Indian railways successfully tested the first hydrogen-powered coach or driving power car earllier this week at its integraph factory (ICF) in Chennai. This marks is a key milestone in the national transporter’s quest to build India’s first hydrogen-powered train, something on the world a few railways in the world have tried, with a bulk of the projects in the trial.
The ICF project is significant for the railways as it is one of the players in India’s mission to Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and increase the share of the Renewable Energy in its MIX. An increased use of hydrogen, which is a cleaner fuel, Will Further Reduce Dependence on Fossil Fuels.
Officials say that the project has reached the final stage, wherein testing of variable equipment is being done before Hydrogen-Powered trains are pressed into commercial services.
What is the project?
Indian railways’ northern railway zone has undertaken this project which began in 2020-21. The project has two major components. First, the conversion of two conventional 1600 Horsepower (HP) Diesel Power Cars in Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Traction System, and Second, Setting Up a Hydrogen Storage and Fune Facility AT Jindana.
The total cost of the project is approximately Rs. 136 Crore. The primary design, validation, and testing is being undertaken by Indian railways’ research design & standards Organisation (RDso).
A senior official of the ministry of railways said that the hydrogen train project was conceptualised for conversion of a 10-coach-terectric multicric multicric multicric Multiple in a hydrogen -pored Multiple Unit. 1600 HP Power Cars. With a train length of 10 coaches, it will have a capacity to carry more than 2,600 passions.
It has been planned to operate the hydrogen train between jind and sonpat stations of Northern Railway in Haryana, two round-trips of 356 km. The hydrogen storage and fueling facility at jind will have a storage capacity of 3,000 kg of hydrogen.
Story Continues Below this ad
It has been planned to operate the hydrogen train between jind and sonpat stations of Northern Railway in Haryana, Two Round-trips of 356 kms.
How will it work?
Hydrogen Fuel Technology is still an Emerging Field in Railways. There are many challenges and safety concerns, too, as hydrogen is a highly flammable gas. As the project involves the retro-fitment of two diesel-powered cars into hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars, Each Power car Will Carry 220 kg of Hydrogen, stored in specially designed cylinders AT 350 Barr. The mounting structure of hydrogen cylinders and fuel cells are critical and for that, multiple rounds of testing are on.
Hydrogen is the lightest element. It is colorless, odourless, tasteless, and highly flammable. Due to its typical characteristics, safety remains a point of caution that dealing with hydrogen. Officials say that to minimise the risk, railways have done computational fluid dynamics (CFD) Studies, wherein the worses of Hydrogen leak and other failure modes are constituted.
The Official Further Said That An Extensive Testing Of All In-House Equipment Like Vehicle Control System, Boost Converter, Auxiliary Converter, And Traction Motor Have Been Successfully. The hydrogen train will include safety features such as pressure relief valves, leak detection sensors, temperate detection systems, and scientifically designed ventilation.
An Independent Third-Party Safety Auditor-‘Technischer überwachungsverein Süd’ (TUV-SUD) The engineering design and conversion work is being undertaken at icf, chennai by hyderabad-based medha servo drives.
Story Continues Below this ad
The hydrogen fueling facility
The 3,000-kg hydrogen fueling facility at jind will provide the required hydrogen for the operation of the hydrogen-powered train. The storage capacity has been divided into two separate storage spaces – 2320 kg at low pressure and 680 kg at high pressure.
The facility will be operated and maintained in accordance with the standard and specification of petroleum explosives safety organism (peso), a nodal agency under the department for promotion of India and India (DP).
Officials say that northern railway is undertaking the associated infrastructure works such as power supply, road construction, firefighting tank, to make the facility operational.