Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) says its initiative to develop a pure water production system for hydrogen generation, proposed jointly by Kyushu University and Taiyo Sangyo Co has taken a step forward through selection by a Shiga Prefecture-backed project to promote social implementation of near-future technologies.
MOL believes this will help advance its Wind Hunter project, a concept for a true zero-emission ship that uses wind power for both propulsion and hydrogen generation. According to MOL, the concept works by when the wind is blowing strongly, sails capture it to propel the vessel forward. In between those gusts, turbines in the water spin and generate electricity and produce hydrogen. The hydrogen is stored in a tank in the form of MCH. When the wind is weak, the ship uses that hydrogen in a fuel cell to deliver electricity, which powers electric propellers that drive the ship forward.
As hydrogen production requires an even higher level of water purity than drinking water, during the Wind Hunter hydrogen production process, seawater is first purified by passing it through a filter to remove impurities such as organic matter (carbon content, microplastics, etc.), inorganic matter (iron, magnesium, sodium), and sludge. The problem is that filters currently in common use require frequent replacement, which increases the workload of crewmembers and imposes a significant cost burden.
In this latest development, the three parties will each contribute to development of long-lasting, durable, and high-performance filters that will be able to remove even bacteria, requiring advanced technology, to manufacture a pure water production system. MOL will be responsible for project management, market research, and provision of expertise in marine system design; Kyushu University, under Prof Takeshi Shinoda, will designing a demonstration test of the pure water production system, develop and apply the high-performance filter; and Taiyo Sangyo will development a reverse osmosis (RO) system for initial treament of sea water.
In the project, a pure water production system will be designed not only for seawater but also for fresh water through a demonstration test in Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. MOL will assess the effects of differences in water quality and establish a versatile pure water production technology by comparing seawater with fresh water from Lake Biwa, the largest lake in Japan. It will not only create pure water production technology for the Wind Hunter project, but can apply the developed technology to supply pure water to hydrogen production plant and other applications.
