While there is extensive research ongoing exploring hydrogen
as a potential fuel source, one area that received less attention is the
transportation of hydrogen. A few designs have been presented and Japan's
Kawasaki Heavy Industries launched the world's first liquefied hydrogen carrier
at the Kobe Works yard as a demonstration vehicle.
As the next step in the development of hydrogen carriers,
Hyundai Heavy Industries Group’s Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering
(KSOE) and Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) announced that they have received an
Approval in Principle (AiP) for the first large liquefied hydrogen carrier from
the Liberian Registry as the flag state and Korean Register as the class
society.
The design is for a 20,000 cubic meters liquefied hydrogen
carrier and incorporates several design advancements to make possible a vessel
of this size. KSOE developed a liquefied hydrogen cargo treatment system and a
hydrogen boil off gas (BOG) treatment system using fuel cells. HMD advanced the
basic design of the ship while Hyundai Glovis and G-Marine Service analyzed the
economics and safety of liquefied hydrogen during storage and transportation.
This ship design uses a double-structured vacuum insulated
tank to improve insulation and minimize hydrogen BOG generated during
operation. Also, by adopting an electric propulsion system, hydrogen BOG can be
used as fuel for fuel cells in the future.
To transport a large amount of hydrogen by ship, a liquefaction
process that reduces the volume to 1/800 and increases stability is essential,
according to Hyundai Since hydrogen liquefies at a cryogenic temperature of
-253°C, which is lower than LNG that liquefies at -163°C, a liquefied hydrogen
carrier needs advanced cryogenic technology to stably preserve it.
According to the companies, the AiP was a key step in
perusing the commercialization of the design for a large vessel.