According to its own statements, the project is based on a collaboration between HSU/UniBw Hamburg and the Helmholtz Center Hereon.
Hydrogen is expected to decarbonize onboard power supplies
The goal of the project is to switch the onboard power supply of passenger ships to renewable energy sources. This is intended to reduce emissions such asCO2 and soot particles.
As part of the project, the partners plan to use hydrogen: Electrical energy generated by a fuel cell will be used, among other things, to power the vehicle's electrical system.
Project Relies on Metal Hydride Storage for Hydrogen Storage
A key issue in the project is the storage of hydrogen on board. The researchers plan to use metal hydride storage: In a metal lattice, hydrogen atoms can be densely stored in the interstitial sites and released again as needed. The material is similar to a sponge that absorbs and releases liquid.
Conventional storage methods would require either pressures of up to 700 bar or temperatures of -253 degrees Celsius. Metal hydride storage systems, on the other hand, already operate at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius and pressures of less than 50 bar. This makes them particularly well-suited for integration with fuel cells and electrolyzers, which operate within comparable temperature and pressure ranges.
Secure and Compact Storage
In maritime applications, metal hydride storage systems are also expected to enable the compact and safe storage of large quantities of hydrogen.
Furthermore, their increased weight—which is considered a disadvantage in other applications—would contribute to stability on ships. This would require that the storage units be installed in a suitable location within the hull.
Digital Twin Supports Storage Development
Using a digital twin, the researchers now plan to investigate how different material combinations, tank configurations, and operating conditions affect the storage system. These simulations should make it possible to make predictions without having to build and test every possible configuration.
Jun.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Julian Jepsen, an assistant professor at HSU/UniBw Hamburg, looked to the future: “If, over the course of the project, we can develop and operate a demonstrator that highlights the advantages of metal hydride storage under realistic conditions, that would be an important step toward the use of this technology on board passenger ships.”
In addition to development, the focus is also on integrating the metal hydride storage system into the existing onboard energy system. In the long term, the researchers aim to develop a blueprint for future generations of ships that can also be adapted for other maritime applications.
