013
The information provided in this brochure contains merely
general descriptions or characteristics of performance which
in case of actual use do not always apply as described or which
may change as a result of further development of the products. An obligation to provide the respective characteristics
shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of contract.
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