DEMONSTRATION OF A HYDROGEN FUEL CELL LOCOMOTIVE Kris S. Hess Chief Design Engineer Vehicle Projects Inc Golden, Colorado, USA APTA 2010 Rail Conference Vancouver, BC Canada 7 June 2010 1
PROJECT OBJECTIVES A prototype fuel cell hybrid switch locomotive that will: Provide path to fossil fuel free rail power Reduce air and noise pollution Serve as a mobile backup power source 2
PROJECT OVERVIEW Funding: U.S. Department of Defense, BNSF Railway Duration: 2006 2010, concept through demonstration Results: First fuel cell switch locomotive Proved technical feasibility in rail applications Learnings for future applications 3
WHY FUEL CELL RAIL? Customer perspective Clean air!, low noise Less or no total CO 2 emissions Business perspective Capital costs rail vs. auto Captured fleet - minimal fueling infrastructure Duty cycle more predictable than auto Implementation retrofit vs. ground up 4
Business Relative high cost of fuel cells Entrenched technology and fuels Technical CHALLENGES OF FUEL CELL RAIL Hydrogen fuel storage volume Equipment scaling costs Cold weather storage 5
SYSTEM OVERVIEW Radiator module Fuelcell powerplant Fuelcell and Traction Battery Equivalent to 1.5 MW [2000 Hp] Locomotive 240 kw [ 320 hp ] (continuous net) fuelcell prime mover Power electronics Hydrogen storage Battery ventilation module 70 kg hydrogen at 350 bar [ 5100 psi ] Traction battery Ballast 6
WHY HYBRID? TYPICAL YARD SWITCHER POWER VS TIME Mean* = 75 kw 7
FUELCELL POWERPLANT RADIATOR MODULE BALLARD FUEL CELL STACK MODULES BALANCE OF PLANT POWER ELECTRONICS 8
HYDROGEN FUEL STORAGE Compressed hydrogen @ 350 bar (5100 psi) Hydrogen Storage Module Battery ventilation modules 9
HYDROGEN FUEL STORAGE In rail, fuel system volume is a challenge Other options.... 10
UNDER CONSTRUCTION 11
IMPACT TESTING 750,000 lb consist with last car braked Shock testing at Transportation Technology Center Inc, in Pueblo, CO Testing up to 5 mph impacts 12
HYDROGEN REFUELING Quick connect fill nozzle Fill rate limited by tank pressure and temp Practical fill in 15-20 minutes (70 kg) cooling compressor 13
HYDROGEN FUEL COSTS 1 kg hydrogen ~ 1 gal of diesel fuel in energy content Example cost: delivered in pipeline $2-3/kg delivered in tube trailer $9-12/kg Fuel cost is very geographically sensitive Air Products H2 production: Wilmington, California 14
DEMONSTRATION AT BNSF RAIL YARD Hydrogen Refueling Station Four week real world testing Assemble and move consists Locomotive ran independently 15
FUEL CELL PERFORMANCE Gross power operating range 0 300 kw Mean observed gross power 105 kw Mean observed net power 87 kw Mean fuel usage 5.6 kg / hour Usable fuel capacity @ 20C 63.5 kg Mean required refueling interval 11 hours Balance of plant parasitic losses 17 % Mean thermodynamic efficiency 51 % * Power data based on 12 days of operation; fuel data based on 16 days of operation. 16
FUEL CELL PERFORMANCE 17
COMMUTER APPLICATIONS? Potential for fuel cell battery hybrid duty cycle repeatable, known regenerative braking fueling defined constraints Challenges capital costs hydrogen fuel volume 18
PROJECT RESULTS Successful real world use of technology in full size rail application Successful demonstration of power to grid potential for hydrogen fuel cell locomotive Zero emission locomotive in an urban rail yard Establish learnings and foundation for future development of hydrogen fuel cells for rail 19
THANK YOU! 20