Refueling Infrastructure for the University of
Delaware Fuel Cell Bus Program
Ajay K. Prasad
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Director, Center for Fuel Cell Research
University of Delaware
National Fuel Cell Bus Workshop
October 5, 2011
UD Fuel Cell Bus Program: 2005-present
•! Project kick-off September 2005
•! Goal: Research, build and demonstrate a fleet of fuel cell
powered buses and refueling stations in Delaware
•! Funded by Federal Transit Administration and DNREC
•! Consortium of EBus, Ballard, EPRI, DTC, Air Liquide
Fuel Cell Bus Program: Objectives
“Research, build and demonstrate FC hybrid buses”
•! Conduct basic research to improve fuel cell performance, efficiency, and
durability through experiments and modeling
•! Perform design analysis and configuration of:
–! fuel cell stack
–! hydrogen storage system, delivery and refueling infrastructure
–! batteries for hybrid operation
–! control systems and hybrid operation
–! sensors for real-time monitoring
•! Participate in vehicle build and integration of systems
•! Deploy buses in Delaware, develop infrastructure for maintenance, refueling
•! Collect performance data on performance, efficiency, emissions, reliability,
serviceability, maintainability
•! Public education and outreach, technology transfer to Delaware Transit
Corporation
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•!Plug-in fuel cell/battery hybrid bus
•!22-ft long, 22 passengers
•!20 kW Mark 9 SSL Ballard stack
•!60 kWh Ni-Cad batteries
•!12.8 kg of hydrogen in twin
composite tanks (5000 psi)
•!Range:180 miles
•!In operation since April 2007
UD Fuel Cell Bus Specifications
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•!Identical to Phase 1 bus in every way, but with twin 20 kW stacks
•!In operation since October 2009
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•!Plug-in fuel cell/battery
hybrid bus
•!40-ft long (Gillig)
•!Triple 20 kW Mark 9 SSL
Ballard stack
•!29.5 kWh Li-Titanate
batteries
•!Triple H2 tank (19.2 kg)
•!Delivery: December 2011
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•!Plug-in fuel cell/battery
hybrid bus
•!40-ft long (Gillig)
•!Quad 20 kW Mark 9 SSL
Ballard stack
•!29.5 kWh Li-Titanate
batteries
•!Quad H2 tank (25.6 kg)
•!Delivery: 2012
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•! Automatic generation of real time performance metrics and
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•! On-board data acquisition computers relay critical performance
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•! Software analyzes those data and places them on a web page
for Bus 1 and Bus 2, which can be accessed by the research
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o! http://fcrl.me.udel.edu/udac/web/bus1/
o! http://fcrl.me.udel.edu/udac/web/bus2/
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