Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CoacHyfied (Coaches with hydrogen fuel cell powertrains for regional and long-distance passenger transport with energy optimized powertrains and cost optimized design – “CoacHyfied”)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-01-01 al 2022-12-31
An overall objective of CoacHyfied project is to present a solution for the challenges of electrification and decarbonization of coaches for public and commercial transport. The project will demonstrate the evolution of the fuel cell (FC) city bus drive systems into the coach sector, taking into account the special challenges for electrification of coaches regarding range, speed, comfort (air conditioning) and luggage space. The project will address two coach types, medium range regional coaches for regional or intercity transport as well as long-distance coaches for tourist transport.
CoacHyfied will demonstrate minimum 100 kW net FC power for both regional and long-distance applications. It will demonstrate an optimized modular hybrid FC/battery design for driving speeds up to 100 km/hour and driving range of minimum 400 km between refuelling.
The first phase of the project will be focusing on the coach design and the FC system and the hydrogen storage systems integration on board of coaches. The second phase will take these vehicles into real life demonstration to collect learnings, which will be shared with the wider community of European coach operators and by integrating the coaches into an existing hydrogen and FC application environment. This demonstration will comprise 6 coaches from two European coach manufacturers, with FC technology from two leading FC manufacturers. The vehicles will be demonstrated in two different European regions - southwestern Europe (South of France) and north-eastern Europe (Latvia), representing a bandwidth of different geography, climate and operational profiles.
CoacHyfied will demonstrate minimum 100 kW net FC power for both regional and long-distance applications. It will demonstrate an optimized modular hybrid FC/battery design for driving speeds up to 100 km/hour and driving range of minimum 400 km between refuelling.
The first phase of the project will be focusing on the coach design and the FC system and the hydrogen storage systems integration on board of coaches. The second phase will take these vehicles into real life demonstration to collect learnings, which will be shared with the wider community of European coach operators and by integrating the coaches into an existing hydrogen and FC application environment. This demonstration will comprise 6 coaches from two European coach manufacturers, with FC technology from two leading FC manufacturers. The vehicles will be demonstrated in two different European regions - southwestern Europe (South of France) and north-eastern Europe (Latvia), representing a bandwidth of different geography, climate and operational profiles.
WP 1 “FC coach operation and management system” deals with the creation of the energy management and maintenance functionality. For this purpose, standardized interfaces between the different subsystems were defined to ensure the highest possible reusability of the developed functions. To develop predictive maintenance algorithms, possible state-of-health indicators and data were evaluated. An overall energy management concept for the FC coaches was drafted in order to achieve the highest possible energy savings potential.
WP2 “H2 fuel system” develops hydrogen storage systems for both coaches to achieve the necessary range with a 350 bar and 700 bar solution. These systems consist of Type 4 vessels, valves, sensors and piping as well as a frame holding these components in place. After having finished the technology assessment and system layout, the current working is focused on the fuel system layout and design.
WP3 “Thermal management” deals with the thermal management aspects of the coaches and their powertrains. The first 12 months of activity were focused on requirements capture at operators, vehicle and system levels in order to inform design requirements for the vehicle thermal management system (TMS). These requirements will be taken forward into subsequent tasks in which the TMS will be designed and validated for each vehicle, along an advanced TMS concept study.
WP4 “Vehicle certification” focus in the first period was to identify all standards and regulations in place for this project. The most relevant European standards and regulations with a focus on compressed hydrogen storage system were identified for the type-approval of vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units intended for FC vehicles with special regard to the safety-related performance.
WP5 “Business models and market development strategy” evaluates technical performance of the coaches and insight of operators’ needs. First, the technical characteristics of FC coaches were evaluated and outlined based on the conventional fuelled coach fleet by the discussion with Latvia and French coach operators. A questionnaire for coach operators around Europe was developed to collect the needs from different operators located in France, UK, Poland, Latvia and Netherlands.
WP6 “Long distance FC coach demonstration”: In a first step, an appropriate coach platform was selected, targeting a long-distance coach for tourist transport with a high payload capacity and good manoeuvrability characteristics. Two 350 bar H2-tank systems were evaluated, for a minimum of 400 und 600 km driving range. A design and packaging study was conducted by utilizing the data of hydrogen vessels, vessel frame sub-assembly, assembly provisions on the roof and valve/ receptacle box on the lower part of the vehicle body. A draft study for packaging for the e-drive components (fuel cell system, electric motor, battery and auxiliaries) into the engine room was conducted.
