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Imagine a train that is powered by just two gases—oxygen and hydrogen. Now imagine that instead of producing massive amounts of pollutants, it produces only water that's clean enough to drink! Sound too good to be true? It's becoming a reality thanks to engineering students. University of Washington mechanical and chemical engineering students are working together in an interdisciplinary program to create a new fuel cell stack that will power an amusement park train.

The purpose of the program headed by chemical engineering professor Eric Stuve, and mechanical engineering professor Per Reinhall, is three-fold. It provides undergraduate students with the chance to participate in cutting-edge research paralleling current industry concerns; they can apply new knowledge and skills on a project to benefit the community; and, it fosters interdisciplinary cooperation and communication. Unlike traditional senior design projects, which are based on a given set of constraints and design parameters as specified by a set of specific competition rules or industry requirements, in the fuel cell project, as in industry, important decisions concerning design constraints and project goals are determined by the design team.

Potential for hydrogen fuels
The Fuel Cell Locomotive project, which is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation ECSEL (Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence in Engineering and Leadership) Program and resources from UW's Mechanical and Chemical Engineering Departments, was initiated to address an urgent national need for alternative energy sources and a clean environment. It has several goals, one of which is to show that fuel cells can be integrated into the current transportation infrastructure. Fuel cells are already being used to generate power and heat for large buildings, such as hospitals and manufacturing plants. In Vancouver, Canada, Ballard Power Systems uses hydrogen fuel cells to power several city buses. This company's fuel cell designs have impressed the world, leading to joint ventures towards bringing the first practical car to the automobile market.

While conventional methods of producing energy for transportation, are based on burning petroleum products, a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell takes hydrogen and oxygen gas and combines it to produce water and electricity. No pollutants or unwanted chemicals are released into the environment and the electricity produced is used in an electric motor to drive the vehicle.

A train presents unique design problems, since it is comprised of many components including: power train, suspension, fuel cell, control systems, safety systems, brake systems, chassis, coaches, track, etc. The use of a train allows this project to continue from year to year, enabling each successive team to enhance previous designs, incorporating and optimizing the systems instead of starting from scratch.

During spring quarter 1998, the Fuel Cell Locomotive project expanded to include 30 mechanical engineering students, along with 8 chemical engineering students, working in a real-life cooperative environment. In 1999, the group took another step forward in the development of the project. A fuel cell test stand, which is a full size model of the actual assembly, is being constructed. Additionally, the train is capable of running under a battery system such as those used in electric vehicles.

The chemical engineering students research and design the PEM fuel cell, conduct research on the fuel cell, build a fuel cell stack, and design the fuel cell support systems. The mechanical engineering students assist with the fuel cell and handle the actual design and production of the train, including its frame and suspension, drivetrain system, its coaches, and system integration.

Future goals for the ongoing project include building a fuel cell stack, completing the test stand that is a mock-up of the equipment to be integrated into the train, and finishing the building and testing of the DC-battery powered system for the train. The fuel cell stack is the actual power unit that will be installed on the train. At this stage, the fuel cell stack group is researching sealing and production methods. All train systems will be tested prior to integrating the fuel cell onboard. Additionally, when the fuel cell is built, it will act as an onboard charging system until a control system is developed that will allow the train to run independently on fuel cells.

Overcoming a "bad rap"
Employing a hydrogen fuel system on a large scale will require overcoming a common perception that hydrogen is a dangerous, flammable, explosive gas. This perception can be traced back to the Hindenburg, a hydrogen-fueled zeppelin which caught fire in mid-air and crashed in Lakehurst, New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. Though many experts now feel that the hydrogen fuel had little to do with the fire—35 people died in the tragedy, but no one suffered burns from hydrogen—the image still lingers.

For this reason, the project is taking every possible scenario into account when developing and designing the train and associated equipment. A team of students constantly oversees safety issues, from lab procedures to design and operation considerations ensuring a safe train is built. Additionally, outside consultants from the Seattle Fire Department, and the University of Washington environmental services have been consulted due to the public nature of the project. Their expertise is valuable in teaching the students about the types of national codes and regulations that the train will have to meet in order to gain approval to run.

For more information on the project, see http://depts.washington.edu/fuelcell/index.htm

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