Missouri S&T Hydrogen Transportation Test Bed Equipment & Construction

Status

Sequential Number

Identification Number

Matching Research Agency

Siemens

Principal Investigator

Student Involvement

The Missouri S&T EcoCAR Garage is a student-centered facility, involving and benefiting both undergraduate and graduate students and faculty from at least eight degree programs. Over 100 Missouri S&T students are active members of the EcoCAR Team, with at least 12 graduate students providing leadership to the team.

Project Objective

The objective is focused on one of the Missouri S&T NUTC’s themes, Transition-state fuel vehicle infrastructure leading to a hydrogen economy . Two identified tasks associated with this transition-state fuel theme are the following:

[1] development of safety codes, standards, and regulations

[2] infrastructure development and deployment  

For detailed information about the specific anticipated deliverables for this project, click here.

Project Abstract

Investments through the National University Transportation Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology have really scored on the Center’s mission areas and particularly Transition-state fuel vehicle infrastructure leading to a hydrogen economy .  Already this investment has produced three programs, Hydrogen Fueling Station, the EcoCAR Garage and the Renewable Energy Transit Depot, that have led to a new 2008 Missouri S&T major strategic theme. Chancellor Carney calls it “E³=C” Challenge, i.e., Energy, Environment, and Education equals Civilization. With the strong start empowered by NUTC funds, a new transportation test bed at Missouri S&T, coined “E³ Commons,” is being constructed to develop, demonstrate and deploy hydrogen vehicles and supporting infrastructure including hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. Another round of investment is needed to keep this momentum going and to capitalize where success has grown much more than anticipated. 

The hydrogen transportation test bed serves as a focal point for the Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety - National University Transportation Center at Missouri University of Science and Technology, focusing on the overarching goals of collecting and evaluating the real-world performance and utility of hydrogen-powered vehicles and benchmarking issues related to the safety, operation, and maintenance of hydrogen-powered vehicles with other alternative fuel-powered vehicles. 

NUTC funds, along with specific project matches, have allowed Missouri S&T to accomplish Phase I. Tackling Phase II requires complementary capabilities for these three program areas and the Commons: EcoCAR Garage, Hydrogen Fueling Station, Renewable Energy Transit Depot, and the E³ Commons as a whole. 

For detailed information about the specific anticipated deliverables for this project, click here.

Task Description

N/A

Anticipated Benefits

The completed hydrogen transportation test bed will provide the Missouri S&T NUTC the opportunity to conduct the following research and outreach activities:

1. Design, develop and demonstrate a hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid vehicle (FC PHEV)

2. Design, develop and demonstrate a hydrogen fueling station with on-site hydrogen generation via multiple pathways including solar PV and wind powered electrolysis

3. Design, develop and demonstrate a multifunctional infrastructure to serve as the terminus of the hydrogen shuttle bus service, student design offices and hydrogen fuel cell laboratories

4. Design, demonstrate and deploy hydrogen fuel vehicles and supporting infrastructure

5. Educate, train and develop public acceptance of hydrogen as a clean and safe fuel.

For detailed information about the specific anticipated deliverables for this project, click here.

Modal Orientation

Milestones

Relationship to other Research/Projects

The EcoCAR Garage builds on the strengths and expands the goals of the “Show Me the Road to Hydrogen” initiative supported by funds from Defense Logistics Agency through the Air Force Research Laboratory. Additional support for the “Show Me” initiative is being provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the Gas Technology Institute.  The EcoCAR Competition and the Missouri S&T EcoCAR Team is being supported by General Motors, EmPower CES LLC, Argonne National Laboratory, MathWorks, Siemens, dSPACE Inc., National Istruments, Freescale Semiconductor, A123 Systems Inc., AVL Powertrain Engineering, National Science Foundation, Mototron Corp., Snap-on, Inc., Renewable Fuel Association, Robert Bosch, LLC, EcoMotors, Delphi Foundation, CarSim, International Association for Hydrogen Energy, Killark and Missouri S&T.

The Hydrogen Fueling Station builds on the strengths and expands the goals of the “Show Me the Road to Hydrogen” initiative supported by funds from Defense Logistics Agency through the Air Force Research Laboratory. Additional support for the “Show Me” initiative is being provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the Gas Technology Institute.

The completion of the Renewable Energy Transit Depot builds on the goals of the FTA funded Missouri Transportation Institute (MTI) “Expansion of a Hydrogen-Powered Rural Transit Test Bed” project. Missouri S&T, in cooperation with MTI, is currently implementing a hydrogen-powered transportation testbed funded by the Defense Logistics Agency and is leasing two Ford hydrogen-fueled shuttle buses for service between Rolla and Fort Leonard Wood.

Upgrading of the Missouri S&T “E³ Commons” provides a unique transportation testbed for both current and future university transportation research projects focused on the transition-state fuel vehicle infrastructure leading to the vehicular use of hydrogen as a fuel in both internal combustion engines and fuel cell plug-in hybrid electric vehicles at Missouri S&T.

Technology Transfer Activities

Beyond the traditional technical transfer of research outcomes with the partners of this Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition, the EcoCAR Team will be prepare and conduct on-site hydrogen safety training workshops with presentations and videos. Also the EcoCAR Team is offering a pre-college summer camp during July 6-10, 2009 at Missouri S&T on the E³ Commons. http://precollege.mst.edu/ecocar.html.

For detailed information about the specific anticipated deliverables for this project, click here.

Transportation Research Board Keywords

Transition-state fuel, hydrogen, vehicle infrastructure