Possible fuel cell applications for ships and submarines

Fuel cells chemically convert fuels into direct current electrical energy and unlike heat engines, are not limited by the Carnot cycle. Although still an emerging technology, small and high reliability fuel cell plants have been built for space applications and large systems as demonstrators for commercial power generation. In these applications automatic and reliable operation of fuel cells has been demonstrated. For the operation of a fuel cell system, fuels generally have to be converted to usable hydrogen which is combined with oxygen in the fuel cell to produce water and electric power through a load. The author summarises benefits which might accrue from applying fuel cell systems to surface ships and submarines.