Hydrogen Filling Station for Ships

Alternative Fueling Site Used for Zemships Passenger Vessel Project

Aug 29, 2008

A group of businesses in Germany are leading a European Union effort to develop a viable commercial passenger ship that runs on hydrogen.

The first hydrogen fueling station intended for use by commercial passenger vessels opened on 29 August 2008 in Hamburg, Germany. Linde Group designed and built the new facility to provide liquefied hydrogen gas for passenger vessel service on Alster Lake and Elbe River. This project is related to a European Union sponsored effort to design and operate a zero emissions passenger ship that can carry 100 people.

The chief benefit of hydrogen fuel is its lack of harmful emissions. Commercial ship emissions of sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and particulates are a major concern in crowded seaports. Electrical energy produced through hydrogen fuel cell could reach 70% efficiency. An added benefit is that by using a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity, it will allow use of low noise electrical propulsion by vessels.

Hydrogen Filling Stations for Passenger Vessels

Liquid hydrogen fuel with a temperature of -253° C (-423° F) will be stored at the filling station. Gas will be delivered to ships after the liquid hydrogen is evaporated and compressed to 450 bar (6,500 pounds per square inch). Hydrogen filling stations installed by the Linde Group for automotive and truck use accounted for 120,000 hydrogen fill-ups in 2007.

In a Linde Group press release announcing the grand opening, Executive Board Member Dr. Aldo Belloni says, "As a pioneer in hydrogen technology, we want to make environmentally-friendly, hydrogen-based locomotion a reality in all areas. With this globally unique filling station, we are showing that hydrogen is well-suited as an emissions-free fuel for passenger ships."

Zemships - Zero Emissions Ships Project

Working through the Hamburg Office of Urban Planning and Environmental Affairs, the firms of Germanische Lloyd AG, Proton Motor, Hamburger Hochbahn AG, The Linde Group, Alster-Touristik GmbH, Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg, hySolutions GmbH and The UJV Nuclear Research Institute are pursuing the design and construction of zero emissions ships (Zemships) in a project sponsored by the European Union.

A ship deployed fuel cell system is being tested aboard an excursion ship operating on Alster Lake and the Elbe River, out of the Port of Hamburg, starting in the summer of 2008 and lasting for two years. The effort will provide system data for the real world operations. Researchers believe they can achieve efficiency levels of 50% with hydrogen fuel cell use, exceeding those found in conventional diesel-electric propulsion systems.

A prototype passenger ship is under construction. Hydrogen fuel will be stored onboard at 350 bar and will be used drive two 50 kilowatt fuel cells. No auxiliary power plant is being installed on the craft. Vessel length is 25.5 meters and can carry 100 passengers. The ship will have a retractable roof to allow passage under bridges. The ship will provide all the amenities found on a typical passenger vessel.

The copyright of the article Hydrogen Filling Station for Ships in Green/Clean Boating is owned by Alan Sorum. Permission to republish Hydrogen Filling Station for Ships in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.