Georgetown began work on Phase I of the Generation III Fuel Cell Bus program in 2006 in partnership with EPRI, ZSW, and NuCellSys. In Phase I, expected to be completed in 2008, the team will design, develop, and test a next-generation methanol fuel cell system. Based on automotive technology, this fuel cell will be the basis for the Generation III fuel cell transit bus.

The objective of Phase I is to produce an advanced 60 kW methanol fuel cell system, taking advantage of recent developments in automotive and fuel cell technology. In Phase II, this methanol fuel cell will be integrated onto a modern, low-floor transit bus with a hybrid electric drive system and advanced energy storage system. The Generation III fuel cell bus will then be fully tested and demonstrated, in preparation for revenue operation.

 


The Phase I methanol fuel cell system applies lessons learned from previous generations of NuCellSys methanol fuel cell technology (the NeCar 3 fuel cell system, which was also the basis for the Georgetown Ballard X1 Bus, and the NeCar 5 fuel cell system). The Phase I system is based on the next-generation methanol processing technology that NuCellSys developed after the NeCar 5 system. It includes advancements in every technical aspect, and is designed for simplicity and manufacturability.

Key features of the resulting fuel cell system:

• Quick-starting - The Phase I fuel cell system will start about 10 times faster than the methanol fuel cells on the Generation II buses.



• Lightweight - The fuel cell system will have more than twice the specific power (W/kg) of the fuel cells on the Generation II buses.



• Compact - The Phase I fuel cell system will have about 6 times the power density (W/L) of the fuel cells on the Generation II buses.



• Near-zero emissions - The fuel cell's exhaust will be very clean, with zero NO_x and particulates, and only traces of other regulated emissions.

Generation III Fuel Cell System Configuration
Characteristic	Configuration / Objective
Fuel Cell Stack	Ballard Mark 902
Fuel Cell Type	PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane)
Net Power Output	60 kW
Weight	~1000 lbs.
Size	20 ft3
Fuel	Methanol

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The Phase I development team brings together valuable experience in automotive fuel cells, methanol processing, electric vehicles, and system integration to form a strong team dedicated to taking the next step toward commercialization by bringing the latest generation of methanol fuel cells to the transit bus application.

• EPRI - Project Management



• EPRI (the Electric Power Research Institute) is a nonprofit center for energy and environmental research. Since its establishment in 1973, EPRI has been a leader in all aspects of energy research (including generation, conversion, distribution, use, and alternate energy sources) as well as transportation, focusing on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.



• ZSW - Fuel Cell System Integration



• ZSW, the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research (Zentrum für Sonnenenergie und Wasserstoff-Forschung), is a nonprofit research institute located in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. ZSW has extensive research experience in solar power, alternative fuels, batteries, and fuel cell components and systems.



• NuCellSys - Methanol Fuel Processor and Fuel Cell System



• NuCellSys GmbH, an equally-owned joint venture between DaimlerChrysler and Ford, is a world leader in developing and manufacturing automotive fuel cell systems. NuCellSys (formerly XCELLSiS) is also the world leader in methanol fuel processing, having produced several generations of successful automotive fuel cell systems using methanol.

Georgetown University
Advanced Vehicle Development

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