AU2021229217B1

AU2021229217B1 - Hydrogen transportation and storage system

Info

Publication number: AU2021229217B1
Application number: AU2021229217A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Mark Stewart Dimmock; Christopher Colin Stephen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-04-22
Filing date: 2021-09-09
Publication date: 2021-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2041-09-09

Abstract

HYDROGEN TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE SYSTEM ABSTRACT A hydrogen container (30) including: a body (31) with a first hemispherical end (32) spaced apart from a second hemispherical end (33); a cylindrical sidewall (34) connecting the first and second ends (32, 33) to form the body (31) of the hydrogen storage container (30); a cavity (35) defined by the body (31); and one or more bands (37) wrapped around the container (30) to increase an amount of allowable pressure contained within the cavity (35) of the hydrogen container (30), wherein each of the one or more bands (37) include one or more segments (38, 38', 38", 38") with ends that are connectable with one another to surround the sidewall (34) of the hydrogen container (30).

Description

HYDROGEN TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE SYSTEM

Field

[0001] This invention relates to an energy transportation and storage system, in particular a hydrogen transportation and storage system.

Background

[0002] There are many ways of generating and storing energy to supply electricity at predetermined locations. Some examples include: burning coal; converting gravitational potential energy into electricity; converting wind or running water into electricity; and converting hydrogen into electricity.

[0003] Water can be electrolysed into hydrogen. Oxygen from air and stored hydrogen can then recombined into water in a fuel cell to generate electricity without burning the hydrogen. This means no pollutants are generated. Electricity to generate hydrogen may come from various sources. However, greener or renewable sources of electricity such as solar or wind generated electricity are desirable to reduce carbon emissions.

[0004] The problem with relying solely on renewable sources of energy such as solar or wind is that they are subject to variability of environmental conditions on any given day. For example, if there is no wind or sun to generate green energy via a wind turbine or solar panel, then there will be a gap in the demand for electricity vs the supply of electricity. Large volumes of stored hydrogen could produce enough electricity to fill the energy generation gap when there is little wind and on cloudy days. Storing and transporting large quantities of hydrogen can be problematic. One problem is hydrogen embrittlement of a hydrogen storage container (called a hydrogen container), when hydrogen is stored at a pressure that is too great. Another problem is the logistics of transporting large quantities of hydrogen to store or supply electricity at predetermined locations.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least ameliorate one or more of the above disadvantages.

Summary of Invention

[0006] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides hydrogen container including: a body with a first hemispherical end spaced apart from a second hemispherical end; a cylindrical sidewall connecting the first and second ends to form the body of the hydrogen storage container; a cavity defined by the body; and one or more bands wrapped around the container to increase an amount of allowable pressure contained within the cavity of the hydrogen container, wherein each of the one or more bands include one or more segments with ends that are connectable with one another to surround the sidewall of the hydrogen container, wherein each of the one or more segments has two ends, each end having a lug to connect with a corresponding end of the one or more segments, wherein the lugs of each band are connectable to a truss structure, wherein the truss structure has one or more gaseous and/or liquid tanks that can be filled with air and/or water to adjust the buoyancy of the hydrogen container.

[0007] Described herein is a smart buoy for use in a hydrogen production facility, the buoy including: a male portion and a female portion, the male portion having a first internal space and the female portion having a second internal space, wherein each of the male portion and female portion has a mating end, the mating end of the male portion being tapered to fit and abut against the mating end of the female portion, and further wherein, the male portion has a connection point at an end opposite the mating end of the male portion and the female portion has a connection point at an end opposite the mating end of the female portion, wherein first communication equipment is stored in the first internal space and second communication equipment is stored in the second internal space, and the first communication equipment is arranged to communicate with the second communication equipment.

[0008] Described herein is a container transport vessel for transporting and/or storing one or more containers, the transport vessel comprising: a support structure for supporting the container, wherein the support structure comprises static ballast in which the container is supported; at least one buoyancy tank arranged to provide negative and positive buoyancy by emptying and filling the buoyancy tank with air and/or water; and at least one control system comprising at least one control valve, the control system arranged to control the control valve to provide the negative and positive buoyancy in the at least one buoyancy tank.

[0009] Described herein is a computer-controlled method of controlling electricity generation procedures, the method comprising the steps of one or more computing devices: remotely controlling one or more electricity generation procedures; capturing one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more electricity generation procedures; and analysing the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of one or more electricity generation procedures, wherein the electricity generation procedures comprise generating electricity by releasing mechanical energy stored in a hydrogen container below a surface of a body of water by raising the hydrogen container relative to the surface of the body of water.

[0010] Described herein is a computer-controlled system of controlling electricity generation procedures, the system comprising one or more computing devices arranged to perform the steps of: remotely control one or more electricity generation procedures; capture one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more electricity generation procedures; and analyse the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of one or more electricity generation procedures, wherein the electricity generation procedures comprise generating electricity by releasing mechanical energy stored in a hydrogen container below a surface of a body of water by raising the hydrogen container relative to the surface of the body of water.

[0011] Described herein is-a hydrogen container including: a body with a first hemispherical end spaced apart from a second hemispherical end; a cylindrical sidewall connecting the first and second ends to form the body of the hydrogen storage container; a cavity defined by the body; and one or more bands wrapped around the container to increase an amount of allowable pressure contained within the cavity of the hydrogen container, wherein each of the one or more bands include one or more segments with ends that are connectable with one another to surround the sidewall of the hydrogen container.

[0012] Each of the one or more segments may have two ends, each end having a lug to connect with a corresponding end of the one or more segments. The lugs of each segment may be connected to each other by a pressing force. The lugs of each segment may be connected to each other by a hydraulic press. Each band may be formed when the lugs of one or more segments are pressed together. The lugs of each band may be connectable to a truss structure and/or a one or more ballasts. The truss structure may have one or more gaseous and/or liquid tanks and/or one or more dense ballasts. The liquid and/or gaseous tanks may be filled with air and/or water to adjust the buoyancy of the hydrogen container. The storage container and the truss structure may be configured to attach to a floating pontoon. The cylindrical sidewall may be an outer skin and a second cylindrical sidewall may be provided to form an inner skin, said inner skin being spaced apart from the outer skin to define a cavity therebetween. The cavity between the skins may be pressurized at a pressure that is greater than a pressure within the cavity of the container.

[0013] The disclosure also provides a method of storing and transporting hydrogen, the method including the steps of: filling a hydrogen container with hydrogen; submerging the hydrogen container in a body of water and towing the container with a watercraft; and further submerging the hydrogen container for storage on a seabed.

[0014] The hydrogen container may be towed at about 15m below a surface of the body of water to avoid turbulence. The depth of the hydrogen container may be controlled by increasing or decreasing the buoyancy of the hydrogen container and/or using moveable control surfaces. A further step of discharging the hydrogen container filled with hydrogen may be provided. The step of filling or discharging the hydrogen container may further include the step of configuring the container for negative buoyancy to allow the hydrogen container to rest on the seabed. A further step of configuring the container for positive buoyancy may be provided, to allow the container to float and be held in a position under a floating pontoon.

[0015] The disclosure also provides a smart buoy for use in a hydrogen production facility, the buoy including: an outer surface having a first internal space and a second internal space; a male portion and a female portion, the male portion having the first internal space and the female portion having the second internal space, wherein each portion has a mating end, the mating end of the male portion being tapered to fit and abut against the mating end of the female portion, the mating ends of the male and female portions in a mating arrangement with each other, and further wherein, the male portion has a connection point at an end opposite the mating end of the male portion and the female portion has a connection point at an end opposite the mating end of the female portion.

[0016] The connection point of the male and female portions may connect to one or more of a hydrogen container, watercraft and/or a mooring. Communication equipment may be stored in each of the first and second internal spaces. That is, first communication equipment may be stored in the first internal space and second communication equipment may be stored in the second internal space, and the first communication equipment may be arranged to communicate with the second communication equipment. The mating ends of the male and female portions each may have a substantially flat surface with a communications window to allow the communication equipment stored within the first and second internal spaces to communicate with one another. The communications windows in each of the male female portions may allow inductive charging of an energy storage supply stored within the first and second internal spaces. When the male and female portions of the buoy are in abutment with one another, a locking assembly in the form of a piston and ring may be activated to lock the portions together. The male and female portions may be generally conical shaped.

[0017] The disclosure also provides a computer-controlled method of controlling a hydrogen production facility, the method comprising the steps of one or more computing devices: remotely controlling one or more hydrogen production procedures, capturing one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more hydrogen production procedures; and analysing the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of the hydrogen production procedures.

[0018] The one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may comprise one or more of: releasing a smart buoy from one or more of a further smart buoy, a hydrogen container and a transport vehicle and/or attaching a smart buoy to one or more of a further smart buoy, a hydrogen container and a transport vehicle; releasing a hydrogen container from one or more of a further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle, and one or more hydrogen pipes, compressed air pipes, electrical power connections, and communications, and/or attaching a hydrogen container to one or more of a further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle, one or more hydrogen pipes, compressed air pipes, electrical power connections, and communications; releasing a transport vehicle from a further transport vehicle and/or attaching a transport vehicle to a further transport vehicle; connecting and/or disconnecting communication channels between one of more of a smart buoy, a hydrogen container, a transport vehicle and one or more computing devices arranged to control the one or more hydrogen production procedures; and filling and/or emptying one or more hydrogen containers of hydrogen.

[0019] The method may further comprise the steps of: analysing the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors using an artificial intelligence or machine learning system, adapting and/or automating the hydrogen production procedures based on the analysing by the artificial intelligence or machine learning system. The method may further comprise the steps of: analysing the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors using the one or more computing devices, and providing computer assistance during subsequent remotely controlling of the one or more hydrogen production procedures based on the analysing of the captured signals over time. The one or more feedback sensors may comprise one or more of: a position sensor on a robotic arm, a wave speed sensor, a wave height sensor, wind speed sensor, a transport vehicle speed sensor, a water depth sensor, a water pressure sensor, a sensor for measuring the location of the hydrogen cylinder, a water flow sensor for measuring the relative speed of the hydrogen container or the tug to the surrounding water to measure current, pressure of the hydrogen in the container, water temperature and salinity sensors, pressure sensors for measuring pressure between skins of a multi-skin hydrogen container, ballast pressure sensor. The method may further comprise the step of automatically controlling the hydrogen production facility using the adapted and/or automated hydrogen production procedures.

[0020] The disclosure also provides a computer-controlled system of controlling a hydrogen transport and/or storage facility, the system comprising one or more computing devices arranged to: remotely control one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures, capture one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more hydrogen production procedures; and analyse the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of the hydrogen production procedures.

[0021] The one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may comprise one or more of: releasing a smart buoy from one or more of a further smart buoy, a hydrogen container and a transport vehicle and/or attaching a smart buoy to one or more of a further smart buoy, a hydrogen container and a transport vehicle; releasing a hydrogen container from one or more of a further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle, and one or more hydrogen pipes and/or attaching a hydrogen container to one or more of a further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle, and one or more hydrogen pipes; releasing a transport vehicle from a further transport vehicle and/or attaching a transport vehicle to a further transport vehicle; connecting and/or disconnecting communication channels between one of more of a smart buoy, a hydrogen container, a transport vehicle and one or more computing devices arranged to control the one or more hydrogen production procedures; and filling and/or emptying one or more hydrogen containers of hydrogen.

[0022] The one or more computing devices may comprise an artificial intelligence or machine learning system, wherein the artificial intelligence or machine learning system is arranged to analyse the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors, and adapt and/or automate the hydrogen production procedures based on the analysis of the captured signals. The artificial intelligence or machine learning system may be arranged to automatically control the hydrogen production facility using the adapted and/or automated hydrogen production procedures. The one or more computing devices may be arranged to analyse the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors, and provide computer assistance during subsequent remotely controlling of the one or more hydrogen production procedures based on the analysis of the captured signals over time. The one or more feedback sensors may comprise one or more of: a position sensor on a robotic arm, a wave speed sensor, a wave height sensor, wind speed sensor, a transport vehicle speed sensor, a water depth sensor, a water pressure sensor, a sensor for measuring the location of the hydrogen cylinder, a water flow sensor for measuring the relative speed of the hydrogen container or the tug to the surrounding water to measure current, pressure of the hydrogen in the container, water temperature and salinity sensors, pressure sensors for measuring pressure between skins of a multi-skin hydrogen container, ballast pressure sensor.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0023] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Fig 1 shows a side schematic overview of the present invention, according to a preferred embodiment.

[0025] Figs. 1A and 1B form a schematic block diagram of a general-purpose computer system in the form of a server upon which arrangements described can be practiced;

[0026] Fig 2 shows a side schematic overview of generating hydrogen using green methods.

[0027] Fig 3 shows top schematic view of hydrogen containers on a seabed connected to a fuel cell which is connected to a grid.

[0028] Fig 4 shows another top schematic view of the hydrogen containers on the seabed connected to an electrolysis unit to generate hydrogen gas.

[0029] Fig 5 shows a hydrogen generator at an open cut mine.

[0030] Fig 6 shows a hydrogen container according to an embodiment.

[0031] Fig 7 shows a front view of the hydrogen container.

[0032] Fig 8 shows another front view of the hydrogen container and a control surface.

[0033] Fig 9 shows a watercraft towing a series of hydrogen containers.

[0034] Fig 1OA shows a schematic side view of an anchor and the hydrogen container.

[0035] Fig 1OB shows a schematic top view of the hydrogen containers connected to anchors on the seabed.

[0036] Figs 1OC and 1OD and 1OE show a schematic side view of the hydrogen container on the sea bed.

[0037] Fig 1OF shows a schematic top view of a hydrogen container connector.

[0038] Fig 11A a schematic section view of a smart buoy according to an embodiment.

[0039] Fig 1lB shows a top view of the smart buoy shown in Fig 11A.

[0040] Fig 1IC shows a pair of pins located inside the smart buoy shown in Figure 11A.

[0041] Fig 12 shows a schematic of a hydrogen generation plant according to an embodiment.

[0042] Fig 13 shows an energy storage system according to an embodiment.

[0043] Fig 14 shows different ways a wind turbine may be secured in a predetermined location.

[0044] Fig 15 shows a schematic section view of a watercraft according to an embodiment.

[0045] Fig 16 shows a schematic side view of the watercraft shown in Fig 15.

[0046] Fig 17 shows a system to connect the smart buoy shown in Figs 11A to 1IC.

[0047] Fig 18 shows attaching a pipe to the hydrogen container.

[0048] Fig 19 shows s microcrack in an inner skin of a two skin hydrogen container and how hydrogen (H 2) and Nitrogen (N 2 ) molecules interact.

Description of Embodiments

[0049] Fig 1 shows a side schematic overview of the present invention, according to a preferred embodiment. Fig 1 shows a renewable energy system 10 that is electrically connected to a hydrogen generation system 20. The renewable energy system 10 may be in the form of a wind farm or solar farm 12, mine shaft 14, open cut mine 15 or a combination thereof and serves to provide 'green' electrical energy to the hydrogen generation system 20. The hydrogen generation system 20 may include an electrolysis unit 22 and a fuel cell 24. The electrolysis unit 22 is used for the generation of hydrogen. When connected to the fuel cell 24, electricity may be produced with the generated hydrogen from the electrolysis unit 22 and sent back into an electrical grid (not shown). Fig 1 shows the hydrogen generation system 20 floating on a pontoon 26 at sea. The pontoon 26 may generate electricity in the same way as described in the Applicant's PCT application PCT/AU2020/051408, the entire contents of which being incorporated herein by reference, to power the electrolysis unit 22 and thus produce hydrogen for storage. Whilst the schematic overview of the present invention shown in Figure 1 illustrates the renewable energy system 10 on land and the hydrogen generation system 20 at sea, it is envisaged that the renewable energy system 10 may also be at sea in the form of, for example a solar farm as shown in Fig 17.

[0050] Storage of hydrogen on the seabed is also shown schematically in Fig 1. Hydrogen containers 30 preferably have a negative buoyancy so that they can sink and be stored on the seabed. So that the hydrogen containers 30 do not move on the seabed, the containers 30 are connected to one or more anchors via intelligent / smart buoys, which will be described below.

The hydrogen containers 30 also have a ballast system to control the rate at which they sink to the seabed, and the rate at which they can rise to the sea surface. Allowing the containers 30 to rise to the surface allows a watercraft 60 to connect to the container(s) 30 and transport the container(s) 30 to another location. As shown in Fig 1, the container(s) 30 are towed fully submerged in the water, preferably at about 15m below the water surface 65 to avoid any unwanted turbulence.

[0051] At least one server 100 is provided. The server may be located at any suitable location, such as in the hydrogen production, transportation, distribution and/or electricity generation facility for example, which may be referred to as a hydrogen production facility for brevity. The server may in the form of a computer as described with reference to Figs 1A and 1B below. In this example, the server receives communications and communicates via a wide area network, such as the Internet as depicted by "clouds" 105 in Fig. 1. The server may also receive communications and communicate via one or more alternative communication media as described herein.

