- Email: [email protected]
NProxx hydrogen tank mountings for trains
NEWS (formerly the ENSAM engineering and research school) [FCB, March 2018, p4]. The hydrogen and fuel cell technology has been developed by the FCLAB federation of fuel cell research laboratories and electronic systems manufacturer Tronico, while Carrier Transicold France SCS developed a nextgeneration electric refrigeration unit utilising CO2 as a natural refrigerant. Logistics company Transport Malherbe is conducting road testing of the concept vehicle. The vehicle will now undergo several months of intensive real-world testing, to measure all aspects of its performance. This three-year, E5.5 million (US$6.2 million) project will be completed with its presentation at the Solutrans 2019 International Show for Road and Urban Transport Solutions in Lyons in November.
The new contract was signed in May and will include all necessary refueling infrastructure, related services, and hydrogen fuel. The new hydrogen station will be located at FM Logistic’s operation in Neuville-auxBois, south of Paris. The FM deal follows Plug Power’s announcement of a new partnership with StreetScooter and DHL [June 2019, p2], representing continued European growth as part of Plug Power’s strategic 2019 goals.
Chereau: www.chereau.com or www.chereau.fr
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ROAD project: www.chereau.com/road-collaborative-project.php FCLAB: http://eng.fclab.fr Tronico: www.tronico-alcen.com Transport Malherbe: www.malherbe.fr/en Solutrans 2019: www.solutrans.eu
Plug Power expands FM Logistic contract, boosting Euro presence
U
S-based Plug Power has signed an expanded contract with French warehousing, transport and packing operator FM Logistic, making it the first traditional GenKey® customer in Europe. FM Logistic has worked with Plug Power for five years to reduce its carbon footprint and increase productivity and efficiency of the materials handling fleet vehicles running in its distribution centres and warehouses. FM has turned to Plug Power’s GenKey solution as part of its accelerated growth and facilities across France [FCB, January 2014, p1, and see the Plug Power feature in December 2011]. FM Logistic initially adopted Plug Power’s GenDrive® hydrogen PEM fuel cell technology in 2015, through the latter’s HyPulsion joint venture with Air Liquide [April 2015], with an expanded deployment the following year [July 2016, p1]. Now the expanded relationship will include an increased fleet of GenDrive fuel cells along with a GenFuel hydrogen refueling station – Plug Power’s first in Europe – which will supply FM Logistic’s hydrogen capacity over the next five years.
4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Plug Power: www.plugpower.com FM Logistic: www.fmlogistic.com/eng-gb
NProxx hydrogen tank mountings for trains utch hydrogen storage specialist Nproxx has developed an advanced system for mounting rooftop hydrogen storage tanks onto a new regional train being built by a major German manufacturer. The Nproxx system involves fewer but larger and more efficient pressure vessels, held in an advanced mounting structure. This reduces the number of pressure vessels required and increases the total volume of hydrogen that the tanks can store, giving greater productivity while taking up less space. Traditional roof-mounting systems either strap the vessels to the roof or embed them in a metal frame that holds them in place. Nproxx has patented a mounting system that it says is more efficient and stronger. The cylindrical part of the pressure vessel has been extended over the roof dome to form an envelope shape, and the vessels are mounted on two metal endplates. This approach reduces the weight of the total structure including the supports. Both the Type 4 composite carbonfibre reinforced pressure vessels and the mounting system that Nproxx is supplying are designed to match the 30-year lifespan of the train. The tanks will support 20 000 fill cycles, and the advanced refueling technology will be able to refuel each train in about 12 minutes, using specially designed piping and support structures. Nproxx’s hydrogen storage technology has been certified by the German certification authority TÜV [FCB, March 2019, p8 and July 2019, p12]; in the spring the company unveiled a 700 bar hydrogen tank for the automotive industry [April 2019, p12]. The train manufacturer was not explicitly mentioned in the announcement, but it was
accompanied by a photo of the Siemens Mireo train, which will be powered by a hydrogen PEM fuel cell drive system being developed with Ballard Power Systems [March 2018, p5]. NProxx: www.nproxx.com
Intelligent Energy showcases drone fuel cell modules in Japan
U
K-based Intelligent Energy, a leading manufacturer of lightweight PEM fuel cell power modules for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones), recently showcased its product range and conducted a demonstration flight at an event organised by one of its Japanese customers, Robodex. Robodex hosted the event – at the Fukushima Robot Test Field, the world’s first test base for drone operation and control of long-distance flights – for its Japanese partners and potential customers, to highlight the capabilities of alternative power solutions available for drones. Robodex and Intelligent Energy conducted a demonstration flight to showcase Intelligent Energy’s 800 W Fuel Cell Power Module (FCPM), integrated in a DJI Matrice 600 (M600) Pro multirotor drone. The event also marked the first time that IE’s latest 2.4 kW fuel cell power module [FCB, May 2019, p6] has been shown in Japan. Later this year Robodex will launch a new design of its large hybridised drone with the new Intelligent Energy 2.4 kW FCPM, which will be able to lift a heavier payload. ‘Initially, we will be offering the 2.4 kW FCPM to select customers, of which Robodex is one. The modules will then be made widely available to customers from early 2020,’ says Lee Juby, Chief Sales Officer at Intelligent Energy. ‘This latest product can achieve much longer flight times, for example on a DJI M600 Pro frame with a 9 litre, 300 bar hydrogen cylinder, a retrospectively fitted 2.4 kW FCPM could achieve a flight time of over 80 minutes with a 3 kg payload, [compared] to just 20 minutes with its battery power pack.’ Intelligent Energy’s 800 W FCPM was recently used to smash the world record for the longest multirotor flight time, conducted by South Korean company MetaVista [February 2019, p5 and March 2019, p4], which achieved a flight time of 12 h, 7 min, 5 s using liquid hydrogen to fuel the module. Intelligent Energy: www.intelligent-energy.com
August 2019
The new contract was signed in May and will include all necessary refueling infrastructure, related services, and hydrogen fuel. The new hydrogen station will be located at FM Logistic’s operation in Neuville-auxBois, south of Paris. The FM deal follows Plug Power’s announcement of a new partnership with StreetScooter and DHL [June 2019, p2], representing continued European growth as part of Plug Power’s strategic 2019 goals.
