Recently, the metal seawater fuel cell system developed by the team led by Wang Erdong, a researcher at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, successfully completed a 5500-meter sea trial in the Philippine Sea. The battery system, equipped with the "Golden Rooster" lander, stayed continuously at a depth of 5500 meters on the seabed from January 2 to April 28 for 117 days. It accumulated 238 hours of operation, provided 1221Wh of actual energy, maintained stable discharge voltage, proving the system's capability for long-term stable operation in deep sea conditions and its excellent adaptability to the marine environment.
Sea trial site. Image provided by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics.
Prior to this sea trial, the battery has passed third-party tests such as 126MPa pressure resistance test and energy density test, with the battery energy density reaching 678Wh/kg. Metal seawater fuel cells have advantages such as high specific energy, ability to work at full ocean depth, low cost, and safety and reliability. They can achieve large-capacity grouping, long-term service, and have good application prospects in the marine equipment field such as deep-sea energy stations, deep-sea observation equipment, and long-endurance unmanned vehicles.
The battery system. Image provided by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics.
