On 18 March 2015 the Krylov State Research Centre conducted official acceptance tests of a prototype BTE-50K solid polymer fuel-cell battery at the test bench of TSNII SET (Hydrogen Energy Unit) located in Primorsk (Leningrad Region), on the Education & Research site of St. Petersburg State Marine Technical University.

The BTE-50K test prototype has been developed and manufactured at TSNII SET (affiliation of Krylov State Research Centre) under state contract with the Russian Ministry of Industry & Trade as part of a R&D project of modular non-atomic air-independent powerplant based on solid polymer fuel cells. The powerplant is to be run on converted diesel oil and outfitted with oxidation waste recovery system designed for new-generation marine platforms of XXI century.

BTE-50K type batteries running on hydrogen and oxygen (air) are core technologies of air-independent megawatt-range powerplants being an innovative domestic hydrogen economy product featuring a number of world’s top-notch technologies and solutions.

The official acceptance trials have been done in accordance with the test program and procedures worked out by TSNII SET. The prototype BTE-50K was checked at various operating modes including ship motions effects.

The trials have been successful with the test program completed in full scope and no malfunctions or failures reported. The trials were witnessed by the senior executives of the Krylov State Research Centre and representatives of Ministry of Industry & Trade, also invited were representatives of concerned organizations and companies: OSK, CDB ME Rubin, Admiralty Shipyards, CDB Lazurit, St. Petersburg SMTU, NIPOM, and National Hydrogen Energy Association.