Abstract: Fuel cells are electrochemical devices that produce electric current while oxidation of a fuel takes place. A classical fuel cell uses molecular hydrogen as the fuel and atmospheric air as the oxidant, and water vapour is the output. Since the efficiency of a fuel cell is not limited by the second law of thermodynamics and does not produce carbon dioxide, fuel cells are the candidate power systems of the future.
The history of fuel cells dates to mid-19th century. Interest has been revived in early 1960’s as power sources for spacecraft. Several types of fuel cells have been developed in the recent decades, and applications to other areas have been made. The main problems for fuel cells are centered around the technical problems related to the storage of molecular hydrogen. However, hydrogen can also be in-situ obtained from a conventional hydrocarbon fuel by a reforming process.
Main marine applications of fuel cells for today have been for the air-independent propulsion of submarines and urban waterway transportation. However, the advantages offered by them has induced researchers to study fuel cells as power sources for ship propulsion and auxiliary services, which is the main topic of this presentation. Advantages to be obtained by the use of fuel cells from a ship designers and operators point of view are outlined, and as a candidate case, the concept for the power plant of a hypothetical frigate is explained.

Brief Biography of the Speaker:
Deniz Unsalan was born in Izmir, Turkey in 1953. He was educated in Ankara and Istanbul, receiving his undergraduate education from the Turkish Naval Academy in 1973. He served in the Turkish Navy ships before and after his postgraduate education. He received “Master of Science” and “Mechanical Engineer” degrees from the Naval Postrgraduate School at Monterey, California in 1980. He was a British Council Scholar at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K. between 1982-1984. He received his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Naval Architecture in 1993 from the Istanbul Technical University.
He was a lecturer in Marine Engineering at the Turkish Naval Academy between 1987 and 1994, Assistant Professor at Istanbul Technical University Maritime Faculty between 1994 and 1996, Associate Professor at Near East University between 1996-2003, at Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology between 2003-2009. He became a full Professor in 2006. Currently he is a Professor of Marine Engineering at the Piri Reis University in Istanbul, Turkey.