[0052] Sensors 107 are depicted in Fig. 1 as a box with a X inside. These sensors are configured or arranged to be in communication with the server via one or more sensor communication channels. In this example, the sensors communicate with the server either directly via the Internet, or via alternative communication media such as a satellite communication channel using a satellite 108.

[0053] For example, the sensors may communicate with the server via one or more sensor communication channels, such as, a mobile telephone communication channel, a wired telephone communication channel, a co-axial communication channel, an optical fibre communication channel, a power line communication channel, a satellite communication channel, an FM communication channel, an AM communication channel, a line of sight optical communication, and a microwave communication channel. The type of sensor communication channel may be dependent on the type of sensor and the location of the sensor.

[0054] The sensors may be one or more of a number of different types of sensor, such as, for example, a wind vector sensor, wind direction sensor, wind speed or wind velocity sensor, a wave sensor, a location sensor, an orientation sensor and a ballast pressure sensor. For example, one or more wind speed sensors may be adapted or arranged to detect wind velocity. The location sensor may be a GPS sensor. The orientation sensor may be a gyroscopic sensor. One or more of the sensors that form part of the system may also be built into commercially available electronic devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops, for example.

[0055] The server may store details of each sensor that has been deployed, along with an associated unique ID for the sensor. The location of the sensor may also be stored by the server. The location may be a fixed location, or may be associated with the location of a movable resource to which the sensor is attached, where the movable resource provides the server with details of its location.

[0056] As shown, and described in more detail herein, there is provided a computer (or server) controlled method of controlling a hydrogen production facility, a gas or liquid storage facility, a gas or liquid transportation facility, a gas or liquid distribution facility and/or an electricity generation system using the transported gas or liquid. According to this method, and associated computer or server system, one or more of the following steps can be implemented by the various components of the herein described system.

[0057] For example, one or more hydrogen production, storage, transportation, distribution and/or electricity generation procedures (which may be referred to as hydrogen production procedures for brevity) may be controlled remotely, i.e. not controlled by a person locally, using any suitable remote communication, feedback and control systems. A remote-control system including remote controllers (e.g. joysticks, keyboards etc.), feedback devices (including cameras, microphones, sensors etc.) can be controlled by a trained operator to remotely control the one or more hydrogen production procedures. One or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors may be captured by the computer or server, or a connected device in communication with the computer and/or server, when remotely controlling the one or more hydrogen production procedures. The captured one or more signals may be analysed by the computer or server over time for adaptation and/or automation of the hydrogen production procedures based on the analysis performed. For example, a defined period of time for analyzing may be programmed into the computer or server.

[0058] As an example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include releasing a smart buoy from one or more of a further smart buoy, a hydrogen container and a transport vehicle and/or attaching a smart buoy to one or more of a further smart buoy, a hydrogen container and a transport vehicle.

[0059] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include releasing a hydrogen container from one or more of a further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle, one or more hydrogen pipes, one or more compressed air pipes, electrical power connections and communications.

[0060] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include attaching a hydrogen container to one or more of a further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle, one or more hydrogen pipes, one or more compressed air pipes, electrical power connections and communications.

[0061] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include releasing a transport vehicle from a further transport vehicle and/or attaching a transport vehicle to a further transport vehicle.

[0062] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include connecting communication channels between one of more of a smart buoy, a hydrogen container, a transport vehicle and one or more computing devices arranged to control the one or more hydrogen production procedures.

[0063] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include disconnecting communication channels between one of more of a smart buoy, a hydrogen container, a transport vehicle and one or more computing devices arranged to control the one or more hydrogen production procedures.

[0064] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include filling one or more hydrogen containers of hydrogen, for example, at the place of generation of the hydrogen.

[0065] As a further example, the one or more hydrogen transport and/or storage procedures may include emptying one or more hydrogen containers of hydrogen.

[0066] The system may be adapted or arranged to analyse the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors using an artificial intelligence or machine learning system. The system may then adapt and/or automate the hydrogen production, transport and/or storage procedures based on the analysis performed by the artificial intelligence or machine learning system.

[0067] The system may be adapted or arranged to analyse the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors using one or more computing devices. Following this analysis, computer assistance may be provided during subsequent remotely controlling of the one or more hydrogen production procedures, as described herein, based on the analysis of the captured signals over time.

[0068] As an example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a position sensor affixed to a robotic arm. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a wave speed sensor arranged to determine the speed of waves in the vicinity of the sensor. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a wave height sensor arranged to determine the height of waves in the vicinity of the sensor. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a wind speed and/or direction sensor arranged to determine the speed (or velocity) and/or direction of wind in the vicinity of the sensor. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a transport vehicle speed and/or direction sensor to determine the speed and/or direction of a transport vehicle, for example, based on GPS giving absolute spherical position. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a water depth sensor for determining the depth of water in the vicinity of the sensor. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a water pressure sensor for determining the water pressure of water in the vicinity of the sensor. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a sensor to measure the location of the hydrogen cylinder, for example, GPS location. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a water flow sensor to measure the relative speed of the hydrogen container or the tug to the surrounding water to calculate current from the relative water speed and GPS location. As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a pressure sensor for sensing pressure of the hydrogen in the container. For example, this may be used to measure the storage efficiency of containers, which allows selection of those with the best storage for long term storage, and helps optimize the pressure. That is, leakage increases with pressure, so the system can optimize the pressure of the hydrogen container for how long the hydrogen container will contain hydrogen at which pressure etc. An Al based system may be adapted to manage the storage efficiency of the hydrogen containers.

[0069] As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be a water temperature and salinity sensors, the feedback of which is used to determine buoyancy.

[0070] As a further example, one or more of the feedback sensors may be pressure sensors that are located between the skins of a multi skin hydrogen container.

[0071] As a further example, one or more feedback sensors may be power sensors for measuring power being suppled to an electrolysis unit. For example, the power may be measured (or sensed) by sensing voltage and current associated with the power supply to the electrolysis unit.

[0072] The computer or server may be adapted to automatically control the hydrogen production facility using the adapted and/or automated hydrogen production procedures as described herein.

[0073] As an example, the computer-controlled method and/or system may control electricity generation procedures, where the method includes the steps of one or more computing devices: remotely controlling one or more electricity generation procedures; capturing one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more electricity generation procedures; and analysing the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of one or more electricity generation procedures, wherein the electricity generation procedures comprise generating electricity by releasing mechanical energy stored in a hydrogen container below a surface of a body of water by raising the hydrogen container relative to the surface of the body of water.

[0074] That is, the electricity generation procedures may include generating electricity using mechanical energy storage to optimize hydrogen production. For example, hydrogen production may be optimized by measuring power being supplied to an electrolysis unit that produces hydrogen. If the method or system determines that the measured power is greater than a maximum power that the electrolysis unit can utilize to produce hydrogen, any surplus power is sent to a winch/generator to lower the hydrogen container to store the surplus energy. If the method or system determines that the measured power is less than a maximum power that the electrolysis unit can utilize to produce hydrogen, a signal is sent by the system to a winch/generator to release the hydrogen container to generate sufficient additional power to bring the power being supplied to the electrolysis unit up to the maximum power that the electrolysis unit can utilize to maximize hydrogen production. If the method or system then determines that the measured power is approximately equal to a maximum power that the electrolysis unit can utilize to produce hydrogen, a signal is sent by the system to a winch/generator to stop moving the hydrogen container.

Server Description

[0075] Figs. 1A and 1B depict a general-purpose computer system 100 in the form of a server, upon which the various arrangements described herein may be practiced.

[0076] As seen in Fig. 1A, the computer system 100, in the form of a server, includes: a computer module 1301.

[0077] Optionally, the server may have input devices such as a keyboard 1302 and a mouse pointer device 1303, and output devices including a printer 1315, a display device 1314 and loudspeakers 1317. An external Modulator-Demodulator (Modem) transceiver device 1316 may be used by the computer module 1301 for communicating to and from a communications network 1320 via a connection 1321. The communications network 1320 may be a wide-area network (WAN), such as the Internet (305 in Fig. 3), a cellular telecommunications network, or a private WAN. Where the connection 1321 is a telephone line, the modem 1316 may be a traditional "dial-up" modem. Alternatively, where the connection 1321 is a high capacity (e.g., cable or optical fibre) connection, the modem 1316 may be a broadband modem. A wireless modem may also be used for wireless connection to the communications network 1320.

[0078] The computer module 1301 typically includes at least one processor unit 1305, and a memory unit 1306. For example, the memory unit 1306 may have semiconductor random access memory (RAM) and semiconductor read only memory (ROM). The computer module 1301 also includes a number of input/output (I/O) interfaces including: an audio-video interface 1307 that couples to the video display 1314, loudspeakers 1317 and microphone 1380; an1/0 interface 1313 that couples to the keyboard 1302, mouse 1303, scanner 1326, camera 1327 and optionally a joystick or other human interface device (not illustrated); and an interface 1308 for the external modem 1316 and printer 1315. In some implementations, the modem 1316 may be incorporated within the computer module 1301, for example within the interface 1308. The computer module 1301 also has a local network interface 1311, which permits coupling of the computer system 100 via a connection 1323 to a local-area communications network 1322, known as a Local Area Network (LAN). As illustrated in Fig. IB, the local communications network 1322 may also couple to the wide network 1320 via a connection 1324, which would typically include a so-called "firewall" device or device of similar functionality. The local network interface 1311 may comprise an Ethernet circuit card, a Bluetooth© wireless arrangement or an IEEE 802.11 wireless arrangement; however, numerous other types of interfaces may be practiced for the interface 1311.

[0079] The I/O interfaces 1308 and 1313 may afford either or both of serial and parallel connectivity, the former typically being implemented according to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standards and having corresponding USB connectors (not illustrated). Storage devices 1309 are provided and typically include a hard disk drive (HDD) 1310. Other storage devices such as a floppy disk drive and a magnetic tape drive (not illustrated) may also be used. An optical disk drive 1312 is typically provided to act as a non-volatile source of data and a means of non volatile storage of data. Portable memory devices, such optical disks (e.g., CD ROM, DVD, Blu-ray DiscTM), USB-RAM, portable, external hard drives, and floppy disks, for example, may be used as appropriate sources of data to the system 100.

[0080] The components 1305 to 1313 of the computer module 1301 typically communicate via an interconnected bus 1304 and in a manner that results in a conventional mode of operation of the computer system 100 known to those in the relevant art. For example, the processor 1305 is coupled to the system bus 1304 using a connection 1318. Likewise, the memory 1306 and optical disk drive 1312 are coupled to the system bus 1304 by connections 1319.

[0081] The server methods described herein may be implemented using the computer system 100 wherein the server processes to be described, may be implemented as one or more software application programs 1333 executable within the computer system 100. In particular, the steps of the server processes may be effected by instructions 1331 (see Fig. 1B) in the software 1333 that are carried out within the computer system 100. The software instructions 1331 may be formed as one or more code modules, each for performing one or more particular tasks.

[0082] The software may be stored in a computer readable medium, including the storage devices described below, for example. The software may be loaded into the computer system 100 from the computer readable medium, and then executed by the computer system 100. A computer readable medium having such software or computer program recorded on the computer readable medium is a computer program product. The use of the computer program product in the computer system 100 preferably effects an advantageous apparatus for use in an emergency response system as described herein.

[0083] The software 1333 is typically stored in the HDD 1310 or the memory 1306. The software is loaded into the computer system 100 from a computer readable medium, and executed by the computer system 100. Thus, for example, the software 1333 may be stored on an optically readable disk storage medium (e.g., CD-ROM) 1325 that is read by the optical disk drive 1312. A computer readable medium having such software or computer program recorded on it is a computer program product. The use of the computer program product in the computer system 100 preferably effects an apparatus for use in an emergency response system as described herein.

[0084] In some instances, the application programs 1333 may be supplied to the user encoded on one or more CD-ROMs 1325 and read via the corresponding drive 1312, or alternatively may be read by the user from the networks 1320 or 1322. Still further, the software can also be loaded into the computer system 100 from other computer readable media. Computer readable storage media refers to any non-transitory tangible storage medium that provides recorded instructions and/or data to the computer system 100 for execution and/or processing. Examples of such storage media include floppy disks, magnetic tape, CD-ROM, DVD, Blu-rayT M Disc, a hard disk drive, a ROM or integrated circuit, USB memory, a magneto-optical disk, or a computer readable card such as a PCMCIA card and the like, whether or not such devices are internal or external of the computer module 1301. Examples of transitory or non-tangible computer readable transmission media that may also participate in the provision of software, application programs, instructions and/or data to the computer module 1301 include radio or infra-red transmission channels as well as a network connection to another computer or networked device, and the Internet or Intranets including e-mail transmissions and information recorded on Websites and the like.

[0085] The second part of the application programs 1333 and the corresponding code modules mentioned above may be executed to implement one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to be rendered or otherwise represented upon the display 1314. Through manipulation of typically the keyboard 1302 and the mouse 1303, a user of the computer system 100 and the application may manipulate the interface in a functionally adaptable manner to provide controlling commands and/or input to the applications associated with the GUI(s). Other forms of functionally adaptable user interfaces may also be implemented, such as an audio interface utilizing speech prompts output via the loudspeakers 1317 and user voice commands input via the microphone 1380.

[0086] Fig. lB is a detailed schematic block diagram of the processor 1305 and a "memory" 1334. The memory 1334 represents a logical aggregation of all the memory modules (including the HDD 1309 and semiconductor memory 1306) that can be accessed by the computer module 1301 in Fig. 1A.

[0087] When the computer module 1301 is initially powered up, a power-on self-test (POST) program 1350 executes. The POST program 1350 is typically stored in a ROM 1349 of the semiconductor memory 1306 of Fig. lB. A hardware device such as the ROM 1349 storing software is sometimes referred to as firmware. The POST program 1350 examines hardware within the computer module 1301 to ensure proper functioning and typically checks the processor 1305, the memory 1334 (1309, 1306), and a basic input-output systems software (BIOS) module 1351, also typically stored in the ROM 1349, for correct operation. Once the POST program 1350 has run successfully, the BIOS 1351 activates the hard disk drive 1310 of Fig. lB. Activation of the hard disk drive 1310 causes a bootstrap loader program 1352 that is resident on the hard disk drive 1310 to execute via the processor 1305. This loads an operating system 1353 into the RAM memory 1306, upon which the operating system 1353 commences operation. The operating system 1353 is a system level application, executable by the processor 1305, to fulfil various high level functions, including processor management, memory management, device management, storage management, software application interface, and generic user interface.

[0088] The operating system 1353 manages the memory 1334 (1309, 1306) to ensure that each process or application running on the computer module 1301 has sufficient memory in which to execute without colliding with memory allocated to another process. Furthermore, the different types of memory available in the system 100 of Fig. 1A must be used properly so that each process can run effectively. Accordingly, the aggregated memory 1334 is not intended to illustrate how particular segments of memory are allocated (unless otherwise stated), but rather to provide a general view of the memory accessible by the computer system 100 and how such is used.

[0089] As shown in Fig. 1B, the processor 1305 includes a number of functional modules including a control unit 1339, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 1340, and a local or internal memory 1348, sometimes called a cache memory. The cache memory 1348 typically includes a number of storage registers 1344 - 1346 in a register section. One or more internal busses 1341 functionally interconnect these functional modules. The processor 1305 typically also has one or more interfaces 1342 for communicating with external devices via the system bus 1304, using a connection 1318. The memory 1334 is coupled to the bus 1304 using a connection 1319.

[0090] The application program 1333 includes a sequence of instructions 1331 that may include conditional branch and loop instructions. The program 1333 may also include data 1332 which is used in execution of the program 1333. The instructions 1331 and the data 1332 are stored in memory locations 1328, 1329, 1330 and 1335, 1336, 1337, respectively. Depending upon the relative size of the instructions 1331 and the memory locations 1328-1330, a particular instruction may be stored in a single memory location as depicted by the instruction shown in the memory location 1330. Alternately, an instruction may be segmented into a number of parts each of which is stored in a separate memory location, as depicted by the instruction segments shown in the memory locations 1328 and 1329.

[0091] In general, the processor 1305 is given a set of instructions which are executed therein. The processor 1305 waits for a subsequent input, to which the processor 1305 reacts to by executing another set of instructions. Each input may be provided from one or more of a number of sources, including data generated by one or more of the input devices 1302, 1303, data received from an external source across one of the networks 1320, 1302, data retrieved from one of the storage devices 1306, 1309 or data retrieved from a storage medium 1325 inserted into the corresponding reader 1312, all depicted in Fig. 1B. The execution of a set of the instructions may in some cases result in output of data. Execution may also involve storing data or variables to the memory 1334.

[0092] The disclosed arrangements use input variables 1354, such as sensor variables derived from sensor signals for example, which are stored in the memory 1334 in corresponding memory locations 1355, 1356, 1357. The arrangements produce output variables 1361, such as sensor variables derived from sensor signals, which are stored in the memory 1334 in corresponding memory locations 1362, 1363, 1364. Intermediate variables 1358 may be stored in memory locations 1359, 1360, 1366 and 1367.

