AiP granted for liquid hydrogen PEMFC

The concept uses the power generated through liquid hydrogen and a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) as a ship’s propulsion energy source. SHI says the low temperature technology is compact and suited to propulsion because it can start quickly and has good durability even with repeated start/stop operation.

Samsung Heavy Industries acquired system development and classification certification through joint research with domestic hydrogen-related companies. Bumhan Fuel Cell and Jungwoo ENE participated in the development of the hydrogen fuel cell and liquid hydrogen storage tank for ships, respectively, and S&Sys developed the hybrid power management system that controls the hydrogen fuel cell and battery. Also involved was Pusan National University’s Hydrogen Ship Technology Center.

SHI claims to be the first in the shipbuilding industry to develop fuel cell technology for ships, and the yard has been accumulating other core technologies. In 2021, SHI and US-based Bloom Energy received basic design approval from DNV for their SOFC-powered LNG carrier. This followed AiP for fuel cell-powered Aframax crude oil tankers from DNV in September 2019.

Kim Jin-mo, head of Samsung Heavy Industries’ Global New Business Team, said, “Samsung Heavy Industries is taking the lead in opening up the possibility of hydrogen power generation systems for ships using various fuel cells such as SOFC and PEMFC.”