Status of Hydrogen Station
and Fleet Demonstration
at Penn State
Joel R. Anstrom, Ph.D.
Director of Hybrid and Hydrogen Vehicle
Research Center at the Pennsylvania
Transportation Institute
Hydrogen Station/Fleet Demonstration
Background
• Emergence of a renewable hydrogen economy is a major
component of a long-term U.S. energy security strategy
• DOE interim goals:
(until renewable hydrogen infrastructure in place)
– Produce hydrogen locally from natural gas
– Target costs and efficiencies competitive with gasoline
– Store hydrogen on-board vehicles
• APCI and DOE cost-shared H2 station goals for
transportation:
– Demonstrate commercial cost viability of H2 station
– Deliver hydrogen that meets performance criteria
– Demonstrate hydrogen station/fleet at Penn State
starting 2005
Hydrogen Station/Fleet Demonstration
Background (continued)
• Partners to demonstrate hydrogen station and fleet:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APCI)
Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA)
Penn State Pennsylvania Transportation Institute
Penn State Office of Physical Plant
Collier Technologies
ERA Power Company
• Cost share of APCI hydrogen station – U.S. DOE
• Funding for startup, training, and first year operation of
hydrogen fleet:
– Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
– Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic
Development
Hydrogen Station Description
H2 Fueling Station at Penn State
Vehicles
Fueling Station
Feedstocks
PTI FCV
H2
Storage
Compression
Compression
H2 Storage
OPP Vans
H2
NG
H2 Generator
H2 CNG
Blending
CATA buses
APCI
Electrolysis
HCNG Blend
ppt00 5
Hydrogen Station Description
(continued)
• APCI Hydrogen station capacity - 4 kg/hr, ~100 kg/day
• 24 car fills/day or 1 bus fill/day on hydrogen
• 3-4 bus fills/day on 30-35% H2 in CNG blend (HCNG)
• Fueling Plan (5 day/week, year round, cold climate):
– 2 H2 car fills/day at 0.6 kg (1.2 kg H2)
– 1-2 van fills/day of HCNG blend (2-4 kg H2)
– 3 bus fills/day of HCNG blend (90-110 kg H2)
– Plus future Penn State hydrogen research requirements
• Note: >40% load on hydrogen reformer required to
prevent frequent shutdown/startup cycles
Hydrogen Demonstration Elements
Partner - Contribution
• Air Products and Chemicals Inc.
(APCI) – develop and support
hydrogen station
• Centre Area Transportation
Authority (CATA) – operate up to
3 HCNG buses on campus route
• PSU Office of Physical Plant
(OPP) – operate up to 8 HCNG
vans on campus
• PSU Pennsylvania
Transportation Institute (PTI) –
manage demonstration, collect
data, integrate/operate electric
vehicle with PEM fuel cell
• Collier Technologies – perform
HCNG engine conversions,
training, and support
APCI H2 station
CATA HCNG buses
PTI PEM fuel cell car
OPP HCNG vans
Bus Specification
• Chassis: 40’ New Flyer
CNG passenger bus
• Engine: 8-11 liter, 30-35%
H2 in HCNG blend
• Fuel Capacity: ~ 1600 l
@ 3600 psi
• Operation: campus transit
• Fuel Consumption: ~3
mpg Diesel equivalent
• Fueling: three buses daily
within one hour of HCNG
blend
Van Specification
• Chassis: Ford utility van
• Engine: 302 cu in V8, 3035% H2 in HCNG
• Fuel Capacity: ~160 l at
3600 psi
• Operation: campus work
van
• Fuel consumption: ~8
mpg gas equivalent
• Fueling: random 24/7 of
HCNG blend
FC Vehicle Specification
• Converted electric vehicle
• Fuel Cell: 1.2 kW Ballard
Nexa PEM
• Fuel Capacity: 26 l H2 at
5000 psi (0.6 kg)
• Operation: test mule and
grid power generation
• Fueling: twice daily
• Fuel consumption: ~70
mpg gas equivalent
• Note: custom PSU
inverter and converter
H2 Demonstration at University Park Campus
HCNG OPP vans
operate all over
campus, fuel at
random
HCNG CATA
buses operate on
Campus Loop
route consuming
majority of
hydrogen, fuel
once daily
PTI
Vehicles fuel
HCNG or H2 at
station installed at
PSU, PTI an APCI
collect data on
vehicles and
station for 3 years
Fuel cell vehicle
travels between
PTI and OPP,
produces grid
power, fuels
twice daily
PSU Hydrogen Demonstration
Funding and Status as of 9/04
• Funding requests of $2.2M ongoing for remainder of
fleet, infrastructure, and additional two years of operation
• Station components and site under construction
• First HCNG van operational
• First bus and FCV under development
• First fueling January 2005 of van and FCV
• PSU Hydrogen Day Demonstration October 25, 2004
• Estimate first bus conversion complete by Jan 2005
• Station reformer online July 2005
Contact Information
Joel R. Anstrom
Pennsylvania Transportation Institute
201 Transportation Research Bldg.
University Park, PA 16802
jra2@psu.edu
(814) 863-8904