(Geesthacht, Germany) – The Hitzler shipyard in Lauenburg is currently building the research vessel "Coriolis." The platform will cover an "interdisciplinary spectrum of coastal, materials, hydrogen, and membrane research." The Helmholtz Centre Hereon and its Institute for Hydrogen Technology intend to use the ship for research along the coasts of the North and Baltic Seas. The Ems, Weser, and Elbe rivers will also be included in the research.
Funding for on-board power technology
The Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport (BMDV) is now supporting the procurement, testing and transfer of a hydrogen system laboratory as part of its “BordstromTech II” funding guideline. The funding decision for 560.000 euros (project volume 1,4 million euros) was sent in January.
As a single-guard ship with a maximum of three crew members and twelve scientists, the Coriolis will always be in port overnight. “This creates a variety of opportunities to present the new and innovative generation of on-board power to potential users and increase acceptance,” explains Hereon. The results of the operation with an estimated 225 days of use per year will be used to optimize the systems and simplify the retrofitting of sea and inland vessels.
The focus of the now funded project is the 100 kilowatt fuel cell, the bunker station, the metal hydride tank for 30 kilograms of hydrogen as well as the control and regulation of the hydrogen storage system.
MH Tank was developed by Hereon
The metal hydride tank for hydrogen storage was developed by Hereon and researched in its Hydrogen Technology Institute. “Such storage systems have been studied since the 70s and are now used on a large scale, for example in submarines of the U212 and U214 classes to supply their PEM fuel cells,” says the Hereon website.
The advantage is that with them “a higher volumetric storage density can be achieved than with 700 bar high-pressure tanks at a loading pressure of less than 100 bar”: over 50 grams of hydrogen per liter (H2/l) tank volume at system level compared to around 35 grams of H2/l – “and a similar amount to liquid hydrogen (around 60 g H2/l), but at ambient temperature instead of minus 253 degrees Celsius. In addition, “the chemical bonding of the hydrogen makes it impossible for the entire amount of hydrogen in the tank (except for a residual amount) to be suddenly released if the closure valve is torn off or the pressure vessel of the MH tank bursts,” say the scientists.
Research also with diesel generator
The hydrogen on-board power system will supply the Coriolis both during its daily lay times in the ports of the North and Baltic Seas as well as during the measurement campaigns. A 45 kilowatt diesel generator will also be combined with a membrane module for research purposes. This would allow its harmful NOx emissions to be virtually eliminated. Fuel cells, batteries and generators could be combined with each other.
The total cost of the ship is 18 million euros, which will be borne by the federal government. The baptism is scheduled to take place later this year.
Class schedule
The “Coriolis” is scheduled to be completed this year. © Hereon / Hitzler shipyard