[0093] Referring to the processor 1305 of Fig. 1B, the registers 1344, 1345, 1346, the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) 1340, and the control unit 1339 work together to perform sequences of micro operations needed to perform "fetch, decode, and execute" cycles for every instruction in the instruction set making up the program 1333. Each fetch, decode, and execute cycle comprises: a fetch operation, which fetches or reads an instruction 1331 from a memory location 1328, 1329, 1330; a decode operation in which the control unit 1339 determines which instruction has been fetched; and an execute operation in which the control unit 1339 and/or the ALU 1340 execute the instruction.

[0094] Thereafter, a further fetch, decode, and execute cycle for the next instruction may be executed. Similarly, a store cycle may be performed by which the control unit 1339 stores or writes a value to a memory location 1332.

[0095] Each step or sub-process described with reference to a server is associated with one or more segments of the program 1333 and is performed by the register section 1344, 1345, 1347, the ALU 1340, and the control unit 1339 in the processor 1305 working together to perform the fetch, decode, and execute cycles for every instruction in the instruction set for the noted segments of the program 1333.

[0096] The server related methods described herein may alternatively be implemented in dedicated hardware such as one or more integrated circuits performing the functions or sub functions of the emergency response system as described. Such dedicated hardware may include graphic processors, digital signal processors, or one or more microprocessors and associated memories.

[0097] Various processes are described herein which may utilize machine learning and/or artificial intelligence algorithms. These algorithms may be stored on a machine readable medium in the form of machine readable instructions, which when executed by a computer or computer system perform the machine learning and/or artificial intelligence processes. For example, these algorithms may be executed on one or more computing devices and/or servers. For example, a computing device may be a server that retrieves the required data from one or more sources, such as one or more components of the system described herein. The server may be in communication with one or more other computing devices or components of the herein described system using any suitable communication media.

[0098] Figure 1 shows an example implementation of a system with a server in communication with various components of the herein described system. The server shown in Figure 1, may be a server implemented using the computing system as described with reference to Figures 1A and 1B.

[0099] Fig 2 shows the transfer of 'green' electrical energy in more detail, with daytime and nighttime configurations. During the daytime, the renewable energy system 10 produces electrical energy via the solar farm 12 (or a wind farm, which is not shown) and powers a winch/generator in the mineshaft 14 to in turn, lift a large weight toward the top of the mineshaft 14. The pontoon 26 has a submersible float 27 which is movable from a stored position to a released position via a given buoyancy of the float 27. The submersible float 27 is also moveable from the released position to the stored position via a winch/generator located on the seabed. In the stored position, the float 27 is closer to the seabed than when the float 27 is in the released position. The pontoon 26 is electrically connected to the winch/generator of the mineshaft 14 by power lines 28.

[0100] In one configuration, the grid may be used at night time, when there is little load on the grid and low transmission costs, to transmit electrical energy to the winch/generator and electrolysis unit. During the daytime, the submersible float 27 is released from the stored position. The buoyancy of the float 27 moves the float 27 toward the water surface 65 and as this movement occurs, the winch/generator is activated and provides electricity to the electrolysis unity 22 for hydrogen production. During the nighttime, the raised weight at the top mineshaft 14 is released to generate electricity for the electrolysis unit 22 and to pull the submersible float 27 back down toward the seabed, via the winch/generator, in the stored position and ready to be released. Using these daytime and nighttime configurations allows for the constant production of hydrogen with low grid costs.

[0101] In an alternative configuration, the solar or wind farm 12 is directly connected to the electrolysis unit 22 and an energy storage system described above without a grid connection. During the day, energy is directly transmitted to the electrolysis unit 22 and to the energy storage system. At night or when the wind is not blowing, energy is extracted from the energy storage system and fed to the electrolysis unit 22.

[0102] Fig 3 shows a top schematic view of the hydrogen containers 30 stored on the seabed. The containers 30 are connected by pipes to the fuel cell 24 on the pontoon 26 of the hydrogen generation system 20, which is shown floating on the water surface 65, to generate electricity from the stored hydrogen. The stored hydrogen is moved from the containers 30 to the fuel cell 24 via a pump 70 and one or more pipes 72.

[0103] Fig 4 shows a similar configuration to the hydrogen containers 30 stored on the seabed in Fig 3. However, instead of the fuel cell 24, the electrolysis unit 22 is shown on the pontoon 26 of the hydrogen generation system 20, which floats on the water surface 65. The electrolysis unit 22 receives 'green' electrical power from the methods described above. The pump 70 delivers hydrogen generated by the electrolysis unit 22 to the one or more hydrogen containers 30 on the sea bed via the pipes 72.

[0104] Fig 5 illustrates hydrogen generation at the renewable energy system 10 using solar farm 12 and an open cut mine 15. The renewable energy system 10 is connected to the hydrogen generation system 20 having the electrolysis unit 22, which in this embodiment, is land based. Hydrogen generated by the electrolysis unit 22 is pumped into containers 30 when attached to the pontoon 26. Once the containers 30 are filled with hydrogen, they can be transported away from the pontoon 26 by watercraft 60 or allowed to settle on the seabed. Alternatively, the hydrogen container 30 may be located on the sea bed and filled with hydrogen as is shown in Figs 1OC, 1OD and 10E, which will be described later on.

[0105] Fig 6 shows a schematic section view (above) and a side view (below) of the hydrogen container 30. In this embodiment, the hydrogen container 30 includes: a body 31 with a first hemispherical end 32 spaced apart from a second hemispherical end 33; a cylindrical sidewall 34 connecting the first and second ends 32, 33 to form the body 31 of the hydrogen container 30; a cavity 35 defined by the body 31; and one or more bands 37 attached to the sidewall 34 to increase an amount of allowable pressure contained within the cavity 35 of the hydrogen container 30. A valve (with a cover) is also provided to allow hydrogen to enter and exit the container. In one configuration, each of the one or more bands 37 include four segments 38, 38', 38", 38"' that are connectable with one another to surround the sidewall 34 of the hydrogen container 30. It will be understood that the bands may have one, two, three or more segments. Where there is one segment, a first end of the segment may connect to the other, second, end of the segment. Where there are two segments, a first end of the first segment may connect to a first end of a second segment. A second end of the second segment may connect to a second end of the first segment to form the band. Similar arrangements are possible with further segments to cause the at least one band, made up of the segments, to form around the hydrogen container.

[0106] As shown in Fig 6, the four segments 38-38'" each have two corresponding ends / lugs 39, 39', 39", 39'" to connect with a corresponding lug of one of the other four segments. For example, segment 38 has two lugs 39. One lug 39 connects to lug 39' of segment 38'. The other lug 39' will connect with lug 39" of segment 38" and so on until a complete ring is formed around the body 31 of the hydrogen container 30.

[0107] It is envisaged that the lugs 39-39"' of each segment 38-38"' are forcibly pressed together by, for example, a hydraulic press. In an alternative embodiment, the lugs 39-39'" may be connected to each other by one or more fasteners shown in Fig 7. In such an embodiment, an aperture is provided in the lugs 39-39"' to allow the fastener to pass through. A skilled person would understand that the fastener and aperture need to be engineered to withstand the forces resulting from the expansion of the hydrogen container 30 when pressurized.

[0108] Fig 7 shows two other preferred forms of the hydrogen container 30. The hydrogen container may have two segments 38, 38' or even 3 segments 38, 38', 38". These segments are joined via corresponding lugs 39, as described above, to form bands 37 around the hydrogen container 30. Therefore, the hydrogen container 30 may have at least two segments 38 forming the band 37. When the lugs are connected, they may also be connected to a beam (B), which is preferably structural such as an I-Beam for example. As multiple bands 37 with corresponding lugs 39 are used and may be connected to the beam (B), the load of the hydrogen container is spread across the span of the beam. In turn, the beam is connected to a pulley (P) which is connected to another pulley attached to an anchor in or on the seabed as shown in Fig. 13. As with all references to anchors in this document, the anchor can be an anchor drilled into the seabed, or it can be a mass greater than the displacement of the hydrogen cylinder such as the anchors described in the Applicant's PCT application PCT/AU2020/051408. Mechanical advantage is achieved by having the rope go around multiple pulleys. A winch/generator system, for example as disclosed in Fig. 13, may include at least one winch/generator. The winch/generator may be located on a pontoon (or on another surface). The winch may pull at least one attached rope of the winch/generator system to lower the hydrogen cylinder using at least one pulley of the winch/generator system to store energy, and then, when the hydrogen cylinder is allowed to rise (e.g. by releasing the rope), energy is generated by the winch via the generator.

[0109] Fig 7 also shows a front view of the hydrogen container 30 secured in a truss-like structure 80 in pontoon 26. The truss-like structure 80 has a plurality of members 82 which have arms 82'. The arms 82' are connectable to the lugs 39-39"' of the bands 37 to hold the hydrogen container 30 securely. Also shown in Fig 7 is a triangular shaped truss 80, representing an alternative embodiment to the square shaped truss 80 described above.

[0110] Turning to Fig 8, an example of a container transport vessel for transporting and/or storing one or more containers is provided. In this example, the container is a hydrogen container 30 as described herein. It will be understood that the containers being transported and/or used for storage may be for other gasses or solids as required. For example, the container may be used to transport and/or store oxygen, compressed natural gas, water, and other liquid and gaseous chemicals. The container can also be used to transport and/or store food such as grains and flour, powders such as cement, dry concrete aggregate, and other chemicals, metals and fabricated objects that can withstand the internal pressure that the container may require to counteract the water pressure when submerged.

[0111] The hydrogen container is shown in a truss-like structure 80 with arms 82' holding the hydrogen container 30. This structure is a support structure that supports the container. Within, or as part of the support structure, there are tanks 84 which may be in the form of an air/water tank and/or a dense ballast to adjust the overall buoyancy of the hydrogen container 30. One or more controllers 90 may be provided to control the amount of air/water in the tanks 84 to adjust the buoyancy. The controllers 90 may have, or be connected to, control valves for controlling the flow of water/air into and out of the tanks 84. For example, air may be provided by additional air tanks (e.g. compressed air). Water may be pumped in from the sea.

[0112] Static ballasts may be provided as part of the support structure, where the static ballast includes dense beams or concrete that are formed to provide one or more of i) a counterweight to the positive buoyancy of the at least one buoyancy tank, ii) structural integrity to the container transport vessel, and iii) a foundation which can rest on a seabed and on which the container can rest for storage. Also, the static ballast may include a container connection device for connecting to at least a portion of the container, for example, to hold the container in place and stop it from moving too much. For example, the container connection device may connect to the band and/or the segment of the container, as described herein.

[0113] The ballast in the support structure allows the hydrogen container 30 and the container transport vessel to have an overall positive or negative buoyance to either float to or near the water surface for moving and/or filling/emptying of the containers, or drop down toward or gently on the sea bed for storage, as required.

[0114] Also shown in Fig 8 are a pair of moveable control surfaces 86 and a corresponding pair of controllers 88 to operate said moveable control surfaces 86 and control their respective position to maintain a desired depth range when moving. It will be understood that the container transport vessel may have one, two or more moveable control surfaces. The control surfaces 86 may be in the form of a hydroplane and operable by compressed air or a hydraulic mechanism. Alternatively, the hydroplane may be moved by a connected electric motor using a gear mechanism. The compressed air, hydraulics, electric motor, gears etc. may be controlled via one or more controllers 88. One or more sensors in the controllers may be used to sense the position of each of the control surfaces to enable accurate control of the position, for example, the angle. The control surfaces 86 are preferably positioned near or at the bow and/or stem of the hydrogen container 30 so as to adjust the level of the hydrogen container 30 when the hydrogen container is moving (e.g. being towed). As the control surface (e.g. hydroplane) is rotated about its axle by the control system, the angle of the top surface of the hydroplane with respect to the structure 80 changes and so causes the structure 80 to be pushed down or raised up as the water moves over the top surface and applies a force. Preferably, the hydrogen container 30 and the truss-like structure 80 are configured to attach to the floating pontoon 26.

[0115] It will be understood that there may be one or more controllers for controlling the position of the one or more control surfaces. It will be understood that there may be one or more control surfaces, such as hydroplanes.

[0116] Further, the controller or control system may be controlled remotely and may have a communication and power link that can be connected and disconnected from a towing vessel arranged to tow the container transport vessel. Also, the control system may be controlled remotely to control connection and disconnection of one or more pipes to the container for filling and emptying the container.

[0117] Fig 9 shows the watercraft 60 which is powered by at least one, preferably two thrusters and is shown in Figs 15 and 16 towing submerged hydrogen containers 30. The tow rope is attached to a submerged towing point 62. The closest hydrogen container 30 to the watercraft is connected to the watercraft 60 by a smart buoy 50. Other hydrogen containers 30 are connected to the closest hydrogen container 30 via smart buoys 50. The watercraft 60 could be an existing ocean going tug. In Fig 9, the watercraft is hydrogen powered with large hydrogen fuel storage tanks forming a catamaran like structure.

[0118] According to various examples described herein, the filling of the hydrogen container may occur at a place of generation of the hydrogen and the towing of the hydrogen container tows the hydrogen to a place of consumption of the hydrogen thus providing a much more efficient hydrogen generation and consumption system overall.

[0119] Fig 1OA shows a schematic side view of the anchor 40 illustrated in Fig 1. The anchor 40 has an end preferably drilled into the seabed so that it is secure. As described above, an alternative method of anchoring is to use heavy weights as disclosed in the Applicant's PCT application PCT/AU2020/051408. At the opposite end is a swivel 42. Attached to the swivel 42 is a ligature that is connected to the smart buoy 50. The ligature may be in the form of a rope or chain, for example. The smart buoy 50 is shown connected to the hydrogen container 30, that is located on the seabed.

[0120] Fig 1OB shows a top view of the anchor 40, smart buoy 50 and hydrogen container 30 configuration that is shown in Fig 10A. In Fig OB however, three containers 50 are shown connected to their respective anchors 40 on the seabed. The purpose of the swivel 42 on the anchor 40 is to allow the containers to align themselves parallel to the ocean current. Furthermore, it is envisaged that many more anchors 40 may be placed on seabed to provide more hydrogen container 30 storage on the seabed as required.

[0121] Figs 1OC, 1OD and 10E show a more detailed view of the anchor 40. A hydrogen pipe 44 to transfer hydrogen to and from the hydrogen container 30 is connected to the anchor 40. Also shown is a winch 46 to adjust the length of the ligature that connects the hydrogen container 30 to the anchor 40. Pulling the hydrogen container closer to the anchor is usually achieved when the hydrogen container is floating. Fig 1OD shows that as the hydrogen container 30 gets pulled closer to the anchor 40, the smart buoy 50 floats higher toward the water surface.

[0122] Fig 1OF shows an end of the hydrogen pipe 44 having a male fitting such as a bayonet gas fitting 45. The male bayonet fitting 45 is to be inserted into female hydrogen pipe connection 46 located on the hydrogen container 30. The female hydrogen pipe connection 46 is generally cylindrical and has a conical guide 47 to guide the bayonet 45 of the hydrogen pipe into the connection 46. Located with the female hydrogen pipe connection 46 is a sealing gel 48 which seals around the bayonet fitting 45. The bayonet fitting 45 then engages with a female bayonet gas fitting 49 to allow the passage of hydrogen to and from the hydrogen container 30 via hydrogen pipe 44.

[0123] Figs 11A-C show the smart buoy 50 according to a preferred embodiment. Specifically, Fig 11A shows a schematic section view of the smart buoy 50 which reveals the internals. The smart buoy 50 preferably has an oval profile or in other words, is ovoid in three-dimensional shape. The smart buoy 50 has generally, a positive buoyancy when in seawater or freshwater, and is made up of afirst portion 51 and a second portion 52. The first portion 51 may be referred to as a female buoy 51 and the second portion 52 may be referred to as a male buoy 52. Each portion 51, 52 may be separated and rejoined as described below.

[0124] As shown in Fig 1IB, which is a top view of the smart buoy 50, the female buoy 51 has a substantially conical-shaped frontal area 53. The frontal area 53 has a flat region 53'. The male buoy 52 has a frontal area 54 that is shaped to allow the male buoy 52 to nest adjacent the conical-shaped front area 53 of the female buoy 51. The male buoy also has a protrusion 54' with an aperture 54" located on the protrusion 54'. The nestable arrangement of the male buoy 52 and the female buoy 51 of the buoy 50, allows the portions to easily abut against one another when they are separated.

[0125] Turning back to Fig 11A, the female and male buoys 51, 52, each have radio and communication equipment 56 in the form of, for example, radio communications, Bluetooth@ and inductive charging. Also provided on the male and female buoys 51, 52 are one or more windows 55 that allow transmission of the radio communications, Bluetooth@ signals and inductive charging. The windows 55 may be transparent or translucent and are located on the respective conical and non-conical areas 53, 54 of the female and male buoys 51, 52. The two portions 51, 52 of the buoy 50 are sealed to protect the communication equipment 56 from any water ingress.

