Zebra batteries to power submarine rescue vehicle

The Rolls-Royce ?zebra? battery has won its first order to power the submarine rescue vehicle (SRV) which forms a vital part of he NATO Submarine Rescue System. Eight ?zebra? batteries each with the energy of 17kWh will propel and power the SRV which will be able to raise up to 150 trapped crew to safety.

Last month, Rolls-Royce announced it had won a £47 million contract to supply the NATO SRS for the MoD, acting as host nation on behalf of the UK, France and Norway. Now the ministry has confirmed ?zebra? as the power for the propulsion motors and also the internal systems such as lighting and display. The sodium/nickel chloride batteries have almost twice the energy density, in a reduced volume, than the original lead/acid alternatives, giving the rescue team a better chance to save lives. This additional energy enables the rescue craft?s top speed to increase by over 20% and operated in much stronger currents. In addition, the endurance of the rescue craft is almost doubled allowing the operator to carry out more rescue dives without recharging.

The batteries are also 40% lighter giving designers more flexibility with the rescue craft size and shape, making it much more stable when in use. The batteries are supplied by the Swiss firm MES-DEA and last year RR signed a 10-year agreement to transfer the technology for marine applications. RR is now exploring the applications and developing the technology for use on submarines, naval and commercial ships, including cruise liners, for sophisticated on-board electrical power distribution.

The NATO SRS will be based at HM Naval base Clyde, and will go into service from 2006.