Chereau: www.chereau.com or www.chereau.fr
D
ROAD project: www.chereau.com/road-collaborative-project.php FCLAB: http://eng.fclab.fr Tronico: www.tronico-alcen.com Transport Malherbe: www.malherbe.fr/en Solutrans 2019: www.solutrans.eu
Plug Power expands FM Logistic contract, boosting Euro presence
U
S-based Plug Power has signed an expanded contract with French warehousing, transport and packing operator FM Logistic, making it the first traditional GenKey® customer in Europe. FM Logistic has worked with Plug Power for five years to reduce its carbon footprint and increase productivity and efficiency of the materials handling fleet vehicles running in its distribution centres and warehouses. FM has turned to Plug Power’s GenKey solution as part of its accelerated growth and facilities across France [FCB, January 2014, p1, and see the Plug Power feature in December 2011]. FM Logistic initially adopted Plug Power’s GenDrive® hydrogen PEM fuel cell technology in 2015, through the latter’s HyPulsion joint venture with Air Liquide [April 2015], with an expanded deployment the following year [July 2016, p1]. Now the expanded relationship will include an increased fleet of GenDrive fuel cells along with a GenFuel hydrogen refueling station – Plug Power’s first in Europe – which will supply FM Logistic’s hydrogen capacity over the next five years.
4
Fuel Cells Bulletin
Plug Power: www.plugpower.com FM Logistic: www.fmlogistic.com/eng-gb
NProxx hydrogen tank mountings for trains utch hydrogen storage specialist Nproxx has developed an advanced system for mounting rooftop hydrogen storage tanks onto a new regional train being built by a major German manufacturer. The Nproxx system involves fewer but larger and more efficient pressure vessels, held in an advanced mounting structure. This reduces the number of pressure vessels required and increases the total volume of hydrogen that the tanks can store, giving greater productivity while taking up less space. Traditional roof-mounting systems either strap the vessels to the roof or embed them in a metal frame that holds them in place. Nproxx has patented a mounting system that it says is more efficient and stronger. The cylindrical part of the pressure vessel has been extended over the roof dome to form an envelope shape, and the vessels are mounted on two metal endplates. This approach reduces the weight of the total structure including the supports. Both the Type 4 composite carbonfibre reinforced pressure vessels and the mounting system that Nproxx is supplying are designed to match the 30-year lifespan of the train. The tanks will support 20 000 fill cycles, and the advanced refueling technology will be able to refuel each train in about 12 minutes, using specially designed piping and support structures. Nproxx’s hydrogen storage technology has been certified by the German certification authority TÜV [FCB, March 2019, p8 and July 2019, p12]; in the spring the company unveiled a 700 bar hydrogen tank for the automotive industry [April 2019, p12]. The train manufacturer was not explicitly mentioned in the announcement, but it was
accompanied by a photo of the Siemens Mireo train, which will be powered by a hydrogen PEM fuel cell drive system being developed with Ballard Power Systems [March 2018, p5]. NProxx: www.nproxx.com
Intelligent Energy showcases drone fuel cell modules in Japan
U
K-based Intelligent Energy, a leading manufacturer of lightweight PEM fuel cell power modules for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones), recently showcased its product range and conducted a demonstration flight at an event organised by one of its Japanese customers, Robodex. Robodex hosted the event – at the Fukushima Robot Test Field, the world’s first test base for drone operation and control of long-distance flights – for its Japanese partners and potential customers, to highlight the capabilities of alternative power solutions available for drones. Robodex and Intelligent Energy conducted a demonstration flight to showcase Intelligent Energy’s 800 W Fuel Cell Power Module (FCPM), integrated in a DJI Matrice 600 (M600) Pro multirotor drone. The event also marked the first time that IE’s latest 2.4 kW fuel cell power module [FCB, May 2019, p6] has been shown in Japan. Later this year Robodex will launch a new design of its large hybridised drone with the new Intelligent Energy 2.4 kW FCPM, which will be able to lift a heavier payload. ‘Initially, we will be offering the 2.4 kW FCPM to select customers, of which Robodex is one. The modules will then be made widely available to customers from early 2020,’ says Lee Juby, Chief Sales Officer at Intelligent Energy. ‘This latest product can achieve much longer flight times, for example on a DJI M600 Pro frame with a 9 litre, 300 bar hydrogen cylinder, a retrospectively fitted 2.4 kW FCPM could achieve a flight time of over 80 minutes with a 3 kg payload, [compared] to just 20 minutes with its battery power pack.’ Intelligent Energy’s 800 W FCPM was recently used to smash the world record for the longest multirotor flight time, conducted by South Korean company MetaVista [February 2019, p5 and March 2019, p4], which achieved a flight time of 12 h, 7 min, 5 s using liquid hydrogen to fuel the module. Intelligent Energy: www.intelligent-energy.com
August 2019