SK Enmove-Hanwha Aero Develop Submersible Cooling Technology for Shipboard ESS

SK Enmove and Hanwha Aerospace are collaborating to develop immersion cooling technology for energy storage systems (ESS) used in ships.

On the 24th, the two companies announced on the 25th that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand the immersion-type ESS business for ships at the 23rd International Shipbuilding and Marine Industry Exhibition held at BEXCO in Haeundae-gu, Busan.

Kim Won-ki, Head of Green Growth Division at SK Enmove (left), and Moon Seung-hak, Head of Electric Propulsion System Division at Hanwha Aerospace, signed a business agreement to expand the shipboard immersion-type ESS business on the 24th at the 23rd International Shipbuilding and Marine Industry Exhibition held at BEXCO in Haeundae-gu, Busan.

The companies plan to secure a leading position and strengthen their dominance in the ship ESS market by developing immersion cooling technology for ship ESS and obtaining domestic and international classification society certifications. In response to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)'s greenhouse gas emission regulations, they aim to secure early classification certifications for ship ESS immersion cooling technology from domestic and international ship associations.

SK Enmove will develop fluids dedicated to immersion cooling systems using high-quality lubricants, while Hanwha Aerospace will be responsible for the ship ESS system based on lithium battery technology. They will also jointly promote activities to revitalize the ship ESS market and secure global customers.

Immersion cooling for ship ESS is a next-generation thermal management technology that cools the ship ESS by directly immersing it in fluids, attracting attention as a technology that enhances safety compared to conventional air-cooled and water-cooled methods. According to the global market research firm MarketsandMarkets, the global ship ESS market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 15.5%, from approximately $2.1 billion (about 2.8 trillion KRW) in 2021 to about $7.6 billion (about 10.2 trillion KRW) by 2030.

In March last year, SK Enmove made a $25 million equity investment in the U.S. company GRC, a specialist in immersion cooling systems for data centers, and in August this year, signed an MOU with Dell Technologies, a U.S. PC manufacturer and IT solutions company, for technology commercialization.

Kim Won-ki, Head of Green Growth at SK Enmove, said, "The immersion cooling market for thermal management in areas using electrical energy, including ESS and data centers, is emerging as a core future business area. We will contribute to the activation of the immersion cooling market and gain recognition in the global market as an energy efficiency company."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.