General Atomics Demos Underwater Vehicle Power System

General Atomics’ electromagnetic systems business has demonstrated an aluminum power system designed to support at-sea “refueling stations” for underwater remotely operated vehicles.

ALPS delivered hydrogen and oxygen to a Teledyne Energy Systems-built fuel cell that provided electrical power to propel an ROV during the demonstration at a test tank facility operated by GA-EMS in San Diego, General Atomics said Friday.

“This demonstration marks a major milestone for us, illustrating for the first time that ALPS can be successfully integrated to supply hydrogen and oxygen to fuel cells to generate electrical power and drive an underwater vehicle,” said Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS.

Forney added ALPS offers high energy density that could give up to 10 times the energy output of similar battery volume.

The company designed the system to power both manned and unmanned undersea vehicles.

“Results and data gathered during the demonstration will allow us to continue testing and advance ALPS to meet future undersea platform energy requirements,” said Rolf Ziesing, vice president of programs at GA-EMS.