Role and importance of Hydrogen fuel Cell based mobility to save the World

Role and Importance of Hydrogen-fuel based Mobility to save the World

Urban Transport News

Over the past few years the increasing demand on massive mobility in India has immensely opened multiple travelling options. With over 1.3 billion population of India alone travelling for non-work related, the overall 40% of the country’s population travel over 6 Km for work, making this statistic a huge opportunity of the mobility industry. There isn’t any scope of doubt that the Indian mobility and transport infrastructure has been a constant target of dramatic changes and it has become imaginatively harder to not acknowledge the Green mobility revolution in India.

Image: Alstom

To bring game-changing plan in this particular industry, the Indian government is keen to achieve the onset on Green mobility by the end of 2030 with a potent excuse to make sustainable road transport energy and also cut the carbon emission by 37%. However government is planning to shift from green energy to fuel cell vehicle. The aim is to decarbonize the mobility segment across the Nation.

Transport Decarbonisation

The introduction of Battery electric vehicle (BEV) & Fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) are in high demand. There is no other way than adopting them if we have to achieve reduction of CGH to 95% by 2025. Without efficient electric drive mechanism like fuel cells long drive climate change cannot be achieved. The use of Fuel cell driving brings the positive impact on environment without changing the personal habits. In Fig 1 shows the suitability of hydrogen & fuel cell reflects the diverse nature of transport sector which spans over land, sea, air, freight & passenger.

Role of Hydrogen as a Fuel

Basically a fuel cell is an electro chemical reactor that converts chemical energy of a fuel directly into the electricity. More often times hydrogen has been used as exclusively to describe a reactor as a fuel cell. A hydrogen act as a carrier of energy by reacting with oxygen to form electricity

• Hydrogen powertrains: Conventional internal combustion train engine can be modified to run onto pure hydrogen.

However, a hydrogen combustion is less efficient as compared to fuel cell.

Hydrogen can be blended with natural gas with diesel in dual fuel vehicle. This allows the use of current infrastructure and hence produce low carbon emission.

• Passenger cars: Intensive cabonisation should be focused on private cars.

Toyota, Hyundai & Honda are now producing FCEV cars. The majority automobile company identified FCEV as the most important trend.

• Fuel based Buses: These buses have gained significant attraction to achieve sustainable mode of transport. On an average a bus tank has the capacity to hold 40 kg of hydrogen. These buses

may have 10-20% higher total cost of ownership than Diesel by 2030. • Trucks: They show considerable potential for fuel cell. Light weight vehicles with low speed journey could be managed with batteries. However, long haul vehicle may consume hydrogen

Interest in fuel based trucks can be seen as diesel trucks are getting banned from major city centers. • E-bikes: They are dominant for passenger transport in many regions.

Their low fuel consumption allows them to refueled using Hydrogen as a reactor from vending machines. • Marine: Marine sector holds a promise for hydrogen deployment. A ferry use to consume 2000kg hydrogen on daily basis.

Fuel cell for auxiliary power can be used for early propulsion. Port vehicles can also be early adopters. It will also improve local air quality.

Advantages of FCEV

• They produce much smaller greenhouse gases. • None of the air pollutants cause health problem. • They only emit heat & water as a byproduct. • They are more energy efficient than other traditional combustion technologies. • They do not need charging fuel stations. • There is a wide way of producing hydrogen

Disadvantages of FCEV

• The process of making hydrogen is quite expensive. • Handling hydrogen is a safety concern. • It is more explosive than petrol. • Their fuel dispensing pumps are rare.

Conclusion

The entire concept of any form of mobility is to reach from point A to point B and this will keep changing with time and technology. For now looking at the overall scenario of the country, Green mobility needs a lot of backups and funding to reach the first stage of commercial market. It is an established fact that the government is getting rightful measures to promotes the industry, the entire success of this industry depends on the acceptance level of the population of India and this can only

Major application and examples of hydrogen fuel cell usage

Category Transport Transport Transport Transport Transport Transport Stationary power Stationary power Other application Other application

Major application Hydrogen power trains Passenger cars Buses

Trucks

E-bikes

Marine

Combined heat & power Distributed power generation Portable power Unmanned aerial vehicle

happen with the availability of proper infrastructure, shortest routes, and affordable trips.

In this article we have tried to put importance on Fuel based mobility, importance for reducing carbon foot print emission, the reason for government to consider hydrogen as an alternative fuel in a long run. The investments in the sector of Green mobility has been highlighted. The usage of hydrogen in fuel cell vehicles has been explained. As an important result of fuel cell vehicle phenomena, it will play an important role in autonomous vehicle sector too.

Future recommendation

Fuel based electric vehicle will have a significant role in reaching milestone with the sustainability of Earth environmental eco system and hence the decision of many country’s government. Development in the economic sustainability of fuel cell will also rise in parallel to the situation. Reducing the cost of hydrogen production will ultimately help in achieving energy efficient mode of transport. The importance of economy of Hydrogen has opened our eyes to put efforts in moving towards Green mobility across the globe. We strongly recommend that everyone works vigorously to give the necessary importance to Hydrogen as a fuel cell based mode of transport all over the globe.

Govt. of India to introduce ‘MetroNeo’ –A Light Urban Transport System - for small cities…

 Urban Transport News

The Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA) of Government of India on 5th November 2020 has issued standard specifications for the a new urban transport system ‘MetroNeo’ to overcome the traffic congestions issues in various Tier-II and Tier-III cities of India.

