Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel-cell prototype is now market-ready and will likely be totally demonstrated at Bauma Munich, setting it as much as turn into a standard-bearer for a pattern proper throughout the development car business in the direction of this zero-carbon gas
Hyundai Building Tools is to showcase its second-generation HW155H – a hydrogen gas cell-powered wheeled excavator prototype – at Bauma Munich. The primary model of the machine was displayed as a static exhibit at Bauma 2022, however it can now be totally operational within the demonstration space all through the occasion, exhibiting how hydrogen know-how can contribute to emission-free development operations.
The HW155H has advanced since its preliminary presentation. “We’re not speaking a couple of idea anymore, however we’re prepared for mass manufacturing,” explains Peter Sebold, product supervisor at Hyundai. “Nonetheless, we aren’t launching the machine totally as a result of the market isn’t prepared for us or for hydrogen, by way of infrastructure and so forth.”
The car is powered by gas cells developed in partnership with Hyundai Motor Firm – a 30kW and a 50kW unit. The HW155H combines these to offer 70–100kW of energy, corresponding to a traditional diesel-powered excavator of this dimension. This energy is used to drive electrical motors or electrically-driven hydraulic pumps.
Strong-state of thoughts
Maybe probably the most attention-grabbing improvement within the newest iteration is the hydrogen storage system. “The most important change is the tank system that now we have. It’s now a solid-state tank storage system, which is predicated on a know-how known as steel hydride,” says Sebold. “This know-how has by no means been utilized in development equipment, so it’s a first-time improvement.”
The system works by having a stable construction as an alternative of getting a hole tank. “You must think about it like a sponge that’s absorbing the molecules of the hydrogen in gasoline type which permits extraordinarily excessive density,” says Sebold.
The solid-state storage answer operates at a considerably decrease strain than standard programs – round 300 bar in comparison with 750 bar – whereas reaching a better storage density. “You truly compress the hydrogen, so that you enhance the quantity of the tank, which has as a optimistic consequence that the machine has extra fill, this implies it has longer autonomy,” says Sebold.
This improved storage capability permits for roughly 12 hours of runtime, with refueling taking simply 10 minutes. “There’s no charging, no batteries. You refill the machine in 10 minutes, like when you have been filling up your automotive on the gasoline station,” says Sebold.
Really zero-emissions
Whereas hydrogen combustion engines are being developed by some OEMs and have clear benefits by way of counting on established ICE know-how and structure, fuel-cells have a bonus by way of emissions.
“Another corporations are working and growing combustion engines,” says Sebold. “The distinction is, with a combustion engine, it’s not totally zero emission. You don’t have any extra CO2, – that’s eradicated – however you continue to have NOx, so there are nonetheless some emissions. The great factor about utilizing the gas cells is that it’s hydrolysis in reverse, principally, and so the one emission that you’ve got popping out is pure distilled water.”
Future pondering
The second-generation HW155H fuel-cell excavator has gained the eye of Bauma’s organisers, as confirmed by its nomination for Bauma 2025’s Innovation Awards within the Local weather Safety class. Because the truthful in Munich will get underway Sebold anticipates vital curiosity from business professionals: “It’s going to be attention-grabbing and thrilling to see the reactions from the general public, clients, contractors. I’m positive we’ll get requests to get the machine for testing functions in some job websites.”
As development corporations face rising strain to cut back their environmental influence, hydrogen energy might characterize a viable answer for reaching sustainable operations whereas sustaining the efficiency ranges required in demanding development environments.
This text first appeared within the March difficulty of iVT
