The annual motor boating race organized by the Yacht Club of Monaco will run on July 2/6th 2019. For this event, SBM Offshore’s boat will be equipped with an AIRCELL fuel cell designed by H2SYS. The boat will be powered with hydrogen and compete the endurance and speed race.
H2SYS developed the electric production and conversion chain to support the team in charge of the design of the boat. The chain is composed of a 3 kW fuel cell, of a DC/DC converter and a Modbus control.
The hydrogen honored during the Solar & Energy Boat Challenge
In 2014, the Yacht Club of Monaco launched its first edition of the Solar & Energy Boat Challenge which aim is to develop new system of propulsion – enduring and efficient – by using low carbon energies.
This year, for this 6th edition, organizers want to reach the “0 emission” objective, that’s why hydrogen will be integrated into boats.
Hydrogen is a vector of energy allowing an efficient storage of renewable energies. Applications are studied for a use in the marine navigation especially in pleasure crafts or ferries. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel to power the main propulsion and the motor of the boat. It can also be used only to power the auxiliaries.
Hydrogen can be produces in harbors or nearby the operating place using classics renewable energies resources (solar, wind, hydraulic, marine energies).
The Yacht Club of Monaco aspires to create a “green” marina during the whole event.
Harbor of Monaco
AIRCELL: Plug and play hydrogen fuel cell
For the conception of the boat, H2SYS has provided a fuel cell system to power a 5 kW motor. A preliminary study has allowed dimensioning the electric architecture of the system to determine the power of the stack (3 kW) and the supercap (53 Wh).
The objective is to reach the longest distance as possible with a limited quantity of energy. Taking into account this constraint, an air cooled system was the best solution to avoid auxiliaries.
Simplified Schema
The use of a super cap regulates the power delivered by the fuel cell to make it functioning to optimal performance points: transitional phases of power ramp-up become uniform for the motor.
