German navy orders two submarines with Siemens fuel-cell technology

The Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) is equipping two new submarines of the type U 212A with the latest propulsion and control system on behalf of the German navy. This increases the number of orders received by Siemens from different navies for submarine equipment in the last 50 years to 150. Handover of the two submarines to the German navy is scheduled for 2012 and 2013. The volume of the order is around 55 million euros.

The submarines are being built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) in Kiel and by Nordseewerken GmbH in Emden. Both shipyards belong to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. The order for Siemens includes a Permasyn Motor (permanently excited synchronous propulsion motor), PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) Fuel Cells as the main part of the Air Independent Power Supply, DC- switchgears and the platform management system. The solutions and systems used are part of the Sinavy SUB product family, specially developed for submarines.

The electrical drives with the Permasyn Motor for direct-current supply are characterized by their extremely low signature, high availability, compact design and ease of operator control. A PEM fuel cell system is responsible for supplying power, thus enabling air-independent propulsion (AIP) when the submarines are submerged. The AIP system, which is being supplied by HDW, will incorporate Siemens fuel-cell modules as well as control and monitoring devices. The integrated platform management system will control, monitor and coordinate all the equipment and systems. Operator control and visualization will be centralized at the engineering control console. This will relieve the operator from having to perform routine tasks, facilitate operation of the submarines, and increase their safety and reliability. The scope of supply also includes DC- switchgears specific to submarines and documentation in electronic form.

The equipment delivered by Siemens is the currently most up-to-date technology that is available for non-nuclear submarines. In the past, Siemens had already received orders from the navies of Germany, Italy, Greece, Korea and Portugal. At the moment, 17 conventional submarines with air-independent propulsion and Permasyn motors have been ordered, are being built or have already been put into service. For the German navy alone, four U 212A submarines fitted with Siemens technology are in service or about to be handed over.

Source: Fuel Cell Works