Hydrogen journeys with Stäubli #3

Welcome to the third episode of Hydrogen Journeys with Stäubli the meeting place for all those with a passion for the hydrogen industry. 

Having already covered hydrogen logistics and highlighted Stäubli's key role, today we're going to explore a new avenue, that of the rail market. We're joined by Raphaël Touchais, a specialist in the rail transport market at Stäubli, who will talk to us about hydrogen in railway development. The journey begins now. 

Hello Raphaël.

Hello.

So Raphaël, with your expert eye, can you tell us more about the rail industry's craze for hydrogen? 

Yes, I can. In Europe today, half of all rail lines are not electrified. This means that all the trains running on these tracks use diesel traction, which as we all know, generates CO2. Under pressure from public opinion, political authorities want to make their ecological actions visible. So they are encouraging transport operators to respond to these major environmental challenges by replacing fossil fuels with clean energies. 

In this context, several options are possible. The first option is to electrify tracks that are not electrified. The financial impact is considerable. This is not currently favored by public authorities. 

Another option would be to replace diesel traction with batteries that would be recharged when the train runs on electrified tracks. This would combine the use of electricity with the flexibility of energy storage. One major drawback is the limited range of this system. Despite this, it is an option that is being developed by train manufacturers. 

And another option, which is closer to today's topic, is to replace diesel traction with hydrogen fuel cells which considerably reduced the carbon footprint of rail transport with a much greater gain in range than with a 100 % battery version.

Now on this third and final option, which would be to replace diesel traction with hydrogen fuel cells, I can imagine that this would pose a number of challenges for the rail industry?

There are indeed many challenges. The players in this market face several problems linked to the use of hydrogen. The first problem is refueling trains with hydrogen. In this situation, there are two possible scenarios. 

Firstly, if the train runs continuously on the same track, refueling points can be specifically designed for this train. However, when the train runs on different lines, the refueling system must be compatible with all the hydrogen trains that will run on this line. 

Another issue will be the maintenance of the hydrogen system on the train. For example, for the tanks, technicians need to be able to carry out assembly operations easily, dismantling and replacement operations while minimizing intervention time, optimizing costs and safety. Another example is hydrogen fuel cell maintenance. On this device, it's important to facilitate all necessary interventions, such as membrane and filter replacement, always keeping in mind the shortest possible downtime. 

And finally, another important challenge is to facilitate maintenance of the battery packs downstream of the hydrogen fuel cell. In particular, the process of disassembly, reassembly and replacement of the batteries as well as the cooling system. 

Thank you, Raphaël, that's a lot of challenges for the players in this market. And if we're talking about fast connection, since that's where Stäubli's expertise lies, could you briefly explain to our listeners what are the most important points to consider? 

What's fundamental is that the railway environment is a very specific environment and the connection systems we propose must be specifically designed to meet the severe constraints of rolling stock use, maintenance and service life. 

In the case of hydrogen, they must be able to ensure complete emptying of hydrogen tanks during maintenance operations carried out and performed in operators' depots. Quick connect systems must also enable extremely reliable transfer of hydrogen from the tank to the fuel cell by optimizing rapid isolation of hydrogen circuit components.

And when it comes to the fuel cell itself, here again, reliable quick connect solutions are essential to fuel cell performance. They must enable connection of the cooling, draining and filling circuits with a glycol water mixture. 

Last but not least, the cooling circuits for battery packs and converters also require reliable and secure connection solutions, always bearing in mind the equipment, service life and performance.

Thank you, Raphaël, for all these details. Can you tell us how Stäubli fits into this rail energy transition and what solutions are proposed to support players in this fast-changing market? 

Well, it's undeniable that diesel is no longer seen as the propulsion of the future for trains. The search for alternative solutions is imperative. Hydrogen appears to be a promising substitute and is being considered by many train manufacturers around the world.

For many years, Stäubli has been a highly committed player in the railway sector, where we are a leader in the field of fast connections. 

We work with all the world's major players in the rail industry, from OMS to end customers, and offer reliable, high-performance and secure connection solutions that are recognized worldwide. In this hydrogen environment, our engineers have developed solutions perfectly adapted to these requirements for all the applications we have just mentioned, from emptying hydrogen tanks to transferring hydrogen to the fuel cell cooling, connection, draining and filling, as well as battery pack and converter cooling. 

Well, a big thank you to you, Raphaël, for sharing this information with our listeners. In our next episode, we'll be diving into the world of hydrogen refueling and discovering how Stäubli, as a leading partner, is making a name for itself in this field.

See you soon!