Aluminum-hydrogen peroxide power system for an unmanned underwater vehicle

Alupower Canada Limited and the Department of National Defence with CRAD funding and DGMEM engineering support are designing and constructing a fuel cell power system (FCPS) to power small unmanned vehicles (UUVs). The ARCS 1, a DND/DREP owned experimental unmanned submersible, has been chosen as the trial vessel. The FCPS will provide sufficient energy to allow the UUV to operate submerged, continuously for 30 hours which is approximately 4 to 6 times the endurance of its existing nickel cadmium system. Unmanned underwater vehicles are attaining increasing importance as “force extenders” for more conventional manned maritime vehicles in times of budgetary constraint. Despite rapid advances in many UUV systems such as navigation and sensor technology, UUVs are now limited by the availability of an advanced power source capable of attaining the desired mission. A steady state power output of 1.7 kW is achieved within a volume of 375 litres and system mass of 315 kg