[0126] Also provided on each of the female and male buoys 51, 52 is at least one camera/light array 57 and at least one handle 58 to provide a grabbable area for an automated / autonomous arm. This will be described later. Additionally, a buoyancy float 59 is connected to each of the female and male buoys 51, 52 via a ligature in the form of a rope to take the weight of the rope.

[0127] Fig 1IC shows a front view of the female buoy 51, looking into the conical shaped area 53. Embedded in the female buoy 51 is a pair of pistons 51' with tapered ends 51". The pistons 51' move laterally with respect to the female buoy 51 serve to engage the male buoy 52, when the protrusion 54' is inserted in the female buoy 51. When the male and female buoys 52, 51 have nested together, the pistons engage through the aperture 54" of the protrusion 54' to secure the buoys 51, 52 together and form a single smart buoy 50.

[0128] Fig 12 shows an embodiment of the hydrogen generation system 20. The system is comprised of the electrolysis unit 22 attached to a pontoon 26 which floats at sea. The pontoon is attached to the truss-like structure 80 described above, which in turn, holds one or more hydrogen containers 30 in place using the positive buoyancy of the hydrogen container so said containers 30 may be filled with hydrogen that is generated by the electrolysis unit 22. One or more pipes 44 transport hydrogen from the electrolysis unit 22 to the one or more containers 30. The hydrogen generation system 20 is secured to the seabed by an anchor 40. Also shown in Fig 12 is a cable (not numbered) which, in this preferred embodiment, extends to a wind turbine (not shown), to provide renewable energy to the electrolysis unit 22. Various types of wind turbines that can be used at sea are shown in Fig 14.

[0129] Fig 13 shows another embodiment of pontoon 26 which may be incorporated into the hydrogen generation system 20. The pontoon 26 has a first portion 26' attached to a second portion 26" by a ligature (not numbered). In the embodiment shown, the first portion 26' is smaller than the second portion 26". The first portion 26' is designed to float on the water surface whilst the second, larger portion 26" is designed to be submergible. Preferably, a load equalizing bar B is attached to the second portion 26" of the pontoon 26. The bar B is anchored to the seabed by an anchor 40 and a pulley system P. A wind turbine (not shown) provides electrical energy to drive a winch/generator W/G which is connected to the pulley system P. When the W/G is driven, the second portion 26" moves relative to the first portion 26' toward the anchor 40. The second portion 26" is stored close to the seabed and released to move toward the water surface and thus drive the W/G. This in turn provides electrical energy for the electrolysis unit 22. The second portion 26" is nestable with the first portion 26' to maximise the distance available to travel between the seabed (a stored position) and the water surface (a deployed position). Mechanical advantage achieved with pulleys P will cause the larger pontoon 26" to be submerged without the smaller pontoon 26' submerging because the force on the single rope to the smaller pontoon is less than the buoyancy of the smaller pontoon.

[0130] Fig 15 shows a section view of the watercraft 60. The watercraft 60 preferably uses hydrogen as a fuel source to move which is stored in a hull / body 61 of the watercraft 60. In the embodiment shown in Fig 15, there are two hydrogen tanks 30' shown. However, it is envisaged that the hull 61 may be designed / optimised to have several smaller hydrogen tanks 30' within the structure shown to enable the inner hydrogen tanks to be easily replaced. The hull 61 has extensive truss-like bracing 63 for reinforcement to allow the watercraft 60 to hold the hydrogen tanks 30'. The hydrogen tanks 30' provide fuel for the 360 degree thruster 65 (shown in Fig 16) which forms part of the drive equipment. Additionally, part of the drive equipment includes batteries 64 and fuel cells 24. The fuel cells 24 may be positioned between the bracing 63 of the watercraft 60. The watercraft 60 may be in the form of a monohulled tug boat or a catamaran style tug boat.

[0131] Fig 16 shows a side view of another embodiment of watercraft 60. The watercraft 60 is a multi-hull and is capable of holding one or more containers 30 on either side of the hulls. Toward the rear of the watercraft 60 is a 360 degrees thruster 65, to propel and maneuver the watercraft 60. Also, toward the rear of the watercraft 60 is a tow rope 62 connected at a point corresponding to the depth of a keel (not shown). This is to maintain the stability of the watercraft 60 when one or more containers 30 are being towed and to minimize the strain on the tow rope when towing hydrogen containers 30 submerged at 15m.

[0132] As shown in Figs 16, 17 and 18 watercraft 60 has one or more arms 66 that are remotely controllable. The arms 66 serve to connect the male and female portions of the smart buoy 50 together as shown in Fig 17. Fig 18 in particular shows steps to connect a pipe to a hydrogen container as follows:

[0133] Using positive buoyancy, the hydrogen container 30 floats from the seabed to the water surface.

[0134] The watercraft 60 tows the hydrogen container 30 close to hydrogen pipe 44. The arm 66 from the watercraft 60 grabs hydrogen pipe 44 that is attached to the buoy 50.

[0135] A second arm 66 grabs the hydrogen container 30 and the pipe 44.

[0136] Item 3A of Fig 18 shows a top view of the watercraft 60 with two arms 66. One arm is connected to the buoy 50 and the other arm 66 is connected to the container 30.

[0137] Item 3B of Fig 18 shows the arms 66 bringing the floating container 30 and the buoy 50 with hydrogen pipe closer together. Also shown at step 3B is the arm 66 connecting the pipe attached to the buoy 50 to the hydrogen container 30.

[0138] Item 3C of Fig 18 shows the arm 66 of the watercraft 60 holding the hydrogen container in place whilst the other arm 66 is connected to the buoy 50 and another hydrogen container , located on the seabed.

[0139] Fig 19 shows a dual skinned hydrogen container 30 with H2 molecules in an inner container 34' and air in a space 35' between the inner container 34' and the outer container 34.

[0140] Other aspects of the invention will now be described.

[0141] In use there is a possibility of the hydrogen containers 30 leaking hydrogen, as hydrogen can escape the hydrogen container through microcracks in the outer surface of the container. This noticeable when the hydrogen is stored within the hydrogen container 30 at high pressure. The leakage occurs due to the small size of the hydrogen molecule. The leakage may be reduced by minimizing the number of microcracks in the container, or by reducing the pressure at which the hydrogen is stored. The tradeoff here is that less hydrogen can be stored in a given container. In view of the above problem, the hydrogen container 30 may be equipped with a pressure sensor to provide readings and indicate if the hydrogen container 30 has significant reduction in storage capability due to hydrogen embrittlement.

[0142] Fig 19 shows another way to combat the microcrack and hydrogen embrittlement problem. The hydrogen container 30 may be in the form of a double skinned container. The double skinned hydrogen container 30 may have an outer skin 34 and an inner skin 34' as shown in an enlarged portion of hydrogen container 30 in Fig 19. The size of a hydrogen molecule (H2

) is 1.06 Angstrom (10**- 10) and the size of a Nitrogen molecule (N 2 ) is 3.6 Angstrom. Therefore, a microcrack that is between 1.06 and 3.6A will let through H 2 molecules but not N 2 molecules. Microcracks tend to be very small and usually irregular, and many will not go through the thickness of the steel. Therefore, the thicker the steel, the less likely it is that the crack will go through the steel. An exemplary microcrack is numbered as 34"

[0143] Coating the inside of the inner skin 34' with a polymer will reduce the number of microcracks that the hydrogen can escape through by sealing some and by making it harder for hydrogen molecules to get into the crack.

[0144] In addition to coating the inner skin, the space between the inner skin 34' and the outer skin 34" may be pressurized as well. Compressed air molecules in the space 35' between the inner skin 34' and the outer skin 34 will have all their kinetic energy and almost all molecules will all travelling with some velocity perpendicular to the steel housing the microcrack 34". Thus, compressed air molecules will hit the hydrogen molecules trying to slowly emerge from the microcrack 34" with the result that the hydrogen molecules will be imparted with momentum directed back into the crack 34". This will slow the leak through the crack 34", if not stop it altogether.

[0145] Other details regarding embodiments of the invention are produced below.

Background

[0146] Water can be electrolyzed into hydrogen. Oxygen from the air and stored hydrogen can then be recombined into H20 in a fuel cell to generate electricity without burning the hydrogen.

No pollutants are generated. Electricity to generate hydrogen can come from solar or wind. Large volumes of stored hydrogen could produce sufficient electricity to fill the energy generation gap when there is little wind and on cloudy days.

[0147] There are significant advances in the generation of hydrogen and its combination into water to generate electricity. Technologies once required the use of expensive materials like platinum, but new materials have been developed, and the electrolytic and recombination process are becoming lower cost and more energy efficient at the same time. Electrolysis currently requires clean water, but promising new advances allow the efficient electrolysis of sea water.

[0148] 1 mole of water contains 6.0221 x 10**23 molecules of water. 1 mole of water weighs approx. 18g which is the atomic weight of hydrogen x 2 plus the atomic weight of oxygen. When hydrolyzed, the one mole of H2 (or any gas) by the idealized gas law occupies 22.4 litres at Standard Temperature and pressure (STP). So 18g H20 produces 22.4 litres of hydrogen at STP. 1 litre (or 1kg) of water will produce 1000/18 = 55.55 litres of hydrogen at STP or 1 litre of hydrogen at 55.55 atmospheres (atm).

[0149] 1 mole of H2 weighs about 2 grams and fills 22.4 litres at 1 atm and is very energy dense by weight. 1 litre of hydrogen at 50 atm stores 0.13 KWh. 1 litre of gasoline has energy of approx. 34.5 MJ. 1 KWh = 3.6 MJ, so I litre of gasoline contains 9.58 KWh, which is about 70 times more energy dense per unit volume than hydrogen gas at 50 atm.

[0150] To increase the energy density of a hydrogen-based fuel for transportation, hydrogen can be converted to ammonia NH3, transported and turned back into H2 and then combined with oxygen in a fuel cell to produce electricity. Special ships need to be constructed to transport ammonia under pressure which makes these ships expensive. They need to travel fast to earn a return of investment. Significant storage facilities need to be constructed at both the departure and arrival points so that the ship can rapidly discharge its cargo and return for another load. As ships travel on the ocean surface, they must be built to be able to withstand waves and storms.

[0151] In addition, turning H2 into ammonia and back to hydrogen adds significantly to the cost of the hydrogen and loses energy in the process, making the process less energy efficient.

[0152] Hydrogen is seen as dangerous: everybody has seen films of the Hindenburg airship burning. The Hindenburg did not explode; it burned. If hydrogen escapes from a container, it will rapidly rise and will dissipate into the air in an open space. At worst, it will burn. Store hydrogen underwater, and it will not burn or explode. Petrol is used all the time, usually safely. Petrol vapor is heavier than air, will not rise and disperse quickly like hydrogen, but will mix with air, and is likely to explode when a flame is applied.

[0153] Because of its low energy density by volume, the storage and transport of hydrogen is still a major problem. To overcome the low energy density by volume, hydrogen is compressed to high levels to allow it to be used in cars, buses, trucks, trains and planes. Cummins Diesel is a partner in a syndicate where a small 4-seater plane powered by batteries and a 120KW fuel cell has flown 30 two test flights in Germany, showing the small size and weight that powerful fuel cells can achieve. The plane currently has a maximum speed of 200kph. It is predicted by 2030 that a plane that can carry 40 passengers a distance of 2000 kms. There are reports of new hydrogen powered ships being developed, and boilers in ships and power stations being retrofitted by hydrogen burners. Projects are also underway to transform internal combustion engines and gas turbines to burn hydrogen, and for the use of hydrogen to produce "green steel" and in the chemical industry. Once a hydrogen economy has been established, there will be uses for hydrogen other than the generation of electricity, and the distribution of hydrogen is likely to become a significant business.

[0154] A problem with the hydrogen economy becoming established is that potential suppliers want an established market for hydrogen before they invest in generating hydrogen, and potential users of hydrogen want a reliable supply of hydrogen before they will invest in equipment that consumes hydrogen. Embodiments overcome this problem because it both creates hydrogen, transports hydrogen to places where there is a strong demand for electricity, and then consumes hydrogen to generate electricity, which has a ready market. Any hydrogen can therefore be consumed to generate electricity, allowing investment in the production of hydrogen which can then be used in multiple markets other than the generation of electricity.

[0155] A problem with hydrogen is that storing hydrogen at high pressures can cause hydrogen embrittlement of steel, so the storage of hydrogen as a gas is seen as problematic.

[0156] Described herein is a new and highly efficient energy system utilizing hydrogen, and includes methods of efficient and low-cost storage, transport and distribution of hydrogen that obviates the problems described above. Hydrogen is stored in a purpose-built hydrogen container: a large, low cost steel pipe with hemispheres at either end at relatively low pressures. The pipe is transported internationally underwater at a depth where the water is calm so that the hydrogen container does not need to be built to withstand surface storms. The hydrogen containers can be stored at sea and hydrogen can be generated on floating pontoons and pumped directly into the hydrogen container, generated on land close to the sea and pumped into a hydrogen container, or generated inland and trucked either to the shore to be pumped into a hydrogen container, or trucked or transported by rail to a plant where the hydrogen can be converted to electricity. Fuel cells on floating pontoons can generate electricity from the hydrogen and power the grid via an undersea cable. In addition, fuel cells can be sited near the seashore and hydrogen can be pumped into the hydrogen containers for transportation. Hydrogen transported in hydrogen containers can be converted to electricity at sea or on the seashore, or discharged into pipes, trucks or railcars for transport on land to fuel cell installations for the conversion to electricity located near grid connections.

[0157] The techniques described herein can be used for the energy efficient and cost-efficient storage, transport and distribution of other liquid or gaseous substances that contain energy, such as natural gas or other gases that such as methane that can be generated using a renewable energy process.

[0158] Currently, natural gas is refined with the lighter molecules removed and then liquified. Both the refining and the liquification are energy intensive. The LNG is then transported at over knots in expensive, purpose-built ships that discharge their cargo into specially built on shore storage.

[0159] In contrast, offshore natural gas could simply be compressed as it is stored in a hydrogen container (possibly as significantly higher pressures), towed underwater to a floating platform on which there is a gas turbine, and the electricity is generated by the gas turbine and transmitted by cable to a substation for connection to the grid. Alternatively, the gas could be piped to a gas turbine close to the shore. All the energy is captured, even the energy involved in the compression of the gas. Less energy is used transporting the gas. Less C02 is therefore produced by this process than with LNG, and furthermore, it will cost substantially less. The amount of energy transported will simply depend on the number of hydrogen containers that are towed.

[0160] This low-cost technology will enable many smaller jurisdictions to develop cost effective using hydrogen and/or gas turbine driven generators powered by natural gas or some other fuel.

[0161] Maritime transport accounts for 3.4 to 4% of climate change emissions, primarily C02. The rate of growth of C02 emissions is growing so fast it is alarming climate scientists. The system of slow transport of multiple underwater containers can significantly reduce greenhouse emissions from shipping, and developing watercraft, such as large and powerful hydrogen powered ocean tugs to transport the hydrogen will eliminate C02 pollution in the delivery of hydrogen fuel. However, existing watercraft such as ocean-going tugs however powered could be used. Closer to shore, smaller hydrogen powered watercraft, such as tugs, currently used in harbour navigation could be developed.

[0162] The maritime transport emissions of C02 can be reduced if other non-urgent commodities are transported slowly in floating submerged containers. Grain could fill a container that is then pressurized with C02 to kill insects, to protect the grain and to provide structural strength to the container. A large number of other materials could be transported in this way including bulk cement and bulk chemicals. Storing the containers at sea will dramatically reduce storage costs and will provide strategic supplies to minimize supply chain problems in the case of a pandemic, trade wars and hostilities. It will also allow e.g. a construction company to buy bulk cement when it is low cost and there are good exchange rates and then import it and store it until needed. Such a system could potentially reduce the costs and risks of commodity trading.

[0163] When the stored material is needed, a container can be floated close to the shore where it can be attached to a crane. The buoyancy regulation devices can then be unattached, and the container is lifted from the water and then loaded onto a waiting rail car or a truck. There is no needed for a storage facility onshore to store containers as there is with the storage of containers delivered by large container ships. The length and width of the submersible container will depend on rail and shipping size constraints at the destination. The buoyancy equipment can be reattached to an empty container for delivery to refilling destination. Many of these activities can be remotely controlled and eventually some processes can be automated by recording all the information relevant to the process and feeding this information into a machine learning system to develop algorithms to reduce the number of processes that need to be remotely controlled and the efficiency of the processes by continual optimization. This is further discussed below.

[0164] Port Headland in Western Australia is a shallow, tidal harbour and ships must unload quickly to avoid being grounded when the tide goes out. Storing the containers at sea and then bringing the containers into the harbour and straight onto a truck or rail car will significantly reduce freight handling costs in places with reduce harbour accessibility.

