Conceptual propulsion system design for a hydrogen-powered regional train

Many railway vehicles use diesel as their energy source but exhaust emissions and concerns about economical fuel supply demand alternatives. Railway electrification is not cost effective for some routes, particularly low-traffic density regional lines. The journey of a regional diesel–electric train is simulated over the British route Birmingham Moor Street to Stratford-upon-Avon and return to establish a benchmark for the conceptual design of a hydrogen-powered and hydrogen-hybrid vehicle. A fuel cell power plant, compressed hydrogen at 350 and 700 bar, and metal-hydride storage are evaluated. All equipment required for the propulsion can be accommodated within the space of the original diesel–electric train, while not compromising passenger-carrying capacity if 700 bar hydrogen tanks are employed. The hydrogen trains are designed to meet the benchmark journey time of 94 min and the operating range of a day without refuelling. An energy consumption reduction of 34% with the hydrogen-powered vehicle and a decrease of 55% with the hydrogen-hybrid train are achieved compared with the original diesel–electric. The well-to-wheel carbon dioxide emissions are lower for the conceptual trains: 55% decrease for the hydrogen-powered and 72% reduction for the hydrogen-hybrid assuming that the hydrogen is produced from natural gas.

[1]  Clive Roberts,et al.  Energy storage devices in hybrid railway vehicles: A kinematic analysis , 2007 .

[2]  Clive Roberts,et al.  Performance evaluation of the hydrogen-powered prototype locomotive ‘Hydrogen Pioneer’ , 2014 .

[3]  Alain Jeunesse,et al.  La motorisation du TGV POS , 2004 .

[4]  Arnold R. Miller,et al.  System design of a large fuel cell hybrid locomotive , 2007 .

[5]  S. Sprik,et al.  National Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Learning Demonstration Final Report , 2012 .

[6]  Andreas Hoffrichter,et al.  Hydrogen as an energy carrier for railway traction , 2013 .

[7]  Koichi Kojima,et al.  Progress and Challenges in Toyota's Fuel Cell Vehicle Development , 2011 .

[8]  Tony Markel,et al.  Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle Energy Storage System Design , 2006 .

[9]  Ulrich Eberle,et al.  Fuel cell vehicles: Status 2007 , 2007 .

[10]  Clive Roberts,et al.  Rail freight in 2035 – traction energy analysis for high-performance freight trains , 2012 .

[11]  Felix Schmid,et al.  Feasibility of discontinuous electrification on the Great Western Main Line determined by train simulation , 2013 .

[12]  Clive Roberts,et al.  Development and design of a narrow-gauge hydrogen-hybrid locomotive , 2016 .

[13]  Clive Roberts,et al.  Well-to-wheel analysis for electric, diesel and hydrogen traction for railways , 2012 .

[14]  Clive Roberts,et al.  Analysis of a fuel cell hybrid commuter railway vehicle , 2010 .

[15]  Bernd Müller,et al.  Fuel cell electric vehicles and hydrogen infrastructure: status 2012 , 2012 .

[16]  Kenichi Ogawa,et al.  Energy Efficiency Evaluation of Fuel Cells and Batteries Hybrid Railway Test Vehicles , 2010 .

[17]  Ulf Bossel,et al.  Does a Hydrogen Economy Make Sense? , 2006, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[18]  Arnold R. Miller,et al.  HYDROGEN FUEL-CELL LOCOMOTIVE: SWITCHING AND POWER-TO-GRID DEMONSTRATIONS , 2011 .

[19]  Carl-Jochen Winter,et al.  Hydrogen energy — Abundant, efficient, clean: A debate over the energy-system-of-change☆ , 2009 .

[20]  Thorsteinn I. Sigfusson,et al.  Hydrogen energy – abundant, efficient, clean a debate over the energy-system-of-change , 2009 .

[21]  Clive Roberts,et al.  A Power-Management Strategy for Multiple-Unit Railroad Vehicles , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.

[22]  Junji Kawasaki,et al.  Development of the Fuel Cell Hybrid Railcar , 2008 .