Battery-Hydrogen Hybrid Train Freight¤
Overview¤
Battery-Hydrogen Hybrid Train Freight1 involves the transportation of goods by trains powered by a combination of hydrogen fuel cells and batteries. This advanced hybrid system leverages the strengths of both technologies, enabling efficient energy use, peak power management, and regenerative braking to provide a sustainable and reliable freight transport solution.
Process Description¤
- Hydrogen Fuel Cell Operation: Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity through the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water as a byproduct. The fuel cells are dimensioned to provide a constant, average power output.
- Battery Integration: Batteries are used to handle power peaks, providing additional energy during high-demand periods such as acceleration or climbing gradients. Batteries also store energy generated during regenerative braking.
- Hybrid System Management: The hybrid system seamlessly manages the energy flow between the fuel cells and batteries, optimizing performance and efficiency based on operational demands.
Benefits¤
- Optimized Fuel Cell Sizing: By hybridizing with batteries, the size and cost of the hydrogen fuel cell systems can be reduced, as they only need to supply average power rather than peak power.
- Energy Efficiency: The hybrid system improves overall energy efficiency by using batteries to capture and reuse energy during regenerative braking.
- Flexibility and Reliability: Combines the long-range capabilities of hydrogen fuel cells with the rapid response and high power output of batteries, ensuring reliable operation across varying conditions.
- Reduced Emissions: Produces zero emissions at the point of use, contributing to cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Challenges¤
- Battery and Fuel Cell Integration: Requires advanced control systems to manage the interaction between batteries and fuel cells efficiently.
- Infrastructure Development: Needs investment in both hydrogen refueling stations and charging infrastructure for batteries.
- Initial Costs: High initial investment for the hybrid system components and integration.
- Battery Longevity: Frequent charging and discharging of batteries can lead to a shorter lifespan, resulting in higher maintenance and replacement costs.
- Cost-Benefit Imbalance: The cost savings from optimized fuel cell sizing and energy recovery from regenerative braking are often not sufficient to offset the additional capital costs of batteries.
Future Outlook¤
The option of hybridizing fuel cells with batteries does not currently appear to be an attractive solution for train freight due to the relatively high costs and shorter lifespan of batteries. While the integration of regenerative braking provides energy savings, these are not substantial enough to justify the additional investment. Therefore, while advancements in battery technology and cost reductions may alter this balance in the future, the current state suggests that standalone hydrogen fuel cells or other alternatives might be more economically viable for sustainable train freight solutions.
ES Model Parameters¤
All the parameters concerning the Train Freight Hybrid Bat. FC are listed in the table below.
| entry_key | value | unit | sets | source_reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H2_EHP (layer) | -0.02 | kWh | CAN | Slaymaker, Amara, (2021): "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
| MOB_FREIGHT_RAIL (layer) | 1 | tkm | CAN | Slaymaker, Amara, (2021): "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
| c_inv | 107.51 | CAD/(tkm/h) | CAN | Slaymaker, Amara, (2021): "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
| c_maint | 4.47 | CAD/(tkm/h)/y | CAN | Slaymaker, Amara, (2021): "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
| c_p | 1 | - | CAN | Slaymaker, Amara, (2021): "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
| lifetime | 40 | y | CAN | Slaymaker, Amara, (2021): "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
References¤
| Data Sources |
|---|
| Slaymaker, Amara. (2021). "Demographic and Geographic Region Definition in Energy System Modelling. A Case Study of Canada's Path to Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2050 and the Role of Hydrogen" |
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Zenith, Federico, Raphael Isaac, Andreas Hoffrichter, Magnus Skinlo Thomassen, et Steffen Møller-Holst. 2020. « Techno-Economic Analysis of Freight Railway Electrification by Overhead Line, Hydrogen and Batteries: Case Studies in Norway and USA ». Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 234( 7): 791‑802. doi:10.1177/0954409719867495 ⧉. ↩