A Low-Cost Hydrogen Container

[0165] A large low-cost steel container is constructed that can store hydrogen under pressure. This container is called a hydrogen container but such a container can hold other gases and liquids, including clean water. It could also hold granular materials such as cement or grains. Such a hydrogen container could be a steel pipe with a hemisphere at each end that can withstand being filled with high pressure hydrogen. The inside of the hydrogen container can be lined with one or more materials to reduce the hydrogen penetration into the steel if this is effective and cost effective. This container can be used both to store and to transport hydrogen, eliminating the double handling of the fuel, reducing costs and increasing energy efficiency.

[0166] Longitudinal and tortional bracing can be designed into the skin of the hydrogen container, can be constructed inside the hydrogen container or the ballast system added to the hydrogen container to control the buoyancy of the hydrogen container can be used to provide the longitudinal and tortional bracing and enable the hydrogen container to rest safely on a rough seabed. Adjusting the negative buoyancy can enable the hydrogen container to rest gently on the seabed, reducing stress to the hydrogen container and damage to the sea bed.

[0167] The hydrogen container is delivered to a user and remains in the hydrogen container until the hydrogen in the hydrogen container is used, when it will be taken to a refilling station, refilled and then delivered to the same or another user. It is analogous to the way gas is delivered to consumers in gas bottles for BBQ's.

[0168] The hydrogen containers should therefore be cheap enough to be mass produced and left with customers while the customer uses the energy, and large enough to provide energy security for the users.

[0169] Take for example, a 20m diameter pipe 100m long with an inner radius of Oim with hemispheres at each end has an inner volume of 35,600 m3. 1 litre of hydrogen at 50 atm stores 0.13 KWh. The hydrogen container at 50 atm would therefore store approx. 4.6 GWh. If the hydrogen container held natural gas compressed to 50 atm, the energy stored would be 1.3 GWh. More energy can be transported at higher pressures.

[0170] The pressure of hydrogen in a hydrogen container may be limited to avoid hydrogen embrittlement which will limit the lifespan of the container. Natural gas has much larger molecules. Higher natural gas pressures can therefore be achieved without reducing the lifespan of the container.

[0171] Hydrogen containers may be constructed in different sizes. The factors to determine the optimal size or sizes of hydrogen containers is described below.

[0172] The Australian National University has estimated that Australia needs 450GWh of storage for Australia to be able to adopt 100% renewables. Thus approximately 100 hydrogen containers would store the required energy to allow Australia to power itself from renewables.

[0173] Several methods can significantly improve the longevity of a hydrogen container:

[0174] The type and thickness of the steel from which the hydrogen container is made.

[0175] Banding the outside circumference of the hydrogen container with a steel rope or a steel band that compresses the pipe. The banding will be positioned horizontally and spaced to maximize the pressure the hydrogen container can contain with the lowest number of bands: i.e. the most efficient spacing of bands. This will reduce the expansion and contraction of the hydrogen container when filled and emptied, reducing work hardening and stopping the expansion of micro cracks into which hydrogen can migrate when the hydrogen container is under pressure. A band could be constructed from 4 identical segments each of which is a quadrant (covers 90 degrees of the circumference). The segments are slightly smaller than the circumference. The bands segments are assembled around the circumference. Segment 1 is attached to segment 2, and segments 1 and 2 are attached to segment 3, and segments 1, 2 and 3 are attached to segment 4. Segments 1 and 4 are pushed together with a hydraulic press to suitably compress the circumference of the hydrogen container without damaging the hydrogen container, and the segments 1 and 4 are then joined.

[0176] The hydrogen container can be designed so that when joined and tensioned, the banding straps can be welded to the hydrogen container with the banding straps cover circumferential welds, reducing the likelihood of hydrogen escaping via micro cracks in the circumferential welds.

[0177] Using more than two or more skins for the container. These skins can be connected at multiple points to gain the structural advantage of two skins. Bands or wire rope can be used to compress the inner skin, and a grout can be used to fill the cavity between the skins. An alternative method is to fill the space between the walls with air at a higher pressure than the pressure of the hydrogen in the inner cavity.

[0178] At a depth of 15m, the water is calm, and a hydrogen container will be supported on all sides by the water. By not exposing the hydrogen container to the turbulence of the surface, the twisting and flexing encountered by surface travel will not be encountered and hydrogen containers with some work hardening and hydrogen embrittlement can likely continue to function efficiently at 15m when they could break up in a storm if travelling on the surface.

[0179] The temperature fluctuations of the hydrogen container at 15 m below the surface will be low and will be gradual, which will reduce the thermal expansion and contraction of the hydrogen container and will reduce work hardening caused by thermal expansion and contraction.

[0180] Reducing the storage pressure of hydrogen in the hydrogen container as this slows the hydrogenation of the container. Lower pressure will mean larger or more hydrogen containers, so it is important that these hydrogen containers are low cost.

[0181] Coating the inside of the hydrogen container with a material that is non-reactive to hydrogen and forms an airtight seal when bonded to the inside surface of the hydrogen container to reduce the ability of hydrogen to penetrate micro cracks. An efficient way to do this is to have a robot spray the inside of the hydrogen container evenly, several times, so that if there is any pin holing in the surface, it will be covered by a subsequent layer of coating.

[0182] The efficiency of a hydrogen container as a hydrogen store can be measured by the pressure inside the container, or if the hydrogen container has two layers, measuring the pressure inside the hydrogen container and between layers will provide information if hydrogen is leaking. If hydrogen is not leaking, then it is unlikely that hydrogenation of the steel is a current problem.

[0183] In order to better predict and ameliorate the effects of hydrogenation of the steel over time, the hydrogen containers can be filled at different pressures and their longevity can be measured. Small hatch plates can be installed in the cylinder and removed, and the steel examined under a microscope for hydrogenation. Similarly, different steels with different thicknesses can be trialed as hatch plates.

[0184] The pressure of hydrogen in hydrogen containers in use will be constantly measured and decreasing pressure without intentional release of hydrogen will mean hydrogen leakage. The leakage rates will vary with pressure. Embodiments include a system to minimize the leakage of hydrogen by techniques which include filling different containers at different pressures, and choosing different containers for different storage and transportation tasks. For example, delivery of hydrogen which will be quickly loaded into railcars may mean that a higher pressure will be used than an application where the hydrogen will be stored for months.

Ocean Transportation

[0185] Water at the surface of the ocean can be very rough, but the turbulence drops quickly with depth. At 10m, there is very little turbulence. In a bad storm, submariners notice little turbulence at 20-30m. The deepest draught of large ships like aircraft carriers and the Queen Mary II are less than 13 m. Collisions with ships will not occur if an object is floating at 15m below the surface. So, if a hydrogen container is left to float at 15m, it will be safe from collisions from ships.

[0186] Instead of using special built ships to transport hydrogen or ammonia, the hydrogen can be transported using these hydrogen containers travelling 15m below the surface chained together like sausages and pulled by an ocean-going tug, for example. One powerful tug can slowly pull a large number of hydrogen containers, and can likely transport more energy in one voyage that a large specialist tanker would transport. The cost of the ocean-going tugs and the hydrogen containers is a fraction of the cost of a large special purpose ship.

[0187] It is not possible to transport these containers on the surface because waves hitting one or more containers could send large jolts through the towline which could damage or even sink an ocean-going tug. If the containers were jettisoned by the tug in rough seas, these containers would present a major navigation hazard.

Maintaining Consistent Depth

[0188] The hydrogen containers need ballast to reduce the buoyancy of the container. Ballast can be provided by external weight which can be attached to the bands on the outside of the hydrogen container that stop the hydrogen container expanding when filled with hydrogen, by having internal weights inside the hydrogen container which will reduce the volume of hydrogen stored, by having grout filling the space between the skins if the hydrogen container is two skinned, and a combination of the above.

[0189] The ballast system may provide the longitudinal and tortional strength required by the hydrogen container.

[0190] The depth of the hydrogen container can be measured by the surrounding water pressure and this will be constantly monitored by the hydrogen containers. Active buoyancy control can be provided by floats that can be filled with water or air to maintain neutral buoyancy at a desired depth, for example 15m. A number of buoyancy tanks will be distributed over the length of the hydrogen container so that if the hydrogen container is lower at one end than the other end, water will not flow from the raised end to the lower end to destabilize the container. Compressed air tanks (not shown) may be controlled by the control system to enable the water to be evacuated from the buoyancy tanks. An air compressor could be installed on each container, compressing air through a snorkel. Alternatively, compressed air tanks can be refilled at the departure and arrival sites. As the tug is travelling slowly, a tender vessel with compressed air tanks and could be used to refill the compressed air tanks on the hydrogen containers at sea.

[0191] Attachable ballast could be constructed from a round formwork pipe used for concreting with hemispheres at both ends. The ballast may minimize drag as the hydrogen container is towed. The ballast pipe could be filled with dense matter such as a concrete slurry made from ilmenite and compacted to remove air to increase weight. A small amount of a binder such as cement could be used to give the ballast rigidity and strength and stop the ingress of water. Reinforcing steel in the cement/concrete in the ballast pipe can be used to provide additional longitudinal and tortional strength as required by the hydrogen container design.

[0192] The density of water will change with salinity and temperature, which can cause the hydrogen container to move from neutral buoyance to develop positive or negative buoyancy. Although the change in buoyancy might be small, the hydrogen container will rise or sink, and over time, active measures will be needed to maintain the desired depth. Ways this can be achieved include the following, for example

[0193] The ballast tanks can be adjusted by forcing out water with compressed air, or by releasing air, using a control valve under control of at least one controller and/or control system.

[0194] One or more moveable control surfaces (e.g. hydroplanes) may be attached to the hydrogen container. These control surfaces may be controlled by at least one controller and/or control system to rotate to raise or lower the hydrogen container to help the hydrogen container maintain a desired depth when being towed. The energy to power the hydroplanes could be provided by the compressed air used to maintain approximately neutral buoyancy. The hydroplanes can be attached to the front and/or the rear of the hydrogen cylinders.

[0195] Sensors may be used to measure the depth of the hydrogen container and provide feedback to the controller to assist in controlling the control surfaces and/or the ballast. For example, the controller may be programmed to reach a pre-programmed depth and maintain that depth within a defined threshold by controlling operation of the control surfaces and/or ballast.

[0196] Feedback of the depth of the hydrogen container may be sent by a controller to an external communication site to enable remote operation of the control surfaces and/or ballast.

Signals may be sent from the external communication site to the controller to control operation of the control surfaces and/or ballast.

[0197] When the hydrogen container is stationary, the hydrogen container can be given a small negative buoyancy to gently rest on the seabed, or a small positive buoyancy to rest on the underside of a pontoon by controlling the ballast. The hydrogen containers can be additionally secured by ropes to moorings or by having extensible robotic arms secure the hydrogen container to the pontoon. This is discussed below.

Ocean Transport Efficiency

[0198] The energy used to power a vessel increases with the speed of the vessel. High speed transportation is necessary with expensive purpose-built ships. Instead, the supply chain with hydrogen cylinders can be designed to eliminate the need for high speed transportation.

[0199] Energy supply companies will want to have a reserve of hydrogen so that they can continue to provide electricity without interruption much as companies running coal fired power stations want large reserves of coal close to the power station. Traditionally this means that they would have large tanks of hydrogen near their fuel cell facility. However there is another model where is a large reserve of energy stored in a number of smaller containers, and where new supplies of hydrogen arrive before the stored supplies are used. The storage is therefore partially in the supply chain as well as at the destination. This allows the transport of the hydrogen containers to be slow, e.g. 8 knots, meaning that the trip from Cairns in Australia to Tokyo in Japan is about 7 days.

[0200] This supply chain model allows for the cost of transportation to be dramatically reduced. The cost of transport by an ocean-going tug will be a fraction of the cost of transport in an expensive specially designed ship. In fact, the costs setting of the hydrogen generation, storage and transport, and the generation of electricity from the hydrogen may be similar to the cost of a specialized ship.

[0201] If rough weather is encountered, the tug can release the towing line to take action to survive the storm, e.g. by turning into the weather. Once the storm is over, the tug can reconnect to the containers and continue its journey.

[0202] The containers will all be connected to the tug via a power and communication cable. Information will be logged and transmitted including: ID of the hydrogen container (each hydrogen container will have a unique ID), destination, what is in the hydrogen container and information about its state, who the hydrogen container is being delivered to, transaction references etc., plus current data: precise GPS location, depth as measured by the water temperature, salinity and pressure outside the hydrogen container, temperature and pressure of the hydrogen inside the container, if there are two skins, the pressure and temperature between the skins, the relative speed of the hydrogen container to the water (this and the GPS position will provide a measure of ocean currents etc.), a measure of the energy in onboard batteries to power communications if the communication cable is disconnected, and so on. The hydrogen container may also have a separate hydrogen store that will drive a fuel cell to keep the batteries on the hydrogen container charged. One implementation of this separate fuel store will have a one-way valve from the main container to the separate hydrogen store so that when the pressure in the main container exceeds the pressure in the hydrogen store, hydrogen will flow into, but not out of, the separate hydrogen store. A separate pipe connection to the main hydrogen pipe connection can also be provided. Having a fuel cell in or on a hydrogen container will mean that the smart buoy halves connected to the hydrogen container will be able to be charged by the hydrogen container they are attached to by a power cable attached to the towing rope. This hydrogen store can be independently refilled when the cylinder is being recharged with hydrogen. The batteries will also be recharged whenever the hydrogen container loads and unloads fuel.

[0203] In order to be able to find a jettisoned hydrogen container, the hydrogen container will deploy an antenna or a smart buoy with an antenna attached to it with a communications capability that will broadcast the exact location of the container. Smart buoys have batteries to operate when they are separated from a tug. When connected to a tug, to a hydrogen container or at anchor, the smart buoys can be recharged. As a backup, drones can be used to triangulate radio signals from the antenna. The smart buoy is described below.

[0204] The transport system can be made even more efficient by calculating and optimizing the course that an ocean-going tug will take by using known ocean currents and current ocean current modelling to reduce the voyage time by selecting routes where the ocean current will assist the voyage and avoiding routes that would take the tug into currents that would impede the voyage. A knowledge base of useful ocean currents will be collected for this purpose from tugs and containers transporting hydrogen. When sufficient data is collected, machine learning algorithms can be developed to further improve route selection. Adverse currents may determine the power and speed of the ocean-going tug, and may limit the number of hydrogen containers that a tug may be able to tow.

[0205] The towing rope on the tug will be attached to a frame that will extend below the water terminating a few centimetres above the draught (or the lowest part) of the tug. This will minimize the angle of the tow rope to the horizontal, and hence the downward pressure on the stem of the tug. A longer rope will also reduce the towrope angle from the horizontal.

Determining the Optimal Design and Size (or Sizes) of Hydrogen Containers

[0206] There are multiple factors required to determine the optimal size or sizes of hydrogen containers which include:

[0207] Cost of manufacture of different sized containers built with different construction techniques, such as double skinned containers and pressures that the containers are safely designed for.

[0208] These costs will include the cost per unit volume of the container, the energy storage per m3 (doubling the pressure doubles the energy stored), the total energy storage in the hydrogen container and the energy input required to create the containers so that the system can be optimized for energy efficiency.

[0209] Doubling the dimensions of the hydrogen container will increase the area by 4 and the volume by 8. Larger containers may require thicker walls, but the physical strength to resist rough weather at sea that a containers will need will be significantly lower if it is towed at 15m below the surface than if it was towed on the surface.

[0210] It may be possible to purchase suitable commercially available pipe at an attractive price but transport to the sea may present difficulties. It is likely that the containers will need to be constructed at the water's edge. This may require a purpose-built factory using specialized pipe manufacture equipment. Manufacture costs per unit volume are likely to reduce with increased size but there are likely to be upper size limits if existing automated pipe manufacturing equipment is used.

[0211] Lifetime of the hydrogen container as a hydrogen storage facility can be extended as discussed above. Longer lifetimes will mean lower amortized costs and amortized energy inputs.

[0212] Optimal size of hydrogen containers may also depend on their ability to be reused in other applications, such as floating pontoons which will depend on the optimal size and configuration of the floating pontoons. If the same sized hydrogen container can be used in all applications, the cost of manufacture will reduce significantly and the amortization costs and amortized energy inputs of the storage and transport of energy will be reduced by the value of the hydrogen container for other purposes.

[0213] The energy generation capacity of the floating or onshore fuel cell plants that will generate electricity from the stored hydrogen. The hydrogen storage system should have the capacity to maintain supply of electricity from the fuel cell to the grid or other user whenever it is needed. At minimum, there will be two berths to enable the discharge of hydrogen from the hydrogen containers to power the fuel cells: one berth that is discharging and the other cell to enable the empty fuel cell to be removed and replaced by a full fuel cell. More berths can be added. In addition, the speed of response to the request for more energy is very important as very fast response times have significantly higher prices. Installing a quickly responding battery close to the fuel cell may increase the price of the energy provided.

[0214] The size of hydrogen containers will be chosen where possible to reduce operational costs. The smaller the containers, the more frequently they will be emptied, and the more frequently empty containers will be exchanged for full containers. Frequent hydrogen cylinder changes will increase operational costs and may require extra equipment, such as additional tugs. The size of the hydrogen container should therefore be large enough for one hydrogen container to supply a fuel cell for sufficient time for another hydrogen cylinder to be conveniently connected to the fuel cells. 2-3 days is likely to be a convenient time.

