Status of Hydrogen Station and Fleet Demonstration

at Penn State

Joel R. Anstrom, Ph.D.

Director of Hybrid and Hydrogen Vehicle Research Center at the Pennsylvania

Transportation Institute

Hydrogen Station/Fleet Demonstration Background

• Emergence of a renewable hydrogen economy is a major component of a long-term U.S. energy security strategy

• DOE interim goals: (until renewable hydrogen infrastructure in place)

– Produce hydrogen locally from natural gas– Target costs and efficiencies competitive with gasoline– Store hydrogen on-board vehicles

• APCI and DOE cost-shared H2 station goals for transportation:– Demonstrate commercial cost viability of H2 station– Deliver hydrogen that meets performance criteria– Demonstrate hydrogen station/fleet at Penn State

starting 2005

Hydrogen Station/Fleet Demonstration Background (continued)

• Partners to demonstrate hydrogen station and fleet:– Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI)– Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) – Penn State Pennsylvania Transportation Institute– Penn State Office of Physical Plant– Collier Technologies– ERA Power Company

• Cost share of APCI hydrogen station – U.S. DOE

• Funding for startup, training, and first year operation of hydrogen fleet:– Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection – Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic

Development

ppt00 5

Storage

Feedstocks Fueling Station Vehicles

H2

Electrolysis

NG

Compression

H2 Storage

H2 Fueling Station at Penn State

H2 GeneratorH2 Generator

APCI CATA buses

HCNG Blend

H2 CNG Blending

OPP Vans

PTI FCV

H2

Compression

Hydrogen Station Description

Hydrogen Station Description (continued)

• APCI Hydrogen station capacity - 4 kg/hr, ~100 kg/day

• 24 car fills/day or 1 bus fill/day on hydrogen

• 3-4 bus fills/day on 30-35% H2 in CNG blend (HCNG)

• Fueling Plan (5 day/week, year round, cold climate):

– 2 H2 car fills/day at 0.6 kg (1.2 kg H2)

– 1-2 van fills/day of HCNG blend (2-4 kg H2)

– 3 bus fills/day of HCNG blend (90-110 kg H2)

– Plus future Penn State hydrogen research requirements

• Note: >40% load on hydrogen reformer required to prevent frequent shutdown/startup cycles

Hydrogen Demonstration ElementsPartner - Contribution

• Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APCI) – develop and support hydrogen station

• Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) – operate up to 3 HCNG buses on campus route

• PSU Office of Physical Plant (OPP) – operate up to 8 HCNG vans on campus

• PSU Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (PTI) – manage demonstration, collect data, integrate/operate electric vehicle with PEM fuel cell

• Collier Technologies – perform HCNG engine conversions, training, and support

CATA HCNG buses

PTI PEM fuel cell car

APCI H2 station

OPP HCNG vans

Bus Specification

• Chassis: 40’ New Flyer CNG passenger bus

• Engine: 8-11 liter, 30-35% H2 in HCNG blend

• Fuel Capacity: ~ 1600 l @ 3600 psi

• Operation: campus transit

• Fuel Consumption: ~3 mpg Diesel equivalent

• Fueling: three buses daily within one hour of HCNG blend

Van Specification

• Chassis: Ford utility van

• Engine: 302 cu in V8, 30-35% H2 in HCNG

• Fuel Capacity: ~160 l at 3600 psi

• Operation: campus work van

• Fuel consumption: ~8 mpg gas equivalent

• Fueling: random 24/7 of HCNG blend

FC Vehicle Specification

• Converted electric vehicle

• Fuel Cell: 1.2 kW Ballard Nexa PEM

• Fuel Capacity: 26 l H2 at 5000 psi (0.6 kg)

• Operation: test mule and grid power generation

• Fueling: twice daily

• Fuel consumption: ~70 mpg gas equivalent

• Note: custom PSU inverter and converter

HCNG CATA buses operate on

Campus Loop route consuming

majority of hydrogen, fuel

once daily

HCNG OPP vans operate all over campus, fuel at

random

Fuel cell vehicle travels between PTI and OPP, produces grid power, fuels twice daily

H2 Demonstration at University Park Campus

PTI

Vehicles fuel HCNG or H2 at

station installed at PSU, PTI an APCI

collect data on vehicles and

station for 3 years

PSU Hydrogen Demonstration Funding and Status as of 9/04

• Funding requests of $2.2M ongoing for remainder of fleet, infrastructure, and additional two years of operation

• Station components and site under construction

• First HCNG van operational

• First bus and FCV under development

• First fueling January 2005 of van and FCV

• PSU Hydrogen Day Demonstration October 25, 2004

• Estimate first bus conversion complete by Jan 2005

• Station reformer online July 2005

Contact Information

Joel R. Anstrom

Pennsylvania Transportation Institute

201 Transportation Research Bldg.

University Park, PA 16802

jra2@psu.edu

(814) 863-8904