Fuel Cell Power System Conceptual Design for Unmanned Underwater Vehicle

Abstract

Improving the subsea endurance and the power system efficiency of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) has become more important in recent years as their growing demands in different applications. Integrated electric power systems are commonly applied in UUVs with different types of batteries as power sources. Utilizing fuel cells hybridized with batteries is one of the most efficient ways to increase the UUV's range and overall system efficiency. In this paper, a conceptual design is presented for fuel cell/battery hybrid UUV. To elaborate on the design process, the UUV fuel cell stacks, the commercial fuel cell UUVs, the technologies of the fuel and oxidant storage, and the electrical energy storage subsystems are reviewed. Also, analytical investigations have been presented on the degree of hybridization (DOH) between fuel cells and batteries. The fuel cell/battery hybrid system for UUV is designed and the technologies of its main components are proposed as the final step of the conceptual design process.

Keywords

• unmanned underwater vehicles
• hybrid
• fuel cell
• battery