Energy distribution analyses of an additional traction battery on hydrogen fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.09.241Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle and its hybrid version were compared in energy task.

  • FCEV and FCHEV energy distribution was illustrated as sankey diagrams.

  • Hydrogen and electrical consumptions were discussed detailed.

  • The importance of AVL Cruise and WLTP driving cycle were expressed deeply.

  • FCHEV has more preferable results than FCEV, for this study’s parameters.

Abstract

Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the world and produces only water vapor as a result of chemical reaction that occurred in fuel cells. Therefore, fuel cell electric vehicles, which use hydrogen as fuel, continue its growing trend in the sector. In this study, an energy distribution comparison is carried out between fuel cell electric vehicle and fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle. Hybridization of fuel cell electric vehicle is designed by equipped a traction battery (15 kW). Modeled vehicles were prepared under AVL Cruise program with similar chassis and same fuel cell stacks for regular determining process. Numerical analyses were presented and graphed with instantaneous results in terms of sankey diagrams with a comparison task. WLTP driving cycle is selected for both vehicles and energy input/output values given with detailed analyses. The average consumption results of electric and hydrogen usage is found out as 4.07 kWh and 1.125 kg/100 km respectively for fuel cell electric vehicle. On the other hand, fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle’s average consumption results figured out as 3.701 kWh for electric and 0.701 kg/100 km for hydrogen consumption. As a result of this study, fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle was obtained better results rather than fuel cell electric vehicle according to energy and hydrogen consumption with 8% and 32%, respectively.

Introduction

Automotive producers and industry members are strongly encouraged to re-generation on electrified versions by considering alternative energy and propulsion solutions due to sharp decrements of fossil fuels and higher greenhouse gas emission. Although electric vehicles have zero emission pollution while on-road driving, grid electricity which powered to electric vehicles is obtained from fossil resources power plants. When this situation is taken into consideration, in automotive sector, new researches and produced prototypes have been added to the industrial and academic area. Fuel cell electric vehicles are playing an important role in this corner. After 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference (Paris meeting); the main goal of limiting global warming at 2 °C, all related participants in world tended to discussing the importance of hydrogen in all areas. Zero-carbon energy behavior and limitless source of it, hydrogen, is playing as a critical factor in energy sector.

According to energy agencies reports; in a global perspective, the largest and growing source of CO2 emissions is causing from transportation sector with 28% totally [1]. Alternative fuels and different energy source systems which driven the vehicles, should help to minimize this rate. Therewithal, in automotive sector, all stakeholders started to search the most exact solution for minimizing the fuel consumption and emissions with maximizing the performance and range capabilities. Last two decades, the road map of this solution addressed the two important key answers. First one is using hydrogen and the second one is electrification in transportation.

Hydrogen (H2) and its derivatives have been used in automotive sector as a fuel since last century. In road transportation, generally, H2 fueled conventional internal combustion engines (ICE) in gaseous form. Author’s previous studies were related with this phenomenon [[2], [3], [4]]. As a general opinion and finding from Refs. [[2], [3], [4]] results; H2 effected positively to engine performance in terms of torque and power due to its heating value. In the way of entrance to engine, gas form of H2 which enriched the air in intake manifold, increases the air/fuel ratio that it is end with lesser fuel consumption. Additionally H2 reduced the emissions (except NOx) because of carbon absence of its nature. Nevertheless, a detailed comparative table is given from Ref. [5], which figured the influences of H2 in ICEs.

Therewithal, hydrogen sources were varied. Possible hydrogen sources were studied so much researchers and investigators. Especially, production and storage of hydrogen has very important place on energy researchers [[25], [26], [27]] mentioned the different hydrogen production sources, systems and hydrogen storage options. Also; economic, environmental, social, and technical performance and reliability of the selected options are compared in that study. Additionally, sustainability and infrastructure systematic were deeply analyzed by Refs. [28,29,39].

