Cummins and Protonex Demonstrate Fuel Cell Truck APU

Cummins has announced it has successfully demonstrated a tubular solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) in a hybrid-configured auxiliary power unit (APU). The unit is configured to power a Class 7/8 truck's 'hotel loads' while running on commercial ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel. The Cummins APU incorporated hybrid power electronics, system controls, and balance-of-plant components combined with SOFC modules supplied by Protonex Technology Corporation

The SOFC power unit was integrated with a modified power electronics section derived from Cummins Power Generation's Hybrid Quiet Diesel (HQD) recreational vehicle power system. The hybrid power electronics provide dynamic load sharing between the SOFC and a battery pack.

Highlights from the demonstration include the unit running continuously on ULSD fuel, running the truck's air conditioning and lighting solely from the SOFC and hybridising the fuel cell and battery for up to 3.8 kWe AC. The average net power produced over the test period was 1.1 kW DC or 820 W AC.

This demonstration, held at Cummins Power Generation facilities in Minneapolis, leveraged development supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The APU combines Cummins Power Generation's HQD hybrid power electronics, controls and systems integration expertise with Protonex' SOFC technology to address increasingly stringent anti-idling requirements aimed at reducing commercial truck emissions, noise and fuel consumption.

www.cumminspower.com

www.protonex.com 
 
 

Source: Fuel Cell Today