[0215] The size, the shape and the hydrodynamic qualities of the hydrogen container can be optimized to minimize drag when it is being towed and minimize the energy used to transport say 1 KWh of energy, which will be the volume of hydrogen x pressure.

[0216] The hydrogen production capacity in the early stages of the project will be limited and it will be more efficient to deliver smaller hydrogen containers more frequently than a large hydrogen container less frequently

[0217] The market demand: it is likely that smaller cities with low to medium energy demands will want smaller hydrogen cylinders to store hydrogen, as well as smaller fuel cell plants to generate electricity. Being able to address a bigger number of locations will increase the benefits of the system, including improving grid utilization efficiency, discussed below.

[0218] Risk can be reduced by having smaller hydrogen containers: the cost of losing a hydrogen container or losing the contents of a hydrogen container will reduce with size

[0219] Cost and energy input of the manufacture of the containers. Doubling the dimensions of the hydrogen container will increase the area by 4 and the volume by 8. Larger containers may require thicker walls, but the strength that a hydrogen container will need will be significantly lower if it is towed at 15m below the surface than if it was towed on the surface. It may be possible to purchase suitable commercially available pipe at an attractive price but transport to the sea may present difficulties. It is likely that the containers will need to be constructed at the water's edge. This may require a purpose-built factory using specialized pipe manufacture equipment. Manufacture costs per unit volume are likely to reduce with increased size but may increase if the size of the hydrogen container exceeds e.g. automated pipe manufacturing equipment.

[0220] Hydrogen containers can be delivered at different pressures so that for example, a smaller island may only need a hydrogen container filled at a lower pressure. However, this depends on the location of the island, because if it is remote, it may be more efficient to order several full containers and not have a delivery for an extended time.

[0221] The following information relating to outside constraints needs to be collected:

[0222] The size, shape and weight and generational capacity of industrial fuel cells supplied by third parties, plus the size, shape and weight of all the other components of a fuel cell pontoon

[0223] The size, shape and weight and generational capacity of industrial hydrogen generating electrolysis plants supplied by third parties, plus the size, shape and weight of all the other components of a hydrogen generation cell pontoon

[0224] The size constraints applied by suitable robotic equipment of sufficient quality to make highly sealed and suitably strong hydrogen containers

[0225] Resistance to towing of different shaped hydrogen containers when towed at different speeds, which will be calculated using simulation software

[0226] Pontoon design input for the reuse of hydrogen containers

[0227] Locating the manufacturing facilities in an area with a significant tide will enable energy savings by positioning the ballast system in a tidal dry dock. At high time, float the hydrogen container into the dry dock and position over the ballast system. At low tide, permanently connect the ballast system and float out the hydrogen container connected to the ballast at high tide. Similar procedures can be done to transfer a used hydrogen container from the transport of hydrogen to incorporation in a truss as part of a pontoon.

Storing hydrogen containers at the destination at sea

[0228] Instead of building a large on shore facility, any number of hydrogen containers can be safely stored at sea by slowly sinking the hydrogen container so that it sits gently on the seafloor in shallow enough water for the hydrogen container to be able to withstand the external water pressure. The ballast system provides the structural support to allow the hydrogen container to rest on an uneven seabed. Additionally, the hydrogen containers can be secured by attaching the hydrogen container to a secure mooring, so that if the hydrogen container starts to float, it will still be held in place.

[0229] To enable the hydrogen container to sink slowly, ballast pressure sensors are placed on the ballast system which measure the pressure at a number of points on each on the underside of the lowest ballast cylinders. When the ballast pressure sensors detect a set pressure value has been sensed, then the ballast system will be sealed off by the system to stop more water entering or air escaping.

[0230] As they are underwater, the hydrogen containers are out of sight, and being below the draught of even the largest ships, the hydrogen containers will not interfere with navigation.

[0231] The only cost is the cost of selecting the location of places where hydrogen containers can be stored, and building permanent moorings if this is required.

[0232] Mooring a hydrogen container to an anchor point has another significant advantage. A pipe can be laid to the anchor point and once the hydrogen container is attached by a rope to the anchor point, a robotic device can navigate along the rope, dragging a pipe connection, power and communications, and connect the hydrogen container to the pipe, power and communications so that it can discharge or store hydrogen and provide detailed monitoring information.

[0233] Where hydrogen containers are stored at sea, they can be moored to an anchor. The hydrogen container can rest on the seabed or be floating. If the hydrogen container is floating, it will reposition itself based on currents and tides, so a circular area of the length of the anchor chain plus the length of the hydrogen container will be required for each container. This area will be larger where the water is deeper because there will be a longer anchor chain.

[0234] Usually the hydrogen containers will be stored at sea, but they could be stored in harbours. In some shallow harbours, the containers may need to raise themselves to avoid grounding themselves on the harbor floor. Once in position, the containers could lower themselves onto the harbor floor instead of being moored. The ballast tanks can provide structural support.

[0235] Being able to safely store what is effectively an unlimited amount of energy close to a large city will ensure energy security. The costs are minimal: the amortized costs of the moorings, the rent on the hydrogen containers and the interest on the value of the energy stored.

Charging and Discharging the Floating Hydrogen Container

[0236] As it is convenient to store hydrogen containers on the seabed in shallower water, hydrogen can be piped to a floating hydrogen generation plant either floating, or on land, preferably in a place where grid connection is convenient and low cost.

[0237] The generation of hydrogen from electrolysis may take place in deeper water if a pontoon is used to store energy for the electrolysis, e.g. from a solar farm during the day for electrolysis at night. Alternatively, the pontoons storing energy can be in deeper water and can be connected by a submarine electric cable to the hydrogen generation system closer to shore.

[0238] In the shallower water, one option is to have a pipe attached to the anchor chain that a robotic device can attach to the hydrogen container so that the hydrogen container can be emptied or filled while it is moored, reducing operational costs. The pipe would be laid along the seabed and attach to either a fuel cell platform for the generation of electricity or an electrolysis unit for the generation and storage of hydrogen.

[0239] Another option that may be used in deeper water is to charge and discharge hydrogen containers at specially built floating pontoons for charging the discharging the container. Lines are attached to the floating hydrogen container to pull it under the pontoon. Once in place the hydrogen container will expel water from its buoyancy floats and rise into a housing that will hold the hydrogen container in place with the force evenly distributed along the surface of the floating hydrogen container. The hydrogen container can also be pulled into location under the pontoon and then be secured by two or more remotely controlled extensible robotic arms that will attach to specifically designed places on the hydrogen container. A pipe is sealed over a hatch and the hatch is then opened remotely to allow for the ingress or ingress of the hydrogen.

Using the Grid to Transfer Renewable Energy

[0240] The grid has been designed to distribute power from power stations fueled by coal, gas, nuclear etc. and delivered to consumers. There are fewer consumers at the grid edges, so the grid capacity is lower. Connecting a solar or wind farm at the edge of the grid can be expensive because the connection should happen at a place in the grid which can handle the capacity at peak times.

[0241] The grid usually has spare capacity so transferring energy at night time can be achieved in the evening and at night without overloading the grid. To transfer energy at night will usually mean that surplus energy is stored during the day at a solar farm already connected to the grid and transferred at night to an energy storage facility at night which is situated inside the grid where it can be used to provide power when energy demand is high. An energy storage facility to power coastal cities could be situated at sea and connect to substations in the city, probably near the shore.

Distributing hydrogen by rail and storing hydrogen on land

[0242] Hydrogen can be distributed by road or rail without upgrading the electricity grid. The tanks on trucks and on railcars can be used as storage, but the cost of these tanks may be significant, and it may be more cost effective to put the hydrogen into large above or below ground tanks close to a fuel cell electricity generation plant that is situated close to a grid connection.

[0243] The cost of rail transport, land purchase and construction should be compared to delivering hydrogen to coastal cities and towns by storing the hydrogen in hydrogen containers, delivering hydrogen cylinders by tug, storing hydrogen at sea, and pumping the hydrogen to a fuel cell electricity generation plant on shore and close to the shore or at on a pontoon sea. Many of these costs will depend on the location and the existing infrastructure.

[0244] Producing hydrogen by electrolysing water currently required clean water which can be trucked in by road or rail with the empty hydrogen containers. The pressure of the hydrogen in the trucking containers should be at 55.55 atm which is the pressure at which 1 litre of water will generate 1 litre of hydrogen and allow for the transport in of water and the transport out of hydrogen.

[0245] Clean water can also be collected locally from rain capture, from a clean source, collected from the water vapor in the air, and, if close to the sea, by using a desal plant or passive solar systems to desalinate the water. Newer technologies that will allow the direct electrolysis of seawater will remove the need for clean water.

Siting Hydrogen Generation and Hydrogen Fuel Cells

[0246] There are vast areas of Australia and other countries that can be used for economic solar generation: low land costs and which are sunny for most of the year. The problem is how to store and transport the energy. One way is to build a connection to the grid. Existing wind or solar farms can increase their energy generation and store surplus power which can then be transferred at night to storage inside the grid where it can be used to provide power when energy demand is high. Another way is to generate hydrogen and distribute the hydrogen by existing rail or by truck to fuel call facilities inside the grid where the hydrogen can be turned directly into electricity when the demand is high. Yet another way is to generate hydrogen in an inaccessible area, store and transport it in a hydrogen container, and then use it to generate energy at sea or close to the shore, or unload the hydrogen and transport it to fuel cell plants close to grid connection locations. The hydrogen can act as an energy store in the same way coal is currently used to provide base power.

[0247] Hydrogen generation plants (electrolysis) require energy input. They operate most efficiently on a 24/7 basis. If these plants are powered by solar power, then energy storage will be required for nighttime and when the weather is not sunny. The electrolysis plants can be located on a solar farm.

[0248] A solar farm by the sea can have a hydrogen generation plant on shore pumping hydrogen it produces to fill rail or truck mounted containers for distribution on land, or by pumping the hydrogen directly into a submerged hydrogen container at sea close to the solar farm.

[0249] Alternatively, the electrolysis can be located on a floating pontoon that can be towed into place and can be moved.

[0250] Similarly, hydrogen piped from submerged hydrogen containers at sea can be used to power a hydrogen fuel cell on land close to the hydrogen containers, or can be used to power a hydrogen container at sea on a floating pontoon, which is connected to the grid via a cable.

Siting Floating Hydrogen Fuel Cells at Sea

[0251] Hydrogen plants to generate hydrogen from water are relatively small and light (they power planes) and can fit onto a sufficiently large floating pontoon. Electrolysis plants currently require two inputs: electricity and clean water which can be provided by a cable and a hose from shore but new technologies may allow the efficient and cost efficient generation of hydrogen from seawater.

[0252] If hydrogen is stored at 55.55 atm, then 1 litre of water will produce 1 litre of hydrogen and the same containers used to transport the hydrogen could be used to transport clean water to the hydrogen generation plant.

[0253] Seawater can also be purified by reverse osmosis but this in energy intensive and therefore expensive.

[0254] Clean water can also be collected from rain and from the atmosphere, even in the driest of places. Atmospheric Water Generators (AWG) harness the humidity in the air and generates clean high-quality drinking water at low cost. The higher the humidity the higher the output. Some low-cost systems that passively collect fog and dew have been developed.

[0255] A further method is to use the sun to passively desalinate water. Seawater is put into a container and covered by a transparent sheet such as polythene. The sun heats seawater which creates water vapor (clean water) that condenses on the inside of the polythene and runs down the polythene where it is collected.

[0256] Electrolysis plants that use membranes to separate hydrogen and oxygen typically require clean water as seawater degrades the membrane. New technologies that use specially designed and shaped anodes and cathodes to separate the oxygen and hydrogen should enable the electrolysis of seawater are being developed and show promise.

[0257] Hydrogen generation plants at sea can pump hydrogen directly into a floating underwater hydrogen container. Green power sources could include one or more wind turbines, a solar farm, either on shore or floating, wave generation and generation of electricity using turbines in currents. When full, the hydrogen container can be transported to a floating fuel cell plant and used directly by that plant to generate electricity which is provided by a cable to shore. There is no double handling of the hydrogen. The energy used to compress the hydrogen can be reclaimed by using a small turbine at the floating fuel cell plant.

[0258] If natural gas is stored in the hydrogen containers, then the floating pontoon used to generate electricity could contain a marine gas turbine connected to a generator such as is used in ships. The gas turbines can be started quickly and can be used to even out peaks and troughs in energy demand, as well as to stabilize the grid. Alternatively, the gas turbine may be located onshore with the gas piped from the hydrogen container to the gas turbine.

[0259] As there is electricity available, the pontoons and equipment can be protected by using sacrificial anodes. Other benefits include:

[0260] Safe storage of vast amounts of hydrogen underwater close to cities giving those cities energy security at little cost.

[0261] Hydrogen generation plants and fuel cell plants can be sited near most coastal cities, which are major consumers of energy, and can provide a direct supply of electricity directly into the city. This is likely to reduce grid loading and help stabilize the grid voltage and frequency. Siting the floating fuel plants near existing substations will reduce grid connection costs.

[0262] A plant can be submerged during normal operation so that an unsightly plant is not usually visible. With fuel cells generating electricity, air will be needed to supply oxygen for the chemical process, and so a snorkel and probably onboard air storage will be needed. It may be impractical to submerge a gas turbine due to the high volume of air needed.

[0263] No need to buy expensive land assets to install plant on land.

[0264] Mass production of the plants in purpose-built factories by the sea, floating them into place. This will reduce unit costs and allow for the international roll out of this technology quickly and with minimal delays and quality problems.

[0265] Floating hydrogen generation platforms seem ideally suited to generate hydrogen for transportation and sale of hydrogen in hydrogen containers from energy provided by wind farms in the ocean.

Optimizing the size and location of fuel cell pontoons generating electricity.

[0266] Floating energy generation facilities can be located in multiple areas that have the right sea and seabed conditions and suitable connections to the grid. In order to optimize the locations of the energy generation facilities for grid optimization, the following information should be collected and entered into a computerized digital geographic information system that can be queried by external systems. The collected data should be in digital electronic form suitable to be imported into a geographic information system. Some information may only be available in analogue form such as map images and printed maps and will therefore need to be digitized:

[0267] Topography and geology of seabed, which includes water depth, access to sea and whether permanent anchors can be drilled into a rock seabed.

[0268] Commercial and recreational uses include shipping channels, recreation and fishing.

[0269] Weather information which includes monthly high and low tide marks and their times, a distribution of wind speed by direction, a distribution of waves height and direction including reflected waves from shoreline cliffs.

[0270] Grid connection access options and routes. Around a city there will likely be multiple options to connect. Multiple pontoons can feed into the one grid connection. A grid connection capacity may be limited by substation capacity, so running an undersea or onshore cable to a larger substation may be required, or more than one grid connection may be required. Looking at reasons, such as planning permissions, that may restrict or delay a grid connection.

[0271] Areas where the site of a pontoon would be opposed on visual grounds. This will be opinion information from knowledgeable individuals.

[0272] Locations where materials for heavy submerged weights can be sources from, and locations where they can be constructed and transported and installed beneath a pontoon.

[0273] Town and cities the areas near the coast will likely be at the extremities the grid and providing power to the grid extremities could reduce strain on other parts of the grid. Connecting to a large substation near the coast that can power a significant urban area will increase system efficiencies. This can be initially a peak demand service but will probably be run at full capacity as this will allow other areas to access more power. A second or third power generation can be floated in and can use the same grid connection. Storing hydrogen at sea can provide low cost, safe energy storage.

Locating hydrogen generation systems

[0274] As stated previously, hydrogen generation systems can be located on the shore and the hydrogen pumped into hydrogen containers at sea for distribution. Another option is to have the hydrogen generation capacity inland and the hydrogen transported by rail or road. A third option is to have the hydrogen generation facilities located at sea with a direct feed into the submerged hydrogen container.

[0275] The low cost, non-urgent transport solution allows the solar farm and the hydrogen generation plant to be sited in remote areas where the cost of land is low, clean water is available for hydrolysis and the weather conditions are ideal.

[0276] There are vast areas of Australia where a large solar farm can be located close to the sea and a dedicated cable to the hydrogen generation plant can connect the solar farm to the hydrogen generation pontoon without a grid connection. This reduces the capital cost and the efficiency of the system as both the solar farm and the hydrogen generation system operate on DC, and DC cables can be very efficient transporting electricity.

[0277] Mechanical energy storage and other forms of energy storage can be employed at sea or in or close to the solar farm to enable 24/7 hydrogen generation operation. This may require deeper water, and may require that there is a second cable from the hydrogen generation pontoon to the energy storage systems in deeper water. One option is to use some of the hydrogen created during the day to create electricity to keep the electrolysis system operating at a lower capacity during the night.

[0278] If clean water is not available on the site, large water containers can be towed in from nearby areas. These water containers will have neutral buoyancy when filled with water. Another alternative is to desalinate the water but this will add to the capital and operating costs, increase the energy input to create the facility and reduce the energy efficiency of the system.

