System-design-of-a-large-fuel-cell-hybrid-locomoti

Availableonlineat(2007)935–942SystemdesignofalargefuelcellhybridlocomotiveA.R.Miller∗,K.S.Hess,D.L.Barnes,T.L.EricksonVehicleProjectsLLC,62117thStreet,Suite2131,Denver,CO80293,USAReceived6July2007;receivedinrevisedform9August2007;accepted13August2007Availableonline25August2007AbstractFuelcellpowerforlocomotivescombinestheenvironmentalbenefitsofacatenary-electriclocomotivewiththehigheroverallenergyefficiencyandlowerinfrastructurecostsofadiesel-electric.ANorthAmericanconsortium,apublic–privatepartnership,isdevelopingaprototypehydrogen-fueledfuelcell-batteryhybridswitcherlocomotiveforurbanandmilitary-baserailapplications.Switcherlocomotivesareusedinrailyardsforassemblinganddisassemblingtrainsandmovingtrainsfromonepointtoanother.At127tonnes(280,000lb),continuouspowerof250kWfromits(protonexchangemembrane)PEMfuelcellprimemover,andtransientpowerwellinexcessof1MW,thehybridlocomotivewillbetheheaviestandmostpowerfulfuelcelllandvehicleyet.Thisfast-pacedprojectcallsforcompletionofthevehicleitselfneartheendof2007.Severaltechnicalchallengesnotfoundinthedevelopmentofsmallervehiclesarisewhendesigninganddevelopingsuchalargefuelcellvehicle.Weight,centerofgravity,packaging,andsafetyweredesignfactorsleadingto,amongotherfeatures,therooflocationofthelightweight350barcompressedhydrogenstoragesystem.Harshoperatingconditions,especiallyshockloadsduringcouplingtorailcars,requirecomponentmountingsystemscapableofabsorbinghighenergy.Vehiclescale-upbyincreasingmass,density,orpowerpresentsnewchallengesprimarilyrelatedtoissuesofsystemlayout,hydrogenstorage,heattransfer,andshockloads.©2007ElsevierB.V.Allrightsreserved.Keywords:Engineeringdesign;Fuelcellhybridlocomotive;Hydrogenstorage;Heattransfer;Shockloads1.IntroductionFuelcellpowerforlocomotivescombinestheenvironmen-talbenefitsofacatenary-electriclocomotivewiththehigheroverallenergyefficiencyandlowerinfrastructurecostsofadiesel-electric.Catenary-electriclocomotives–whenviewedasonlyonecomponentofadistributedmachinethatincludesanelectricitygeneratingplant,transformers,andtransmissionlines–aretheleastenergy-efficientandmostcostlylocomotivetype.1FundingsupportfromtheUSDepartmentofEnergy,USDepartmentofDefense,NaturalResourcesCanada,GovernmentofCanada,orBNSFRailwayCompanydoesnotconstituteanendorsementbysameoftheviewsexpressedinthispaper.SomeresultsreportedinthispaperwerepresentedorallyattheASMEFifthInternationalFuelCellScience,Engineering&TechnologyConference∗Correspondingauthor.Tel.:[phone];fax:[phone].E-mailaddress:[e-mail](A.R.Miller).1Theefficienciesofcatenary-electricanddiesel-electriclocomotivesaresim-ilar;theirrespectiveefficienciesdependonthespecificsoftheapplication,inparticular,thedutycycle.Tomakeameaningfulcomparison,considerusingadieselengineastheprimemoverinthetwotypesoflocomotives.Foracate-naryelectric,thefollowingaremidpointsofthetypicalrangeofefficienciesforthevariousprocessesintakingtheenergyofdieselfueltotractionpowerDiesel-electriclocomotives,whilecollectivelyworseassourcesofairpollutionthananequalnumberofcatenary-electricloco-motivesdrivenbyacoal-firedpowerplant,aremoreenergyefficientandhavealessexpensiveenergyinfrastructure.Fuelcelllocomotivesareexpectedtobeslightlymoreenergyeffi-cientthandiesellocomotives,andbecauseitsfuelinfrastructurewillbehomologoustothatofadiesel,itshouldhavesimilarfuelinfrastructurecosts.Eliminationofhighcatenary-electricinfras-tructurecostsbyfuelcelllocomotivesisthekeytoeconomicinthelocomotive:Mitsubishi8MWdieselengine-alternatorforanelectricitygeneratingplant(43.5%),voltageconversion(97%),coppertransmissionfrompowerplanttolocomotive(80%),onboardconversiontotractionpower(85%).Theproductoftheseestimatesgivestheoverallefficiencyofacatenary-electriclocomotiveas29%.Coal-firedsteamplantshavesimilarefficienciestothedieselplant.Foradiesel-electric,themidpointefficienciesare:3MWonboarddieselengine(37.5%),engineancillaries(94%),alternator(96.5%),onboardconver-siontotractionwork(90%).Overallefficiencyforadiesel-electriclocomotiveistherefore31%.Acatenary-electricismuchmorecostlythananequivalentdiesel-electriclocomotivebecauseofthehigherinfrastructurecosts(US$6–8millionpermile).Relativelylowinfrastructurecostisthereasonthatdiesel-electricsarealmostuniversallyusedonlargelandmasseswithdispersedpopulationcenters,suchastheUSA.0378-7753/$–seefrontmatter©2007ElsevierB.V.Allrightsreserved.doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2007.08.045936A.R.Milleretal./JournalofPowerSources173(2007)935–942Table1ProjectconsortiumMemberTasksBallardPowerSystemsFuelcellmanufacturerBNSFRailwayCompanyIndustryfunder;vehicleintegrator;rail-yarddemoConcurrentTechnologiesCorporation(pending)TestingoffuelcellpowermodulesDefenseGen.&RailEquipmentCenter(DGRC)Adviseronmilitaryapplications;power-to-griddemoDynetekIndustriesHydrogenstoragemanufacturerGeneralAtomicsPowerelectronicsdeveloperRailPowerHybridTechnologiesManufacturerofGreenGoatTMplatformTransportationTechnologiesCenter,Inc.RailwaysafetyregulationsinterpreterUniversityofNevada-RenoRefueli