Based on a generic submarine, this paper presents conceptual designs for fuel cell-based air independent propulsion plugs that could be retrofitted to an ocean-going conventional submarine of about 3000 t displacement. The designs are based on solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells that use hydrogen and oxygen as reactants to produce a nominal 100 MWh of electrical energy. Three hydrogen storage methods are considered: metal hydrides; liquid hydrogen, or hydrogen generated from the reforming of methanol. The metal hydride method is mass limited and requires a longer plug than the other two options. The liquid hydrogen and methanol reforming methods are both volume limited and the plug displacement is much greater than the system mass. To maintain neutral buoyancy, considerable ballast has to be added to the plug, or elsewhere in the submarine. Equipped with a 600 kW fuel cell, the generic submarine's maximum speed on fuel cell alone is about 8 knots. The submarine is much harder to detect, because, at speeds below 8 knots, it does not need to snorkel. With a nominal 100 MWh of electrical energy, the submarine's maximum underwater range is increased by a factor of almost five compared with the range of a single battery charge. The maximum endurance is about 14 days. At speeds greater than the maximum possible with the fuel cell only, the range and endurance of the submarine is increased considerably when the fuel cell and battery are used together.
The use of fuel cells to enhance the underwater performance of conventional diesel electric submarines
Steigerung der Unterwasser-Fahrleistung eines Unterseebootes mit dieselelektrischem Antrieb durch den Einsatz von Brennstoffzellen
Journal of Power Sources ; 51 , 3 ; 375-389
1994
15 Seiten, 22 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
Electric Propulsion for conventional submarines
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