[0279] If a grid connection is required, the same information required for the location of fuel cell platforms at sea will be the required for the generation of hydrogen at sea. The key need is access to energy. Local storage at sea means that energy can be transported using the grid at night or when there is low grid demand.

Safety of the Floating Plants

[0280] The plants should be sited far enough out to sea that they will not be impacted by a tsunami, which is only dangerous close to shore. Boats some distance from the shore will only notice that the boat is raised and then lowered. In typhoon areas, the plant should be designed so that it can be lowered 10-20 m to avoid turbulence if that is required.

Moorings

[0281] Moorings can be achieved by dropping heavy objects to the ocean floor which should be suitable to moor hydrogen containers and the floating hydrogen generation and electricity generation pontoons. If pontoons are to be dragged down to store energy, the most cost-effective mooring will be by drilling into rock on the ocean floor to enable a large uplift force to be resisted. Areas with a suitable seabed and water depth should be selected.

[0282] Efficient generation of hydrogen from renewables requires short term energy storage.

[0283] Electrolysis plants need to operate 24/7. Solar energy only is generated when the sun is shining. Therefore, some form of low cost and reliable energy storage is required if the hydrogen generation plant is to operate at full capacity and continue to use renewable energy. Efficient and low-cost energy storage will mean 24/7 production at full capacity, but it will also allow the operators to purchase energy when it is cheap.

Mechanical Storage of Energy

[0284] One low cost and very efficient way to store energy at sea is by mechanical storage of energy. This can be achieved by pulling down a large floating pontoon, and releasing to generate electricity, raising and lowering heavy weights, or a combination of the two.

Energy Storage on Floating Platforms

[0285] Storing energy on floating platforms allows the purchase of cheap electricity for hydrogen generation and the production and storage of electricity on a floating platform during e.g. night time when energy prices are low, and the sale of more energy than can be produced from the fuel cells for the price peaks in the mornings and evenings.

[0286] If the input from the shore is AC, then an AC winch can be used to store mechanical energy. A separate DC generator can be used to provide a DC input to the fuel cells, which will provide an incremental increase in efficiency.

[0287] Another configuration is to have an electricity generation fuel cell module and a hydrogen generation module on the same platform so that electricity from stored hydrogen can be returned to the grid when needed. However, this may interfere with the operation of the hydrogen generation plant at full capacity. It is better if the energy can come independently from another form of energy storage to allow the electrolytic hydrogen module to operate at full capacity.

[0288] If energy is stored e.g. on solar farms or on wind farms, then this stored energy can be transmitted to a hydrogen generation platform for storage when there is little grid demand. This will allow the solar or wind farm operator to increase their electricity generation capacity without having to increase capital costs by e.g. increasing the grid connection capacity. One commercial arrangement is that the solar operator may be able to use the electricity to purchase at favourable prices hydrogen produced from the electricity supplied.

Connecting Floating Pontoons to the Shore

[0289] In shallow water, the cable connecting the pontoons to shore can be run along the seabed or even dug into the seabed. In deep water, the cable may want to be suspended from intelligent buoys. The cable would be attached to a strong steel cable for protection. Intelligent buoys would be used to support the cable. A communications link can be added to the power cable and each of the buoys are connected. The buoys can measure their position, and therefore the position of the cable, environmental factors, such as the water temperature and flow etc., enabling full details of the cable to be known.

Self-Contained Floating Hydrogen Generation Plant

[0290] The ability to ship compressed hydrogen by towing underwater large hydrogen containers filled with hydrogen anywhere in the world opens up the seas to energy generation. A self contained floating hydrogen generation plant has the following components: • a solar and/or wind farm to generate renewable energy, so it important to locate areas where there is good wind and/or sunny weather and strong light, as well as good weather conditions; • a mechanical storage facility on the pontoon to ensure there is a 24/7 supply of electricity for the energy generation process, • a source of clean water. This could be a water desalination plant but it may be a lot cheaper have clean water piped to the platform if it is close to shore or to tow underwater containers full of clean water to the platform - a container full of water will have neutral buoyancy - and tugs necessarily will be going to the platform to deliver hydrogen to customers), and • an electrolysis plant to generate the hydrogen and store it in hydrogen containers for transport anywhere in the world.

[0291] Siting a solar farm at sea will increase the efficiency as the temperature of the solar panels will not get as high as e.g. in a desert. One possible installation is to have the solar installation able to rotate relative to the pontoon to track the sun. Another possible installation is to have the pontoon move relative to multiple anchors to follow the sun. The individual solar panels may follow the sun. The solar panels can be installed so that they can have their elevation increased or decreased to maximise the area under perpendicular to the sun.

[0292] In a storm, the platform should turn itself relative to the anchors so that the minimum area is exposed to the storm, and the solar panels should be positioned so that they are vertical with the edge facing into the wind.

Generation of Hydrogen at an Open Cut Mine

[0293] Open cut mines are often ideal places to store energy mechanically, the geographic location provides a lot of sunshine and there are often large areas surrounding the mines that can be used for solar generation. Some open cut mines are close to grid connections and can be used to generate and store electricity for the grid, selling when prices are high.

[0294] However, some mines are not close to grid connections, but these mines can generate hydrogen using solar when the sun is shining and using mechanically stored energy at night and on cloudy days. Open cut mines have rail access that will almost always connect to the sea so that the minerals can be exported. This means that hydrogen can be produced at the mine and shipped by rail to the sea for storage in floating hydrogen containers which can be used locally in Australia or exported. Clean water for electrolysis can brought back to the mine in the empty hydrogen wagons. Alternatively, the hydrogen can be used to fill onshore tanks close to a fuel cell electricity generation plant.

[0295] In Australia, rail carriages using the rail network can be 25m long, 3.1Im wide and 10.5m high. A 3m pipe with hemispheres at each end that is 25m long will have a pipe length of 22m. The volume of this rail container is about 170m3. The number of these rail cars needed to fill a large floating hydrogen container at the same pressure is approximately 209.

[0296] If the railcars are not using the government rail network, then it is likely that significantly bigger radius railcar containers can be used to transport the hydrogen. A 5m diameter railcar container would hold 497.41 m3, requiring about 72 railcars to fill a large floating hydrogen container. The number of cars can be reduced by increasing the pressure of hydrogen in the railcar containers.

Reuse of Hydrogen Containers

[0297] Hydrogen containers with actual or suspected work hardening or hydrogen embrittlement can be used for other purposes, such as buoyancy for floating pontoons. The hydrogen containers would be used to store air, which is comprised of molecules that are much larger than hydrogen. The airtightness of the hydrogen container can simply be tested by pumping in compressed air. Depending on the state of the used hydrogen container, relining the container with a coating to fill any cracks may make commercial sense.

[0298] To use the container as a floating pontoon component, a truss will be built around the container. This can utilize the places where the buoyancy control equipment was located.

[0299] Remotely Controlled Operations of the Connection and Disconnection of Hydrogen Containers Using Smart Buoys

[0300] The remote control of a robotic arm(s)

[0301] The core activity for remote control of the connection of a hydrogen container to a tug is the remote control of the robotic arm. The robotic arms can be mounted on an ocean-going tug, or on a smaller vessel, most likely a smaller tug. Controlling the robotic arm on a small vessel that will connect smart buoys is considered in detail. Similar procedures can be achieved by using robotic arms to position hydrogen containers and to connect hydrogen pipes to hydrogen containers.

[0302] The robotic arm is fixed securely on a base plate and can swivel through 360 degreed horizontally. It has an arm that has at least three joints and three parts of the arm. Thepart closest to the horizontal base plate can raise or lower through nearly 90 degrees. The second part of the arm may be telescopic, and the third part can rotate nearly 180 degrees in 3 dimensions. The third part can attach to other devices. Sensors on the robotic arm can precisely record where the arm and its components are at all times, the angles between the arm components, the extension of the arms, the angle with the horizontal plate etc., and make this information available to a control system.

[0303] Consider a robotic arm that is controlled by someone in close proximity to the robotic arm. The human operator uses their vision to judge the location of the arm and the desired location of where the arm should be, and then uses their hands to drive the physical controls of the robotic arm so that the robotic arm is then in the desired location.

[0304] Remote control can be achieved by having the same physical controls in a different location. The remote operator would use a multiplicity of cameras and lights to judge the location of the arm and the desired location of where they want the robotic arm. These cameras and lights can be mounted on the vessel on which the robotic arms are mounted, on the smart buoys, on hydrogen containers, and on the robotic arms. The cameras and lights are connected to batteries, a control panel to control the cameras and lights, and a communications channel so that the information from the cameras and other sensors can be provided to the operator. The information from these cameras could be contemporaneously shown in different windows on a computer screen.

[0305] A manual operator is likely to move the arm in the x plane, then the y plane and then the z plane.

[0306] In addition to showing the operator visual information, the cameras and other can be used to measure and or calculate the precise distance and direction in 3 dimensions between the robotic arm and the desired location of the robotic arm. One way of doing this is to use stereoscopic information provided by multiple cameras located close together so that the precise relative location of the device and the desired location can be calculated. This in turn can allow a computer to calculate the precise information that needs to be provided to the controls to move the robotic arm from its current location to the desired location moving the arm in the x, y and z planes simultaneously. Another method of measuring distance is to attach a laser measurement device to the arm to that precise information about the distance between the robotic arm and say a smart buoy can be measured and communicated back to the control system. Other sensors can also be used including as accurate GPS location and laser distance measurement equipment mounted on smart buoys, tugs and hydrogen containers etc.

[0307] If the robotic arm is attached to a floating vessel, then the position of the robotic arm and the desired location will change over time, both horizontally and vertically, caused by such effects as waves, currents, winds etc. In addition, the vessel may tilt as the arm is extended, which again will be determined by the angle of the arm to the centreline of the boat, how far the arm extends beyond the centreline, the height of the arm, the weight of anything attached to the arm etc.

[0308] A human operator will likely wait until the vessel is e.g. on a wave crest, to move the robotic arm into the desired location.

[0309] However, by having sensors on or near the vessel measure effects like the speed, direction and propagation of waves surrounding the vessel to which is attached the robotic arm, it is possible to predict the 3D position of the vessel at a time in the near future and hence calculate how the position of the robotic arm will move over time as a result of wave, wind and tide action without having to wait for a lull in say wave action. It will therefore be possible to calculate how to move the robotic arm attached to a moving vessel so that it remains in the desired location, which might be a smart buoy, which can move relative to the vessel and well as the vessel moving relative to the smart buoy.

[0310] The software to control the devices such as the robotic arm will use the measurement devices described above on the robotic arm, on the tug or other vessel, on the smart buoys etc. to provide active real time feedback to the control system of the robotic arm so that, as the arm moves, the movement instructions are constantly being changed to improve the accuracy of motion of the robotic arm.

[0311] A computer simulation can be developed to assist an operator to perform tasks using remotely controlled equipment. In the case of the vessel with the robotic arm, this software will have simulated input from the various sensors that could be attached to a vessel or to the robotic arm, time lags for the signal to be sent, received, decoded, and sent to the control system to drive the device. The speed of the device to respond will be measured. The response of the device will be simulated.

[0312] The vessel with the robotic arm can be more realistically simulated by having a physical robotic arm in a lab which can move off vertical in 360 degrees and can move in any direction that a robotic arm attached to the vessel could move. The desired location or locations can be simulated by another robotic arm that can move anywhere in a suitably large sphere and can move horizontally in 360 degrees away from, parallel or closer to the simulated vessel. Instruments on the robotic arms and at the desired location, and simulated instruments on the vessel with the robotic arm and at the desired location will provide input to the simulation software.

[0313] A vessel with the robotic arm can be operated by a number of different human operators as well as having different automated strategies trialed. All experimental information will be recorded and will be used as input data to a machine learning algorithm to develop better algorithms to assist human remote control of operations and also automated control of operations.

[0314] A vessel with 2 remotely controlled robotic arms is directed to approach the one half of a smart buoy whose location has been determined by GPS and transmitted to the control system, or by being observed by the vessel which can for example use a stereoscopic camera array to determine the distance and direction of one half of the smart buoy. The robotic arm is extended to enable it to grab a pole on one half of the smart buoy. The vessel then tows the smart buoy towards the other half of the smart buoy. When the vessel is close enough, the second robotic arm will grab the pole on the other smart buoy. The cameras on both of the robotic arms are able to view the other robotic arm and the position of both halves of the smart buoy. Additional information about the position of the robotic arm will come from sensors on the robotic arm that can measure the angle, direction and extension of all the parts of the robotic arm. The robotic arms will then draw the two halves of the smart buoys together. The shape of the smart buoys will cause the smart buoys to accurately align. Once the male is inside the female, it hits a switch which will activate a solenoid on each pin to make the pins pass through the hole. The pins are tapered so that as the pins close, they will draw the two halves of the smart buoy closer together and form a water tight seal between the two halves of the smart buoy.

[0315] The male and female part of a smart buoy are constructed with watertight windows made of a material that will allow the efficient transmission of energy via inductive charging and short distance radio communications such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The window on each of the halves of a smart buoy are opposite each other separated by a very small distance so that the transmission of energy and information is efficient. Radio and energy transmitters and receivers are attached to the windows.

[0316] Inductive charging (also known as wireless charging or cordless charging) is a type of wireless power transfer. It uses electromagnetic induction to provide electricity to portable devices. The most common application is the Qi wireless charging standard for smartphones, smartwatches and tablets. Inductive charging is also used in vehicles, power tools, electric toothbrushes and medical devices. The portable equipment can be placed near a charging station or inductive pad without needing to be precisely aligned or make electrical contact with a dock or plug.

[0317] Inductive charging is so named because it transfers energy through inductive coupling. First, alternating current passes through an induction coil in the charging station or pad. The moving electric charge creates a magnetic field, which fluctuates in strength because the electric current's amplitude is fluctuating. This changing magnetic field creates an alternating electric current in the portable device's induction coil, which in turn passes through a rectifier to convert it to direct current. Finally, the direct current charges a battery or provides operating power.

[0318] Greater distances between sender and receiver coils can be achieved when the inductive charging system uses resonant inductive coupling, where a capacitor is added to each induction coil to create two LC circuits with a specific resonance frequency. The frequency of the alternating current is matched with the resonance frequency, and the frequency chosen depending on the distance desired for peak efficiency

[0319] To disconnect, a command to disconnect will be sent to the smart buoy from the control system. the two solenoids attached to the tapered pins will withdraw the tapered pins. When tension is applied to the towing ropes at either end of the smart buoy, the two halves will disconnect and separate.

[0320] A floating smart buoy will be attached to the towrope attached to the tug, a smart buoy will be attached to either end of each hydrogen container and smart buoys will be attached to mooring lines and lines used to position hydrogen cylinders to load or unload fuel.

[0321] When connected by a power and communications cable, smart buoys can communicate with each other via the cable. The floating smart buoys will have antennae to communicate with the tug when not connected to the tug via a communications cable. These intelligent buoys will have lights, camera arrays, distance measuring equipment and communications to provide additional information of where the smart buoy is and to facilitate the hooking of smart buoys by remotely controlled robotic arms. The sensors in the smart buoys, the hydrogen containers and the tug will communicate with each other. The tug will communicate with a remote control room where humans can control operations if required. The smart buoys can be remotely instructed to disconnect automatically, and when this happens, the smart buoys will surface and then be able to communicate directly with the control room.

[0322] When the tug starts towing the containers, the smart buoys will submerge as the towline straightens. It is important that the tug accelerates slowly so that it does notjerk the towline by accelerating when the towline is slack and then suddenly accelerating a hydrogen container. Rather a tension measuring device attached between the tug and the towing rope can measure the resistance force on the tow rope and communicate this tension measurement to the tug and from the tug to the control system. The control system manages the production of hydrogen and schedules the transportation of full and empty hydrogen containers. The control system, which may be located where the hydrogen containers are located, will instruct a tug to connect to any number of hydrogen containers in a defined order. The control system will know from the smart buoys when the tug is connected to a hydrogen container and will therefore know how many hydrogen containers are attached to the towrope. From previous measurements, the control system knows what the towing resistance is for each container. As each hydrogen container on the tow rope will add resistance when it starts to move, a computer system, which may be located on the tug, or a connected server, will be able to calculate when all the hydrogen containers are moving. Also, sensors on the hydrogen containers can measure the speed of the hydrogen container relative to the water and communicate this to the tug and or server. When all the hydrogen containers are moving, the tug can accelerate without jolting the hydrogen containers or the smart buoys.

[0323] The hydrogen containers will be ordered on the towrope. Hydrogen containers that are to be released first will be placed at the end of the tow rope and they can be automatically disconnected by having the control system sending a message to a particular to disconnect as described above, without the tug having to slow down. This will cause the smart container to withdraw the communications and power connections from the power and coms cable. When the smart buoys from the disconnected hydrogen container reach the surface, they will be able to use radio communications channels to send their location and status to the control system.

