Bosch Engineering to help make non-road transport emissions-free

• Bosch Engineering expanding expertise in fuel cells for off-highway applications
• Production-ready Fuel Cell Control Unit is key component of fuel cell technology
• The next step: test operation of fuel cell baggage tractors at Stuttgart Airport

Bosch Engineering has developed the Fuel Cell Control Unit (FCCU) for an electric baggage tractor that has been created as a part of the publicly funded ‘Innovative Regenerative Onboard Energy Converter’ (InnoROBE) project. The baggage tractor is the first of its kind in Europe to feature a fuel cell that functions as a range extender, Bosch’s FCCU efficiently manages the interactions of all system components and serves as a key component of the fuel cell system.

“We develop components and systems as well as provide engineering services for a zero-emissions future in off-highway applications,” says Bosch Engineering director Bernhard Bihr. The project was started in August 2012 by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research in cooperation with project partners Greening GmbH & Co. KG, DLR Institute of Vehicle Concepts, and Fraunhofer NAS, and is due to be completed by 31 December 2015.

From control unit to prototype

Fuel cell technology is a key way to achieve emission-free mobility, and the new fuel cell system being used in this project is an important development of this technology. The nerve centre of the fuel cell system is the FCCU, which combines existing Robert Bosch hardware for mass-production automotive applications with specifically developed new software. The FCCU controls the entire system with integrated hydrogen, air, and coolant regulation.

Bosch engineers also closely analysed the fuel cell system in order to determine the required dimensions of its components. By looking at vehicle usage conditions, operating durations, refuelling specifications and many other requirements, the engineers could determine parameters such as battery size, fuel cell powertrain system power output and hydrogen tank dimensions. This information enabled the team to optimise the functional interactions of the components along with control and regulation functions.

For testing, the engineers made use of an in-house fuel cell laboratory, as well as a testing rig for a 20 kW fuel cell. They then constructed a prototype baggage tractor to test out the system in real-world operation. This prototype provides the engineers with vital information on how to further enhance the system. Ultimately the baggage tractor will be put into real-world operation at Germany’s Stuttgart Airport.

Fuel cell powertrain systems for airport use

Ground vehicles for transporting passengers, luggage and freight are the primary mode of conveyance at airports, so airport operators are increasingly making use of alternative powertrain systems in order to reduce emissions and noise. In the future, fuel cells will be the eco-friendly technology of choice at airports for mobile machinery, as well as ground support and fleet vehicles. The benefits of fuel cell vehicles include greater range and shorter refuelling times of just a few minutes. “A baggage tractor with a fuel cell can now last an entire eight-hour shift without recharging the battery,” Bihr says.

Stricter emissions legislation for internal-combustion engines over 56kW (EI Stage IV and US Tier 4 Final) make the widespread adoption of alternative powertrain systems more appealing for off-road applications. Vehicles with fuel cell powertrain systems operate using hydrogen, which reacts with oxygen inside the cell to form pure water. The energy this process releases is transformed into electrical energy inside the fuel cell, which in turn drives the electric motor.

“With this zero-emissions powertrain system we can now power off-highway applications such as forklifts or mobile lift platforms not only at airfields, but also inside buildings and warehouses,” Bihr says. In addition, airport vehicles featuring fuel cell systems run quietly and with little vibration. The first hydrogen refuelling stations are already in place at German airports in Stuttgart, Munich, and Hamburg.

The objective of Bosch Engineering is to put its entire portfolio of services to work in developing fuel cell powertrain systems for additional types of off-highway vehicles.

Press photos: 1-BEG-21616, 1-BEG-21617, 1-BEG-21618, 1-BEG-21619

Video links:

Footage with narration: http://bit.ly/1VG7VMU

Video footage: http://bit.ly/1Mglmm0

Further information:

Profile of InnoROBE by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (DE): http://bit.ly/1VFDCva

Contact person for press inquiries:
Rianne Ojeh, 01895 838 822
Email: Rianne.Ojeh@uk.bosch.com

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of 49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.”

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, http://twitter.com/BoschPresse.

*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.