This photo provided by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology shows newly-developed seawater battery-based hydrogen production device.
BUSAN, June 11 (Korea Bizwire) — A new device has been developed that can produce hydrogen using seawater batteries. The device is expected to contribute to the development of a hydrogen-fueled ship.
The state-run Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology announced on Thursday that it had developed a seawater battery-based hydrogen production device by providing technological support to a domestic company.
To produce hydrogen, it must be separated from various chemical compounds. Electricity is needed during this process. Instead of using land-based electricity, the institute cleared the way for the use of seawater batteries.
Seawater batteries are devices that produce electricity by selectively penetrating sodium ions contained in the seawater. This technology enables a ship to produce hydrogen using seawater on a continuous basis.
Through the project, the institute succeeded in developing an ionic hydrogen gas compressor with a capacity of compressing hydrogen gas up to 1,000 bars, for the first time in the country.
Since hydrogen is light, it needs to go through the compression process to become an energy source.
“By compressing hydrogen into an ionic liquid, the newly-developed compressor can reduce the bulk by more than 75 percent compared to existing piston compressors,” said Baek Seung-jae, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
