Hydrogen Hybrid Canal Boat

Now here is a tempting look at possible future mobile-lifestyles - back to the days of the canal boats...something I have often considered myself (as long as it came with satellite communications...).

Green Car Congress reports on how engineers at the University of Birmingham (UK) have developed a zero-emission hydrogen hybrid canal boat - 'The boat, called The Ross Barlow, is fully operational and demonstrates how a combination of magnet and fuel cell technologies could be used to power inland waterways craft'. The post continues:

The Ross Barlow was created by converting a standard maintenance boat which was donated to the University’s Protium Project by British Waterways. Engineers replaced the diesel engine with a NdFeB permanent magnet electric motor, lead-acid battery stack, metal hydride store, and 5 kW PEM fuel cell.

Schematic for the propulsion system. Click to enlarge.

The motor is designed by the Lynch motor company, and is based on a brushed 4-quadrant axial flux motor, with a power output of 10 kW (13 hp) with a maximum efficiency of 89%. The NdFeB sintered magnets for the motor were manufactured by the Hydrogen Decrepitation process (HD process).

Read in full - 'Hydrogen Hybrid Canal Boat'

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