On the other hand, road transportation vehicle manufacturers generated and produced electric assisted hybrid vehicles for serving the green friendly environment and boosting the performance of vehicles. The importance of using electric motors (EM) in vehicles can be noticed besides on the EM’s efficiencies. More detailed info’s about Hybrid and pure electric vehicle can be reachable from author previous studies [5,6] and also [7,8].

Engineers and researchers, who want to gain more energy potential with H2, opened the season of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV). Fuel Cell (FC), that is an electrochemical device, aimed to converting the chemical energy, from mixing the fuel (especially H2 in road transportation) and oxygen, to electric energy. Mainly, there are six well-known FC types widely used in various applications. FC’s will play an important role on “hydrogen economy” and energy sector. Although there are some demerits in FC applications; they will be pass through in near further with the generation on technology and more preferable costs. Authors kindly suggested their previous study [9] to readers. In Ref. [9]; FCs working principles, their brief history, importance for engineering applications, advantages and disadvantages, FCEV’s overview, technical parameters, costs and theirs situations in sector, refueling stations and next quarter century vision were given detailed.

FCEVs can be admissible for the next steps of electric vehicles. The trends on electric vehicles have performed fruitful screens and it seems they will suit their place in automotive sector. But there are three important barriers on electric vehicles statement. The first one is range of vehicle which directly related with battery capability. According to Energy Department of US [10], Tesla Model S’s range is 539 km per one charge. Conversely, Hyundai’s Nexo offers [11] 666 km per one fueling. When it comes charging time and refueling time; EV needed minimum 6 h (empty to full) [12], but FCEV refueling time is only 3–5 min [13]. The second barrier is come up about environmental envelop. The third one is the maintenance costs and prices of these vehicles. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders report [13], a critical compared information is reflected from Prof. Heywood (MIT), that in 2030, EVs mass production costs will be three times expensive related to FCEVs mass production cost.

Hybridization is a unique chance to deliver the multiple energy sources in any vehicle. Basically, the main advantages of hybrid vehicles are minimizing the emissions and fuel/energy consumptions and improving the performance. For that reason, electric vehicles which driven by electric motors from battery power, surpasses the automotive industry. As it mentioned before, EVs range scale is limited. To upgrade this scale, practitioners added to sole system with traction battery. This type of hybridization is very crucial for determining the energy distribution and performance of vehicle.

In this simulation study; an energy distribution comparison is carried out between FCEV and fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle (FCHEV). Hybridization of FCEV is handled by equipped a traction battery (15 kW). Vehicles simulated and modeled with AVL Cruise program and WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure) driving cycle is selected for analyses. Energy input/output results given detailed and figured out as sankey diagram template.

Section snippets

Methodology

All engineering applicators have frequently using simulation programs that minimize the time and cost procedure. Before prototyping and manufacturing, simulation and determining process is relieve of producers from unnecessary costs. The two critical start points of simulation procedures are; input variables of analyses and carefully selection of program.

In this study, this subsection is divided into two parts as methodology and simulative design. In methodology part, AVL Cruise program tool

Results and discussion

This section is divided into two parts. First is reserved for FCEV and FCHEVs electric and hydrogen consumptions results in terms of comparative analyses in WLTP driving cycle. Second one is consisted the energy distribution analyses that including the important points of WLTP driving cycle’s instantaneous energy input/output values.

Conclusions

Automotive sector tended to find out the optimum vehicle propulsion system for passengers. It has to be more economical, greener, powerful and energetic. One of the best candidates for this optimization is FCEV that they have rising their popularity day by day. The main purpose of this study is to increase the energy efficiency to the most optimized values and to decrease the hydrogen fuel consumption of the fuel cell electric vehicle on the fuel cell.

For that reason, in this study, FCHEV and

Acknowledgement

This study was conducted with AVL CRUISE. Authors acknowledge to AVL-AST, Graz, Austria to provide these simulation tools under university partnership program.

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