Our costumer Juan Yacht Design (one of the leading designers in the world of competitive sailing, participating in America`s cup) commissioned us to study the feasibility of power with  hydrogen fuel cell system the yacht to one of its customers in Dubai.

The aim of the design was to achieve the maximum possible autonomy in a 36 meters long luxury yacht made of carbon fiber. The yacht was cruise moving at speed of 20 knots and 35 knots peaks.

Given the technical difficulty of design compared to fuel cells state of the art, Quionne started by making a state of the art of the best equipment available in the market for fuel cells and high pressure mass storage hydrogen vessels. We contacted al hydrogen global suppliers (Ballard, Hidrogenics, UTM power …) so a database of components was performed. We studied and classified 170 equipment 70 different suppliers.

Later some typologies of powertrain were computer simulated, combining fuel cells with electric traction and even eventual support of a combustion engine (the type was studied in series and parallel).

Juan Yacht design calculate for us with the theoretical (CFD) energy consumption data of the boat in different conditions of draft and speed.

With the data provided the typologies were simulated obtaining the energy response characteristics of autonomy and maximum speeds for each type.

The results were positive, the boat could be reaching autonomy of 2000 miles and peak speed of 35 knots on a boat with displacement (weight) of 30 tons.