WP7 “Regional FC coach demonstration” analyzes the overall operational context of regional FC coaches and derives requirements for the demonstration by the French operators applying retrofitted existing diesel coaches. High floor and low floor solutions were evaluated regarding retrofitting potentials, load capacities for passenger and luggage, needs for homologation and certification etc. Final decision on the coach model, which complies with all specifications and is accepted by operators, will be taken within the first months of 2022.
WP8 “Project management, dissemination & exploitation” has organized (virtual due to Covid) a Kick-off Meeting, a General Assembly Meeting as well as an Advisory Board Meeting with ten participants from seven countries. A project platform was established for data exchange in share-point with access for all. A website for frequent public information and a LinkedIn channel was established.
WP2 “H2 fuel system” develops hydrogen storage systems for both coaches to achieve the necessary range with a 350 bar and 700 bar solution. These systems consist of Type 4 vessels, valves, sensors and piping as well as a frame holding these components in place. After having finished the technology assessment and system layout, the current working is focused on the fuel system layout and design.
WP3 “Thermal management” deals with the thermal management aspects of the coaches and their powertrains. The first 12 months of activity were focused on requirements capture at operators, vehicle and system levels in order to inform design requirements for the vehicle thermal management system (TMS). These requirements will be taken forward into subsequent tasks in which the TMS will be designed and validated for each vehicle, along an advanced TMS concept study.
WP4 “Vehicle certification” focus in the first period was to identify all standards and regulations in place for this project. The most relevant European standards and regulations with a focus on compressed hydrogen storage system were identified for the type-approval of vehicles, systems, components and separate technical units intended for FC vehicles with special regard to the safety-related performance.
WP5 “Business models and market development strategy” evaluates technical performance of the coaches and insight of operators’ needs. First, the technical characteristics of FC coaches were evaluated and outlined based on the conventional fuelled coach fleet by the discussion with Latvia and French coach operators. A questionnaire for coach operators around Europe was developed to collect the needs from different operators located in France, UK, Poland, Latvia and Netherlands.
WP6 “Long distance FC coach demonstration”: In a first step, an appropriate coach platform was selected, targeting a long-distance coach for tourist transport with a high payload capacity and good manoeuvrability characteristics. Two 350 bar H2-tank systems were evaluated, for a minimum of 400 und 600 km driving range. A design and packaging study was conducted by utilizing the data of hydrogen vessels, vessel frame sub-assembly, assembly provisions on the roof and valve/ receptacle box on the lower part of the vehicle body. A draft study for packaging for the e-drive components (fuel cell system, electric motor, battery and auxiliaries) into the engine room was conducted.
WP7 “Regional FC coach demonstration” analyzes the overall operational context of regional FC coaches and derives requirements for the demonstration by the French operators applying retrofitted existing diesel coaches. High floor and low floor solutions were evaluated regarding retrofitting potentials, load capacities for passenger and luggage, needs for homologation and certification etc. Final decision on the coach model, which complies with all specifications and is accepted by operators, will be taken within the first months of 2022.
WP8 “Project management, dissemination & exploitation” has organized (virtual due to Covid) a Kick-off Meeting, a General Assembly Meeting as well as an Advisory Board Meeting with ten participants from seven countries. A project platform was established for data exchange in share-point with access for all. A website for frequent public information and a LinkedIn channel was established.
FC busses for urban mobility are commercially available with typical driving ranges of about 400 km max. The ambition of CoacHyfied is to develop an economically viable concept for FC long-distance coaches beyond a 400 km driving range. The project will realize five main enabler technologies. i) CoacHyfied will develop the hybrid FC electric power system, the compressed hydrogen tank system, the power management system and controls and maintenance tools for coach applications. ii) CoacHyfied has the ambition to achieve best in class energy efficiency compared to conventional powertrain solutions by maximum recuperation capabilities combined with a predictive energy control concept. iii) CoacHyfied project will for the first time enable an efficient and secure data collection, vehicle and fleet monitoring and predictive maintenance routines. iv) CoacHyfied will showcase pathways for further optimisation steps in 350 bar and 700 bar H2 storage technology by optimising volume, design, cost and by adjusting the pressure levels for future coach designs. v) CoacHyfied will make the best use of the thermal energy of the FC systems for heating. Additionally, heat-to-cool concepts will be evaluated and demonstrated where feasible to make best use of the available energy. As the vehicles will be certified before the on-the-road operation in the demonstration phase, CoacHyfied has the ambition to set up general supporting guideline for the certification of hydrogen fuelled coaches to foster the design and market uptake of new coaches in the years to follow. This shall facilitate to initiating a relevant market pull for hydrogen coaches, while fostering the international competitiveness of the European automotive and especially the hydrogen industry.