(102h) Research on Safety Standards for Mobile Fuel Cell Power Generators for Joint Civil-Military Applications

Hydrogen fuel cells convert hydrogen and oxygen into electricity through an electrochemical process, thereby offering an environmentally sustainable power system. Their high energy conversion efficiency, minimal noise and vibration, and modular installation capabilities have garnered considerable attention amid global decarbonization initiatives, resulting in expanded research and broader deployment. As advanced economies such as the United States and Japan transition from centralized to decentralized power systems, there is a growing military demand for low-noise, eco-friendly power solutions that can accommodate high electronic loads and elevated power requirements.

Currently, both civilian and military sectors predominantly rely on internal combustion generators or secondary battery-based power supplies. These conventional sources are limited by excessive noise, vibration, and exhaust emissions, as well as low energy storage density, which collectively impair operational survivability under adverse environmental conditions. Furthermore, the extant safety standards promulgated by the Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS)—which are confined to mobile systems for forklifts and unmanned aerial vehicles (KGS AH372, AH373) or stationary units (KGS AH371)—are insufficient for evaluating the safety of mobile hydrogen fuel cell systems intended for joint civil-military applications.

This study seeks to address these deficiencies by developing standardized safety criteria for mobile hydrogen fuel cell systems designed for integrated civil-military use. The implementation of these criteria is expected to facilitate the establishment of a reliable hydrogen infrastructure, while concurrently enhancing the performance of decentralized power markets and the operational effectiveness of military applications.