TY - JOUR
T1 - Performance evaluation of the hydrogen-powered prototype locomotive ‘Hydrogen Pioneer’
AU - Hoffrichter, Andreas
AU - Fisher, Peter
AU - Tutcher, Jonathan
AU - Hillmansen, Stuart
AU - Roberts, Clive
PY - 2014/3/15
Y1 - 2014/3/15
N2 - The narrow-gauge locomotive ‘Hydrogen Pioneer’, which was developed and constructed at the University of Birmingham, was employed to establish the performance of a hydrogen-hybrid railway traction vehicle. To achieve this several empirical tests were conducted. The locomotive utilises hydrogen gas in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell power-plant to supply electricity to the traction motors or charge the on-board lead-acid batteries. First, the resistance to motion of the vehicle was determined, then operating tests were conducted for the speeds 2 km h−1, 6 km h−1, 7 km h−1, and 10 km h−1 on a 30 m straight, level alignment resembling light running. The power-plant and vehicle efficiency as well as the performance of the hybrid system were recorded. The observed overall duty cycle efficiency of the power-plant was from 28% to 40% and peak-power demand, such as during acceleration, was provided by the battery-pack, while average power during the duty cycle was met by the fuel cell stack, as designed. The tests establish the proof-of-concept for a hydrogen-hybrid railway traction vehicle and the results indicate that the traction system can be applied to full-scale locomotives.
AB - The narrow-gauge locomotive ‘Hydrogen Pioneer’, which was developed and constructed at the University of Birmingham, was employed to establish the performance of a hydrogen-hybrid railway traction vehicle. To achieve this several empirical tests were conducted. The locomotive utilises hydrogen gas in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell power-plant to supply electricity to the traction motors or charge the on-board lead-acid batteries. First, the resistance to motion of the vehicle was determined, then operating tests were conducted for the speeds 2 km h−1, 6 km h−1, 7 km h−1, and 10 km h−1 on a 30 m straight, level alignment resembling light running. The power-plant and vehicle efficiency as well as the performance of the hybrid system were recorded. The observed overall duty cycle efficiency of the power-plant was from 28% to 40% and peak-power demand, such as during acceleration, was provided by the battery-pack, while average power during the duty cycle was met by the fuel cell stack, as designed. The tests establish the proof-of-concept for a hydrogen-hybrid railway traction vehicle and the results indicate that the traction system can be applied to full-scale locomotives.
KW - Hybrid
KW - Fuel cell
KW - Rail
KW - Vehicle efficiency
KW - Hydrogen
KW - Hydrail
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84889001276&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.10.134
DO - 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.10.134
M3 - Article
SN - 0378-7753
VL - 250
SP - 120
EP - 127
JO - Journal of Power Sources
JF - Journal of Power Sources
ER -