Charged By Andy Latham But Wait ... There's More! M
any publication column inches have been filled recently on the subject of electric vehicles and the impending bans on the sale of brand new internal combustion engines in many countries and regions. Some of the comments were misleading and favored conventional vehicles over zero emission power, however they all failed to consider another very important alternative fuel: hydrogen.
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are still high voltage, so a lot of the learning from the last few years will not be wasted. There will be the added complexity of hydrogen tanks and a fuel cell, but without the weight of a very large battery the vehicle will be much lighter, and the refueling pro- cess will be very similar to our current fuel station experience.
There will be plenty to learn, especially for first responders as well as vehicle dis- mantling and recycling professionals, how- ever the growth of these vehicles will be gradual, so time is on our side. There also is a lot of work ongoing across Europe cur- rently to train the trainers so that knowl- edge and expertise can be brought to the
recyclers, first responders and technicians at the appropriate time.
Is it safe? Hydrogen is a more volatile fuel and the risks of explosions and fire is a con- cern, however if it leaks it will dissipate into the air much more quickly than gasoline or diesel fumes. All of the manufacturers are testing these systems to destruction as well as fitting numerous safety devices to prevent hydrogen leaks in the event of an accident. These tests have ranged from firing bullets at full tanks of hydrogen to dropping tanks out of planes and much more. Initially hydrogen power will be an option for heavy commercial vehicles and buses because the weight of the batteries needed for a full day’s use as an electric vehicle will limit payload. As many of these vehicles will start and finish the day at the same depot, or at another depot of the same company, where hydrogen refu- eling facilities are available, it becomes an easy solution; and once a publicly avail- able hydrogen refueling infrastructure has been established, the fuel will be the fuel of choice for many long-distance drivers of vehicles of all sizes.
The ideal solution is to have self-con- tained centers in most towns that utilize renewable energy to produce hydrogen, and then dispense the fuel from the same site, alleviating the need to transport hydrogen across large distances or store large quantities for distribution. The fuel cell in these vehicles are made up of three elements: anode, electrolyte and cathode. The anode acts as a catalyst and turns the fuel into electrons and ions. The cathode converts the ions into the waste product, usually water vapor, while using the electrons to create an electrical current. This power is then inverted to high voltage to power the electric motor and a small high-voltage battery stores the energy that is produced when the vehicle is slowing down. There will still be a cooling system and a cabin heater and all the usual features of conventional vehicles. In addi- tion, the vehicle will drive exactly like an electric vehicle does now, including fea- turing instant torque, smooth and silent, with a single, or twin speed gearbox, and the ability to travel hundreds of miles between fuel stops and a refueling time that is very similar to our gasoline and diesel fill-ups today.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles are in use
now, with vehicle manufacturers designing new models all the time. The limiting factor will be the growth of the hydrogen refu- eling infrastructure. Once in place, these vehicles will be commonplace on our roads and in our facilities, and Salvage Wire will be there to inform, train and develop you and your teams to work with this tech- nology.
Andy Latham is Managing Director of Salvage Wire. His desire is to highlight the professionalism in the vehicle recycling industry, increase
knowledge and understanding, and keep everyone safe, ethical and profitable.
24 // May-June 2021 Automotive Recycling
iStockphoto.com/pandapix
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