Hydrogen power
An on-board system for hydrogen production
When MS Porrima sails during the day, solar energy is produced and it is used to propel the ship and recharge the batteries. At night, the latter will supply the necessary energy to sustain life on-board and power the boat. When the boat is docked, the surplus solar energy is used to produce hydrogen, which is stored in high-pressure tanks for later use.
First, seawater is pumped, desalinated and then stored aboard. This fresh water is then purified before being electrolyzed by using the surplus photovoltaic energy available.
The electrolyzers produce hydrogen at pressures up to 50 bars. The hydrogen is initially purified (dried), then compressed at 350 bars and stored in specially designed tanks. In this way, nearly 200 kg of hydrogen can be stored aboard, providing six to seven extra days of energy.
The hydrogen is then converted back into electricity via two 30kW fuel cells. These fuel cells maintain the level of charge in the batteries. Alternatively, they can be used to run the electric engines if needed.