Salient features

• Elevated or At-grade shared Right of

Way (RoW) • Rubber-tyred bi-articulated electric coaches – quality at par with Metro • Overhead traction of 750VDC • Coaches are capable of running on battery in Non-OHE zones. • Guided coaches for passenger safety and also upgradable to LRT • Small stations – Entry from footpath to platform through lift/link bridge • Higher acceleration and deceleration • Coaches can run very close to each other thus attaining lesser headway • Telecom network to connect coaches, provide ticketing and smart passenger information system. • Superior in terms of vibration, noise, acceleration and cost

Civil Parameters MetroNeo for Elevated

• Width of viaduct = 8m • Shared right of way can be planned for 8m of the viaduct • Road space occupied for piers is max 2.2m • No Concourse level in elevated stations, All technical rooms and TOM planned on Platform level only. • Platform width for the elevated station is 2.25m on either side, length of the platform is minimum 30m • Foot over bridges and elevators are planned for entry/exits. • Turnarounds are provided at terminals of the corridor. • Vertical gradient for viaduct = 5% • Desirable horizontal turning radius = 90m

Civil Parametres MetroNeo for At Grade

• Shared RoW for Metro Neo. If dedicated RoW is to be provided then continuous fencing/plinth is provided • Width occupied 8m (RoW) on the roads (for UP+DN line) and 12m at the stations. • If road width is not available, a Single line (4m) shall run on one road and the other line is planned on the parallel road • Width of each platform = 2.25m, length of the platform is min 30m • Station roof shall be optimized up to the platform area, not the entire road width • Ring network to be planned to reduce the headway. • Crash barriers are provided for collision prevention

System Parameters

Rolling Stock

• Rubber-tyred electric coaches with Axle load 10-12Ton • Coach width = 2.55m • 2 types of coaches single articulated with 18m length and double articulated with 25m length • 18m coaches have passenger capacity = 140 and 25m coaches have 250 • Car structure shall be stainless steel or

Aluminum • Sufficient Battery capacity up to 2025KM at non-OHE zones • Max operating speed = 65kmph • Average speed = 30kmph • Front or Back or Side evacuation can be possible as per Metro authority • Anti-collision devices in coaches to prevent forward collision and

Overspeed warnings Rolling Stock • Operate on 750 VDC Overhead traction (parallel overhead wires)

• Dedicated HT supply (22/33 kV) will be availed from Grid substation thereby avoiding the requirement of Receiving

Substation (RSS). • Ring Main Network - The power supply at 22/33 kV voltage level will be distributed along the alignment through 33kV Ring main cable network for feeding Traction Substations (TSS). • These cables will be laid in dedicated ducts along/below the viaduct. • A Traction substation (TSS) for every 23 km will be envisaged • The contact wire shall be hard-drawn copper or copper alloy wire, usually with a cross-section ranges from 80/100/107/120/150 mm2 • Height used for standard contact lines 5.5m and for lines under bridges or for depots - 4,5m up to 5,5m. • Catenary switches are provided on

OHE wires for route diversions

Traction & Power Supply

• Operate on 750 VDC Overhead traction (parallel overhead wires) • Dedicated HT supply (22/33 kV) will be availed from Grid substation thereby avoiding the requirement of Receiving

Substation (RSS). • Ring Main Network - The power supply at 22/33 kV voltage level will be distributed along the alignment through 33kV Ring main cable network for feeding Traction Substations (TSS). • These cables will be laid in dedicated ducts along/below the viaduct. • A Traction substation (TSS) for every 23 km will be envisaged • The contact wire shall be hard-drawn copper or copper alloy wire, usually with a cross-section ranges from 80/100/107/120/150 mm2 • Height used for standard contact lines 5.5m and for lines under bridges or for depots - 4,5m up to 5,5m. • Catenary switches are provided on

OHE wires for route diversions

Signal, Telecom and AFC

• Line of sight Signalling dependent on the driver with anti-collision devices and speed limits • The central monitoring system of coaches in the control centre with GPS based system • Fiber optic cables, minimum CCV surveillance in stations, an intelligent display system for coach arrival • departure. • Centralized storage is given and telecom racks can be placed below platforms avoiding separate telecom rooms. • Ticket validators are installed inside coaches with NCMC ticketing systems • Tickets are available at stations, TVM’s in local shops and other landmark areas in the city • No AFC gates in stations

Guidance System

• Kerb guidance system can be used in

Metro Neo • Small guide wheels are attached to the bus axle and are guided by vertical curves on either side of the lane. • These guide wheels push the steering mechanism of the bus to keep it on centralized path. The bus can be steered in a normal way if it is away from the guideway. • This system permits high-speed operation and precise positioning. • This type of guidance system is relatively inexpensive as compared to other systems.

Maintenance Depots

• Entry/Exit shall be toll plaza type with inlet points • The maintenance and stabling or more facilities for coaches can be done in one depot • Depot to be planned without OHE except for OHE maintenance shed • Coaches are to be operated on battery at depots

Happy to share that Ministry has issued Standard Specifications for MetroNeo suited for tier-2 cities or outer areas of tier-1/ mega cities with projected Per Hour Per Direction Traf fic (PHPDT) for next two decades up to 10,000 today. Durga Shankar Mishra Secretary, MoHUA, Govt. of India