The Future is Now An Overview of the London Hydrogen

Fuel Cell Bus Project

H2FCSupergen

22nd May 2013

David Yorke Future Vehicle Technology Manager

First CentreWest London Buses

Presentation Overview

• The Project

• The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

• The Maintenance and Operation

• The Fuelling

• Success and Findings

• The Future of Hydrogen Fuel Cell

Vehicles

• Summary

2

The Project

3

The Project

• TfL led project

• Funding from EU (part of CHiC), DECC Phase 0 - Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Whistler

Phase 1 - London, Oslo, Milan, Aargau, Bolzano,

• 8 fuel cell buses on RV1 route Commuter and tourist route

PVR 8 buses, 2 diesel spares, currently 5 buses in service

17 hours per day, 7 days per week

• Running buses as part of normal

service

4

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

• Ballard FCvelocity – HD6 Fuel Cell

• Siemens ELFA Hybrid Traction Drive

• VDL SB200 chassis

• WrightBus Pulsar body

• Dynetek hydrogen storage cylinders

• ISE integrated

6

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

• 350 bar gaseous hydrogen storage

• Series hybrid Ultra capacitor storage

Regeneration employed

• Controls similar to a conventional bus

7

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

8

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

9

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

10

The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus

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The Maintenance - Workshop

12

The Maintenance - Workshop

• Designed and built for hydrogen fuel cell

buses Two Bays

Hoist and fall arrest system in one bay

• Hydrogen alarm installed Two stage, 20%LEL and 40%LEL

Forced venting at 40%LEL

• Vent pipes for PRDs

• Bus in bay identification system

13

The Maintenance - Workshop

14

The Maintenance – The bus

• First Engineers trained to carry out all

maintenance on the bus No on-site manufacturers support

• Two trained engineers dedicated to the

maintenance of the buses

• Back up engineers/technicians

15

The Operation

• Approximately 70 drivers trained Any driver on route can drive fuel cell bus

• Route RV1 Commuters and tourists

7 days per week, 16-18 hours per day

• Part of PVR, controlled by depot

If a hydrogen fuel cell bus is

on the route a diesel is not

16

The Fuelling

17

The Fuelling

• Fuelling compound designed and

maintained by Air Products

• 500 bar compressed gaseous storage

• Cascade fuelling system No compressor

• Hydrogen Dual Phase Tanker for

restocking

• Bus fuelling by First London contractor Fuelling takes place over night

18

The Fuelling

19

The Fuelling

20

Success and Findings

• Safety is paramount

• Regulations, codes and standards Many RCS written for hydrogen as an industrial gas

• Don’t forget other hazards High pressure

Cryogenic

High voltage

• Be prepared for misconceptions

21

Success and Findings

• Well received by public

• Issues take time to resolve

• Not all issues technical Many partners involved in project

Small companies

• Training and knowledge is vital

• Skill levels have to be increased

• Buses running regularly in service

22

The Future of Hydrogen

Fuel Cell Vehicles

• No current commercial model Except fork lift trucks

• Infrastructure In a ‘chicken and egg’ situation

• Lack of vision Electric, hybrid, CNG is always stated as the ‘green’

contenders

• Regulations, codes and standards

23

Summary

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• Project up and running

• Buses running in full service

• Maintenance model close to diesel

buses

• Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are feasible Controlled maintenance

Centralised infrastructure

Summary

Successfully running

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses

in London

25

Hydrogen fuel cell

vehicles are not the

future, they are now!

26

Questions

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