Transportation / Mobility

November 3, 2009

 

Fuel Cell Hybrid Train Attain 70% Energy Efficiency Rate

Keywords: Energy Conservation Non-manufacturing industry Transportation / Mobility University / Research institute 

The Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), which oversees the railway technology research and development for Japan Railway companies, announced at its monthly briefing on July 16, 2009, that it has developed a two-car fuel cell/battery hybrid prototype train, and has conducted a test run. The model is intended to replace both diesel and electric railcars in the future.

The RTRI initiated the development of fuel cell trains in fiscal 2001 and has been testing a single-car fuel cell hybrid train since April 2006. The latest prototype runs on electricity generated by the 120 kW polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC), which uses hydrogen fuel, while a 360 kW lithium-ion battery is recharged during operation and through regenerative braking. The two-car model demonstrated improved acceleration, recording 70 percent energy efficiency rate during the test run.

The RTRI plans to continue testing the prototype in order to evaluate its performance under various conditions, and to conduct an investigative study of the 300 kW-class fuel cell that is required for the practical application of hybrid trains.

World's First Hybrid Rail Car Developed (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/025244.html
East Japan Railway Develops World's First Fuel Cell Hybrid Railcar (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/en/pages/026406.html
Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo Japan official website
http://www.rtri.or.jp/

Posted: 2009/11/03 06:00:15 AM

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