This file photo provided by the Navy on June 1, 2020, shows South Korea’s first submarine, the Jangbogo, built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co.
SEOUL, Feb. 23 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea has developed new technology that can greatly extend the range of submarines by enabling them to produce hydrogen fuel cells autonomously, a state-run defense research agency said Tuesday.
The Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced that the newly-developed technology can produce high-purity hydrogen directly in submarines. High-purity hydrogen can be used as a fuel in submarine fuel cells.
Submarine fuel cells, in general, have low per-weight storage efficiency and take a long time to charge. In addition, hydrogen can only be charged through separate facilities.
The newly-developed technology, however, allows submarines to produce high purity hydrogen autonomously through a fuel reforming method that uses methanol as a fuel.
Fuel reforming is a method of changing the form of a chemical structure from the component of fuel and extracting the desired material during the process.
The ADD stressed that the newly-developed technology does not require a separate hydrogen charging facility and can reduce charging time, thereby effectively increasing the range of submarines.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
