News

US Navy's Afloat Lab Features Sediment Fuel Cell

August 08, 2002 by Jeff Shepard

The Office of Naval Research of the US Navy announced that its "Afloat Lab" will be visiting US ports to showcase its technology to the public, including a sea sediment fuel cell that relies on the combination of organic sediment fuel (remains) of decaying marine plants and sea creatures, and the dissolved oxygen from sea water to generate power and operate like a conventional fuel cell to power naval instruments that currently rely on batteries.

The Afloat Lab is a test platform for new technologies intended for shipboard use. Formerly classified as a Yard Patrol craft and used to train midshipmen, the Afloat Lab has the same machinery, electronics and navigation systems as the Navy's large fleet ships, which makes it an ideal test platform.

The Afloat Lab will visit Annapolis, MD, September 6-8, 2002, and Norfolk, VA, October 13-20, 2002.