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Scientists have developed a model riverboat powered by hydrogen and solar energy as part of Bulgaria's first interdisciplinary projects involving industry, local authorities and businesses.
HydRUforce is a demonstration vessel with hybrid propulsion based on zero-carbon solar fuel cell batteries. With the realisation of this project, Bulgarian scientists are joining their research efforts on the use of low-carbon energy in intra-European waterborne transport.
Design
A float with a solar roof has been used in the vessel. All control and propulsion systems and their structural integration have been designed and built under the EPLUS National Science Programme.
A major innovation is the combination of photovoltaic energy and a hydrogen fuel cell to power the vessel. This vessel can carry a maximum of 12 people including the crew, at a speed of 5-7 km per hour upstream and 12-14 km per hour downstream.
It is rectangular in shape, 10.5 metres long, 4.5 metres wide, 2.5 metres high and weighs 3.5 tonnes. It is propelled by two electric motors with a maximum power of 10 kW and a nominal voltage of 48 V.
Each motor is connected to a battery of 400 Ah batteries with a voltage of 48 V. In addition, two hydrogen fuel cells with a nominal power of 3 kW are connected to increase the level of buoyancy.
\NThe hydrogen for the fuel cells is supplied by special 10 litre cylinders while solar panels with a total power of 7kW have been installed on the roof. HydRUforce's capabilities were tested on a test sail on the Danube near the town of Silistra. In 2022 scientists will continue to work testing and evaluating the operation of the vessel and its energy and economic performance.
Research programme
This project was implemented within the National Research Programme on Low Carbon Energy for Transport and Domestic Use (EPLUS), by a research team from the University of Ruse and scientists from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the Sofia University of Technology.
EPLUS is funded by the Ministry of Education and Science.
EPLUS is funded by the Ministry of Education and Science. Under this programme, Bulgarian scientists are working on projects on energy storage from renewable energy sources, efficient methods for the capture and use of CO2 and the potential use of carbon in transport.
Teams are developing the systems for a model trolleybus with a hybrid battery-cell fuel cell, which will be integrated into Sofia's public transport network and will be the first of its kind in the world.
Among the projects is a technology to eliminate the main pollutants from wastewater, for the semi-industrial production of microalgae. Also among his achievements is a positive electrode for a lithium-ion battery with a new structure and made of zeolite to capture CO2, derived from waste powdered fuel ash.
Source: Proto Thema
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