[0324] A hydrogen container will be disconnected and then the tug will travel a calculated distance before the control system disconnects the next hydrogen container so that the containers will not collide. When a hydrogen container is disconnected, the smart buoys will rise to the surface and will transmit the position of the hydrogen container. In addition to distance, the depth of hydrogen containers can also be controlled by the control system by allowing in more water ballast to reduce buoyance and lower the hydrogen container, or increase the air to increase buoyancy and cause the hydrogen container to rise. Separating the heights of the hydrogen containers can be used to avoid collisions between containers.

[0325] Operations other than towing the hydrogen containers involving the ocean going tug may include: connection and disconnection of hydrogen containers being towed, mooring of hydrogen cylinders and the connection of hydrogen cylinders to cables which are able to position the hydrogen container to connect to pipes to load and unload its fuel, the refueling of the ocean going tug, and the docking of the ocean going tug.

[0326] To connect smart buoys to pipes to allow hydrogen to be transported to or from a hydrogen container, the hydrogen container will connect to a smart buoy attached to the anchor chain. Once connected, a robotic device will move along the anchor chain and connect a rope which is also connected to a submerged winch. When connected, the winch will pull the hydrogen container close to the anchor. At a predetermined distance from the anchor, the hydrogen container will slowly lose buoyancy and gently settle on the seabed. When the hydrogen container is settled on the seabed, a remote controlled robotic device use the rope to which the winch is attached to propel itself along the rope, drag a pipe to the hydrogen container and connect the pipe to the hydrogen container to allow hydrogen to be transported to or from the hydrogen container.

[0327] The hydrogen pipe will have a male conical shaped housing on the end of the pipe to be connected to the hydrogen container, which will have a female shaped conical housing. The robotic arm inserts the male conical housing into the female conical housing and turns the housing to engage a bayonet clip to hold the housing in place. When the housing is in place, and a water tight seal is made, a smaller pipe with a high-pressure gas bayonet fitting at the end will extend into the female conical housing passing through a pressurized gel seal. The male pipe gas fitting will then attach to the female gas fitting and lock into place. The gas can then start flowing. See Figure 1OF.

[0328] To refuel a hydrogen powered tug, the smart buoy attached to the tug is attached to the smart buoy attached to the anchor with the hydrogen pipe for refueling. A robotic device travels along the anchor chain and attached a rope attached to a winch to the tug. The rope is wound in to position the tug directly over the anchor. A robotic device climbs the cable dragging a hydrogen pipe that is attached to the tug, allowing the tug to be refilled. When refilled, the pipe is disconnected, and the robotic device takes down the hydrogen pipe. Then the cable attached to the winch is disconnected and a robotic device climbs down the anchor rope until it is on the anchor side of the smart buoy attached to the anchor. Then the tug and the anchor smart buoys disconnect.

[0329] For most situations, hydrogen cylinders will be stored on the ground in shallow water. In deep water, having an anchor chain will need to be at least the distance between the floating hydrogen cylinder and the anchor. This will mean that the hydrogen cylinder could be anywhere in a large circle whose centre is the anchor.

[0330] An alternative is to have a moored pontoon which has a cradle on its underside that is designed to securely hold a hydrogen container with positive buoyancy. The pontoon is shaped so that the hydrogen container will self centre as the hydrogen cylinder rises due to positive buoyancy. Extensible remotely controlled robotic arms on the pontoons that will grab the hydrogen containers at specially designed grab points to align the hydrogen containers, and to do other activities, such as docking the tug. When not in use, these robotic arms will clean each other, and will then fold up and insert themselves into a watertight container to reduce the negative effects of the marine environment on them.

[0331] Remote controllers may use the simulations and scale models to conduct the operations described above. The information collected will be used as feedback to make operations easier, such as taller posts on the smart buoys, larger hoops and positioning the post so that the two smart buoys can connect. It may allow the positioning of cameras and other sensors to make the remote control easier. Different ways to manage the operations will be trialed and the optimal method for the circumstances encountered may be determined.

[0332] Once strategies have been developed to manage the remote control operations using simulations and scale models, full scale prototypes may be developed and these strategies will be tested and improved based on the feedback from these experiments. The operations will then be analysed to see what parts of the operations can be automated using computer code. The computer code will make the operations simpler, faster, more reliable, and easier to learn. The computer code will also be programmed to look out for things that can go wrong and if a potential problem is identified, then alarms will be sounded and corrective measured suggested.

[0333] Information from every operation will be recorded and will be used as input into machine learning based Al systems to enable the development of better algorithms with a higher degree of automation.

Training people to operate the remote controls

[0334] A system will be developed to train people to manage the system remotely. This will involve the new remote controllers learning the system reading, watching videos and using simulations. The new remote controllers will then practice using the real-life prototypes under supervision, and then will progress to real life operations under supervision. After a new remote controller has demonstrated that they can operate the system by themselves, they will be authorized to operate independently. However, the system will be constantly monitoring itself for things that might be going wrong, and will raise the alarm and suggest corrective action if a potential problem is indicated by the software.

Real time collection of information from sensors

[0335] Multiple sensors may be used on all installations and objects in the system to measure relevant information for the control of the system including:

[0336] Accurate location in 3D space of all the hydrogen containers, the suspended weights or submerged pontoons used in energy storage systems, tugs, railcars, trains and other system objects;

[0337] Detailed information about the precise location of robotic arms, and the components of the robotic arms, including where the end of the arm is relative to its base, the tilt of its base and the direction of the tilt;

[0338] State of all system objects such as the energy being stored mechanically and as hydrogen, the pressure in the hydrogen containers and in the cavity between the skins of a multi-skin hydrogen container etc.;

[0339] Actual and predicted weather conditions including wind, sunshine, temperature, current and tidal flows etc.;

[0340] Detailed system information about the production and consumption of hydrogen, energy in and out, hydrogen produced, pump temperatures and throughputs etc.;

[0341] Detailed information about each fuel cell for electricity generation and each electrolysis cell for hydrogen generation: temperature, pressure, voltage and current, volume of hydrogen produced or consumed etc.;

[0342] Data relating to the demand for electricity, the price of electricity and availability of electricity for storage etc. to enable predictive patterns to be produced.

Building a Purpose Built Hydrogen Powered Ocean Going Tug

[0343] These long distance special purpose tugs will be going from a destination at sea to another destination at sea. The tugs therefore will not need to have a shallow draft as many tugs working within harbours are required to have. If the destination of the hydrogen tanks is a shallow harbour, then the ocean-going tug can be replaced with a harbour tug close to the destination.

[0344] Special purpose hydrogen powered tugs could have a substantial pressurized hydrogen tank built into the tug, a tank attached beneath the tug, and on long trips the tug could tow an additional small, submerged hydrogen tank for its own fuel. The preferred implementation is to build into the tug a tank that can be removed and replaced for preventative maintenance to ensure that hydrogen embrittlement has not occurred.

[0345] Most tugs do not have a fixed propellers and rudder, instead they have one or more thrusters which allow the propeller to turn through 360 degrees in a horizontal plane. Two thrusters are preferred as there is redundancy and a greater ability to maneuover, especially in tight places. Often the engine driving the propeller is built into the thruster without the need for gear box. The remaining drive equipment includes batteries, a hydrogen storage facility, and a fuel cell plant to generate electricity.

[0346] The tug will also need a communications and control system.

[0347] There are two configurations of the tug: a monohull tug with one large hydrogen storage tank underneath the tug, and a catamaran style tug with two large hydrogen tanks.

[0348] Many large ships have a bulbous bow. The design of the tug and the submerged, attached hydrogen tanks should incorporate efficiencies from bulbous bow designs.

Smaller local tug

[0349] If there are smaller local tugs, the ocean going tugs do not need to deliver the containers directly to the floating installations, they need only deliver them in close proximity, pick up the empty containers and head for a new destination. Local tugs can deal with the hydrogen containers that have just been delivered.

[0350] The tugs can be designed to be remotely operated. Batteries and hydrogen fuel cells generating electricity directly from hydrogen have no moving parts. The thrusters are controlled electronically and can be controlled remotely.

[0351] A remotely controlled ocean going tug could be considerably smaller and potentially less expensive. Crew quarters, ablutions facilities, kitchen and food storage are not needed and neither are decks, safety rails, life boats and other safety gear.

[0352] The superstructure of a remotely controlled ocean going tug can be low and close to the water line enabling better stability and handling in bad weather which will improve the ability of the tug to right itself if it has been heavily tilted.

Claims

1. A hydrogen container including: a body with a first hemispherical end spaced apart from a second hemispherical end; a cylindrical sidewall connecting the first and second ends to form the body of the hydrogen storage container; a cavity defined by the body; and one or more bands wrapped around the container to increase an amount of allowable pressure contained within the cavity of the hydrogen container, wherein each of the one or more bands include one or more segments with ends that are connectable with one another to surround the sidewall of the hydrogen container, wherein each of the one or more segments has two ends, each end having a lug to connect with a corresponding end of the one or more segments, wherein the lugs of each band are connectable to a truss structure, wherein the truss structure has one or more gaseous and/or liquid tanks that can be filled with air and/or water to adjust the buoyancy of the hydrogen container.

2. The hydrogen container of claim 1, wherein the lugs are connected to each other by a pressing force or a hydraulic press.

3. The hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein each band is formed when the lugs of the one or more segments are pressed together.

4. The hydrogen container of claim 1, wherein the lugs of each band are connectable to one or more ballasts.

5. The hydrogen container of claim 4, wherein the truss structure has one or more dense ballasts.

6. The hydrogen container of claim 5, wherein the storage container and the truss structure are configured to attach to a floating pontoon.

7. The hydrogen container of claim 6, wherein the cylindrical sidewall is an outer skin and a second cylindrical sidewall is provided to form an inner skin, said inner skin being spaced apart from the outer skin to define a cavity therebetween.

8. The hydrogen container of claim 7, wherein the cavity between the skins is pressurized at a pressure that is greater than a pressure within the cavity of the container.

9. A method of transporting hydrogen, the method including the steps of: filling the hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8 with hydrogen; submerging the hydrogen container in a body of water; and towing the hydrogen container with a watercraft.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the hydrogen container is towed below a surface of the body of water to avoid turbulence.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the depth of the hydrogen container when being towed is controlled by i) increasing or decreasing the buoyancy of the hydrogen container by actively controlling ballast and/or ii) using one or more moveable control surfaces.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a position of the one or more moveable surfaces and/or the ballast is controlled by one or more controllers to maintain a desired depth range.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more moveable control surfaces are hydroplanes.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the filling of the hydrogen container occurs at a place of generation of the hydrogen and the towing of the hydrogen container tows the hydrogen to a place of consumption of the hydrogen.

15. A method of storing hydrogen, the method including the steps of: filling the hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8 with hydrogen; and submerging the hydrogen container in a body of water for storage on a seabed.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a further step of discharging the hydrogen container filled with hydrogen is provided.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of filling or discharging the hydrogen container further includes the step of configuring the container for negative buoyancy to allow the hydrogen container to rest on the seabed.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein a further step of configuring the container for positive buoyancy is provided, to allow the container to float and be held in a position under a floating pontoon.

19. A computer-controlled method of controlling transportation and/or storage of hydrogen generated in a hydrogen production facility, the method comprising the steps of one or more computing devices: remotely controlling one or more hydrogen production procedures in the hydrogen production facility; capturing one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more hydrogen production procedures; and analysing the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures, wherein the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures comprise: releasing a hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8 from one or more of i) a further hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8, ii) a transport vehicle, and iii) one or more hydrogen pipes, compressed air pipes, electrical power connections, and communications, and/or attaching a hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8 to one or more of i) a further hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8, ii) a transport vehicle, and iii) one or more hydrogen pipes, compressed air pipes, electrical power connections, and communications.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures further comprise one or more of: releasing a transport vehicle from a further transport vehicle and/or attaching a transport vehicle to a further transport vehicle; connecting and/or disconnecting communication channels between one of more of the hydrogen container, the further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle and one or more computing devices arranged to control the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures; and filling and/or emptying one or more of the hydrogen container and further hydrogen container of hydrogen.

21. A computer-controlled system of controlling transportation and/or storage of hydrogen generated in a hydrogen production facility, the system comprising one or more computing devices arranged to: remotely control one or more hydrogen production procedures in the hydrogen production facility; capture one or more signals generated by one or more feedback sensors when remotely controlling the one or more hydrogen production procedures; and analyse the captured one or more signals over time for adaptation and/or automation of one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures, wherein the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures comprises: releasing a hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8 from one or more of i) a further hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8, ii) a transport vehicle, and iii) one or more hydrogen pipes, compressed air pipes, electrical power connections, and communications, and/or attaching a hydrogen container of any one of claims 1 to 8 to one or more of i) a further hydrogen container of any one of claims I to 8, ii) a transport vehicle, and iii) one or more hydrogen pipes, compressed air pipes, electrical power connections, and communications.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures comprise one or more of: releasing a transport vehicle from a further transport vehicle and/or attaching a transport vehicle to a further transport vehicle; connecting and/or disconnecting communication channels between one of more of the hydrogen container, the further hydrogen container, a transport vehicle and one or more computing devices arranged to control the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures; and filling and/or emptying one or more of the hydrogen container and further hydrogen container of hydrogen.

23. The method of claim 19 or the system of claim 21, wherein the one or more computing devices comprise an artificial intelligence or machine learning system, wherein the artificial intelligence or machine learning system is arranged to analyse the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors, and adapt and/or automate the hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures based on the analysis of the captured signals.

24. The method of claim 19 or the system of claim 21, wherein the one or more computing devices are arranged to analyse the captured signals from the one or more feedback sensors, and provide computer assistance during subsequent remotely controlling of the one or more hydrogen storage and/or transportation procedures based on the analysis of the captured signals over time.

25. The method of claim 19 or the system of claim 21, wherein the one or more feedback sensors comprise one or more of: a position sensor on a robotic arm, a wave speed sensor, a wave height sensor, wind speed sensor, a transport vehicle speed sensor, a water depth sensor, a water pressure sensor, a sensor for measuring the location of the hydrogen cylinder, a water flow sensor for measuring the relative speed of the hydrogen container or the tug to the surrounding water to measure current, pressure of the hydrogen in the container, water temperature and salinity sensors, pressure sensors for measuring pressure between skins of a multi-skin hydrogen container, ballast pressure sensor.

26. A container transport vessel arranged to transport and/or store one or more hydrogen containers of any one of claims 1 to 8, the transport vessel comprising: a support structure that supports the hydrogen container, wherein the support structure comprises static ballast in which the hydrogen container is supported; at least one buoyancy tank arranged to provide negative and positive buoyancy by emptying and filling the buoyancy tank with air and/or water; and at least one control system comprising at least one control valve, the control system arranged to control the control valve to provide the negative and positive buoyancy in the at least one buoyancy tank.

27. The container transport vessel of claim 26, wherein the static ballast comprises a container connection device for connecting to at least a portion of the hydrogen container.

28. The container transport vessel of claim 27, wherein the container connection device connects to the band and/or the segment of the hydrogen container.

29. The container transport vessel of claim 26, wherein the static ballast comprises dense beams or concrete that are formed to provide one or more of i) a counterweight to the positive buoyancy of the at least one buoyancy tank, ii) structural integrity to the container transport vessel, and ii) a foundation which can rest on a seabed and on which the container can rest for storage.

30. The container transport vessel of claim 26, further comprising one or more moveable control surfaces, wherein the at least one control system is arranged to control a position of the one or more moveable surfaces to maintain a desired depth range.

31. The container transport vessel of claim 30, wherein the one or more moveable control surfaces are hydroplanes.

32. The container transport vessel of claim 26, further comprising at least one tank containing a compressed gas used to remove water from the at least one buoyancy tank under control of the at least one control system.

33. The container transport vessel of claim 26, wherein the at least one control system can be controlled remotely to control connection and disconnection of one or more pipes to the container for filling and emptying the container and/or has a communication and power link that can be connected and disconnected from a towing vessel arranged to tow the container transport vessel.

34. A system for storing energy in a body of water, the system comprising:

at least one hydrogen container according to any one of claims 1 to 8 that is pressurized with a gas, and a winch/generator system arranged to connect to and lower the hydrogen container relative to a surface of the body of water, wherein the winch/generator system is powered by electrical energy from an energy system to lower the hydrogen container and the winch/generator system generates energy when the hydrogen container rises.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the winch/generator system comprises at least one winch, at least one generator, at least one rope, and at least one pulley, wherein the winch is arranged to lower the hydrogen container by pulling the rope via the pulley, and the winch is arranged to raise the hydrogen container by releasing the rope.

36. The system of claim 34 or 35, wherein the hydrogen container is contained within a support structure for supporting the hydrogen container.

37. The system of claim 34 or 35, wherein the winch generator is situated on a pontoon that stays above the surface while the hydrogen container is lowered below the surface.

38. The system of claim 34 further comprising at least one anchor arranged to anchor the hydrogen container.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the hydrogen container is attached to an I-beam.

Christopher Colin Stephen Mark Stewart Dimmock Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON & FERGUSON