Hydrogen & Fuel Cells

AVL embarked on the development of a truck demonstrator aimed at showcasing a viable solution for fuel cell-powered trucks that fully addresses the demands of fleet operators. The development was based on a European 4x2 semitrailer tractor with a sleeping cabin and a 3.8-meter wheelbase. This approach presented considerable challenges in terms of accommodating the fuel cell system(s), high-voltage (HV) battery, e-drive, and hydrogen storage systems within the limited space.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Trucks are an important part of Daimler Truck’s overall zero-emissions strategy. Daimler Truck has demonstrated the capability of the heavy-duty fuel cell system for long-haul with the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck Record Run achieving over 1,000 km of zero emission, loaded operation in real-world conditions on a single fueling. This presentation will highlight the unique challenges and opportunities hydrogen presents for the North American heavy-duty truck market.

Europe lacks electricity and grid. This brings the question of hydrogen for road transport related to energy efficiency and grid efficiency to the forefront. Under which circumstances is hydrogen advisable and when should battery-electric vehicles be preferred?

Toyota and the Japanese Red Cross launched a medical fuel cell vehicle in 2021. While the vehicle provides sufficient electricity to medical devices in the patient transportation with zero emission, the vehicle can supply electricity to hospitals and refugee centres in emergencies. In this way, the medical fuel cell vehicle contributes both mitigation and adaptation in the climate change actions.

PFAS-free adhesives and sealants based on modified polyurethanes and silicone resins for fuel cell and electrolyser stacks and BOP components like membrane-humidifiers and filters have been developed with a focus on low hydrogen permeability and good chemical stability. These materials are applied as liquid-cured or formed-in-place gaskets by dispensing or screen-printing process on metallic and graphite-compound bipolar-plates and therefore allow fast and automised stack production.

Transformation of fuels in Indian commercial vehicles segment is embracing various fuels across vehicle platforms is pivotal for our net zero journey. In India automotive transportation segment is very diversified. Innovating with alternative fuels like CNG, LNG, electric, and hydrogen to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability. This initiative reduces emissions, enhances sustainability, and fosters a cleaner, greener future through diverse technological interventions, benefiting both the environment and India's progress towards sustainability.

This talk will look at the growing potential of hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) technology in the journey to lower emissions. Working in a similar way to traditional spark-ignited engines, H2-ICE uses zero-carbon hydrogen fuel, instead of traditional fossil based alternatives. It’s a longstanding, familiar technology that delivers the benefits of new power. Jens Huettner will explore how H2-ICE could play a key part in the energy transition.

This work presents an exergoeconomic evaluation of a 1.2 kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell designed for vehicular application. The varied operating parameters were stack temperature, cell voltage and air pressure, and air stoichiometry. The results show that air stoichiometry is the most influential parameter on the exergy cost, which is also sensitive to cell voltage and hydrogen price.