SUCCESS STORY
New era for automotive racing world
Bürkert sponsors hydrogen electric race car
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New era for automotive racing wolrd
New era for the automotive
racing world
Low-Pressure-Box for anode gas control
The fluid technology specialist Bürkert provided a fluid control
system for the fuel cell stack of the hydrogen electric race car
“Forze VI”. The racing team is run by students of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The hydrogen electric race car will attempt to break the record for fuel cell powered
vehicles on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife. Besides records the goal is to compete against petrol powered race cars
to demonstrate how fast green technology can be. Bürkert will
present the race car at this year’s Hannover Messe.
In the past, multiple types of engines have been used to power vehicles. In the beginning
of motoring history, also electric cars were available. At this moment, multiple resources are
used to power a vehicle; petrol, diesel, bio-fuels, natural gas, electricity and hydrogen. The developments in recent decades made us realize how important a sustainable solution for mobility is. Fossil fuels are getting scarce, expensive and are polluting. New, more sustainable
systems have been developed over the years, under which the hydrogen fuel cell car. Forze is
considering hydrogen as one of the future solutions to power vehicles and other applications,
even at home. Car manufacturers like Hyundai, Mercedes and Honda are developing fuel cell
cars and are aiming to sell these cars to the public from 2015. Many European countries are
investing into a hydrogen filling station network to accommodate these cars. Germany is a
perfect example; this country aims for 50 hydrogen fuel station in 2015.
At this moment, hydrogen fuel cell race cars are rare. Forze and Green GT are the only two
parties which develop high power fuel cell race cars at this moment. Forze is the only student
team working with high power automotive fuel cells worldwide.
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Ultra-lightweight and efficient: Bürkert’s air flow
measuring system for the fuel cell
3D simulation of the power module and its environment
Low Pressure Box in assembly
Forze VI without body
Hydrogen Electric
Fluid Control Systems in Ingelfingen, develops such individual, highly specific system solutions for a
Hydrogen can be used to power an electric car, just like a battery. There is hardly a difference bet-
wide range of applications requested by Bürkert customers throughout the world. The student team
ween a battery powered car and a hydrogen car, both cars have electric motors that power the dri-
presented its flow plan for the fuel cell to Bürkert and explained the basic technical requirements.
vetrain. The only big difference is the energy resource: A battery car stores the electric energy in a
The goal was to find an overall solution for the hydrogen supply, which had to be as compact and
battery while a hydrogen vehicle stores energy in hydrogen. This hydrogen is converted in a fuel cell
lightweight as possible while making use of standard components from the Bürkert product portfo-
system to electric energy and can be filled within minutes, similar as petrol at a filling station. This
lio. In the Bürkert-Systemhaus Gunnesch and his team developed a proposal for an integrated solu-
means that a hydrogen fuel cell car is perfectly suitable for travelling long distance without having to
tion. A compact aluminium block, which saved considerably on material, provided room for a safety
recharge.
valve, a solenoid control valve for controlling the hydrogen pressure, a mass flow meter, an overflow
valve, as well as temperature and pressure sensors.
The hydrogen system in these race cars is developed by Forze. The heart of this system is a Ballard
stack, in which the hydrogen reacts with oxygen from the air. During this reaction, electricity and wa-
New technology exceed limits
ter is produced. The electricity is used to power the electric engines; the water is used to cool the
Johann Gunnesch explains the function of the so-called low pressure block: “Coming from the tank,
brakes. Controlling and operating a fuel cell stack is a delicate process. Many sensors, pumps and
the hydrogen first passes a shut-off valve. An integrated pressure relief valve has to release the hy-
other components are part of the balance of plant, which is needed to operate a fuel cell. Electronics
drogen in the event of a malfunction. A Type 2875 solenoid control valve meters the hydrogen for
and software are used to control this whole process in an efficient and effective way. The system
the fuel cell by controlling the required pressure in the fuel cell. A Type 8701 flow meter measures
developed by Forze is lightweight and therefore suitable for automotive purposes, especially sports
the supplied quantity of hydrogen and sends this data to the vehicle’s electronic control system. The
or race cars. The efficiency of this system is 50 % which means the system needs to be cooled with
pressure and temperature are likewise monitored constantly by sensors that send their readings to
a heat exchanger. In road cars, excessive heat can be used to heat the interior if necessary.
the controller to enable the fuel cell to operate under optimal conditions at all times. Furthermore,
there is a Type 6011bleed valve, which can evacuate the entire system in case the vehicle is not dri-
Long term relationship
ven.”
The team has a rich heritage in fuel cell powered race cars. Since 2007, five cars have been developed: ground breaking and successful, both technology- and performance-wise. The first support
This car was the first hydrogen fuel cell powered race car ever to compete in an official racing event.
from Bürkert was only components. A proportional solenoid valve, a pressure sensor and a controller
With all the information and knowledge from the Forze IV, a new design was made with 50 % more
was installed in the Forze IV and function wise it worked well. But soon Forze was inspired by Bür-
power but with no extra weight: Forze V. With 18 kW Fuel Cell Power and 60 kW Boost Power the
kert to bring the solution to another level. Johann Gunnesch, engineer at the Systemhaus of Bürkert
315 kg car speeds in less than 5 seconds from 0 - 100 km/h and with a top speed of 120 km/h.
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New era for automotive racing wolrd
The first support from Bürkert was only components. A proportional
solenoid valve, a pressure sensor and a controller was installed in the
Forze IV and function wise it worked well. But soon Forze was inspired
by Bürkert to bring the solution to another level.
Johann Gunnesch
(Systemhaus Engineer, Bürkert)
First hydrogen fuel cell powered race car ever to
compete in an official racing event
The Forze VI team visiting Bürkert
A new year, a new challenge
Already used to the ambitions of the Forze teams, with the Forze VI a new era for the automotive racing world has started. With a car based on a Lotus 7 Type frame the chief engineer has the challenge to implement a 100 kW Fuel Cell and 190 kW Boost Power. The car also needs two 74 litre hydrogen tanks at 350 bar to feed the stacks together with MassFlow meter up to 5,000 l/min air to
provide enough oxygen. This was a challenge for Bürkert as well. “We integrated a new developed
laminar flow element design to achieve the Forze VI requirements and with that still light weight and
compact but at least 4 times as much capacity Johann Gunnesch says.”
Bürkert has designed the compact lightweight solution for Forze VI to achieve the Fuel Cell to power
the 880 kg car from 0 - 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds and reach over 210 km/h. The only “emission” left behind in the environment is water.
The Bürkert Systemhaus in Ingelfingen sponsored the Hydrogen Racing
Team of the Delft University of Technology with custom components
Version 03/2014 | Print only PDF | Bürkert Corporate Communications
Bürkert Fluid Control Systems
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74653 Ingelfingen
Deutschland
Tel.: +49 (0) 7940/10-0
Fax: +49 (0) 7940/10-91 204
info@buerkert.de
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