Pageloader -->

Sea-Kit Wins Grant to Create World's First H2-Powered Unmanned Vessel

20 Sept 2021

Sea-Kit Wins Grant to Create World's First H2-Powered Unmanned Vessel

 

 

UK-based unmanned vessel startup Sea-Kit has won a government grant to install and test an innovative printed circuit board-based hydrogen fuel cell on its prototype USV Maxlimer, allowing the vessel to operate with zero onboard emissions. It will be the first hydrogen fuel cell system on a commercial USV, the company said.

Sea-Kit secured the grant through the UK government's Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). With funding from the Department for Transport (DfT) and support from InnovateUK, Sea-Kit will showcase a diesel-electric to hydrogen-electric conversion of Sea-Kit's USV design.

“Sea-Kit USVs have a dual diesel-electric hybrid drive, with propulsion coming from an electric motor powered by battery banks that are charged by in-situ diesel generators,” said Ben Simpson, Sea-Kit's CEO. “This project will replace one of the diesel generators with new hydrogen fuel cell technology . . . and demonstrate an offshore operation with zero carbon emissions.”

The propulsion plant will be provided by West Sussex-based Bramble Energy, which builds printed circuit board fuel cells (PCBFCs). This technology has been under research since at least the early 2000s, but it is not as common as the everyday proton exchange membrane (PEM) and solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) designs seen in commercial applications today. According to Bramble, the PCBFC leverages a mature and ubiquitous manufacturing process - printed circuit boards - to lay out all of the main components of the cell in each plate in the stack, eliminating some of the complexity and size of traditional PEM fuel cells. The firm says that its PCB plates will also be better-suited to a marine environment than standard metallic or graphite end plates.

The application of a hydrogen fuel source in a USV is believed to be a world first. Data gathered from bench testing and sea trials will be used for the design and construction of similar USVs, as well as for larger unscrewed vessel projects, Sea-Kit said.

PUBLISHED SEP 18, 2021 2:36 AM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

 

Comments (0)


Today
8:03am
Hi Jenna! I made a new design, and i wanted to show it to you.
8:03am
It's quite clean and it's inspired from Bulkit.
8:12am
Oh really??! I want to see that.
8:13am
FYI it was done in less than a day.
8:17am
Great to hear it. Just send me the PSD files so i can have a look at it.
8:18am
And if you have a prototype, you can also send me the link to it.

Monday
4:55pm
Hey Jenna, what's up?
4:56pm
Iam coming to LA tomorrow. Interested in having lunch?
5:21pm
Hey mate, it's been a while. Sure I would love to.
5:27pm
Ok. Let's say i pick you up at 12:30 at work, works?
5:43pm
Yup, that works great.
5:44pm
And yeah, don't forget to bring some of my favourite cheese cake.
5:27pm
No worries

Today
2:01pm
Hello Jenna, did you read my proposal?
2:01pm
Didn't hear from you since i sent it.
2:02pm
Hello Milly, Iam really sorry, Iam so busy recently, but i had the time to read it.
2:04pm
And what did you think about it?
2:05pm
Actually it's quite good, there might be some small changes but overall it's great.
2:07pm
I think that i can give it to my boss at this stage.
2:09pm
Crossing fingers then

Details