The Abfallentsorgungs-Gesellschaft Ruhrgebiet mbH (AGR), a waste administration firm in Herten, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, has put a transformed DAF CF 340 hydrogen gasoline cell truck into operation as a part of the EU-funded HECTOR (Hydrogen Waste Assortment Automobiles in North West Europe) undertaking.
The intention of the undertaking, which entails seven European trials in complete, is to analyze how hydrogen-fueled vans could be an efficient resolution in lowering emissions in refuse automobiles. In February 2022 and likewise beneath the HECTOR initiative, Aberdeen Metropolis Council unveiled the UK’s first refuse assortment automobile (RCV)—a Mercedes-Benz Econic with a 250 kW Hyzon electrical motor coupled to an Allison 3000 Collection transmission along side a forty five kW gasoline cell.
Earlier than the demo automobile—a DAF CF 340 entrance loader with a Millennium XXL 40 physique from Terberg HS—may very well be used to gather industrial waste, a conversion from commonplace diesel propulsion to hydrogen was required. This was carried out by E-Vehicles Europe, a specialist producer of hydrogen-electric industrial automobiles based mostly in Belgium, in collaboration with Wietholt, a DAF licensed supplier in Dorsten, Germany. Wietholt can also be a service associate of Allison Transmission.
With a view to convert the diesel truck to hydrogen propulsion, the automobile needed to be fully gutted. Nearly the complete authentic powertrain—engine, gasoline tanks and exhaust system—was faraway from the DAF truck. Solely an Allison 3200 absolutely computerized transmission was retained as an integral a part of the drive idea.
The Allison 3200 absolutely computerized 6-speed transmission, already developed to be used in refuse assortment automobiles along with different functions, was optimized by utility engineers from Allison and E-Vehicles Europe to satisfy the necessities of the DAF gasoline cell truck. Allison’s Steady Energy Know-how gives clean, uninterrupted energy shifts and quicker acceleration. The patented torque converter multiplies the engine torque throughout start-up and acceleration. Moreover, it protects the complete powertrain from vibrations and jolts throughout gear adjustments. The exact crawling pace and precision tuning facilitate the gathering of garbage bins in slim alleyways, in addition to working at extraordinarily low speeds.
A forty five kW gasoline cell module was put in within the former engine compartment of the automobile. The diesel tanks have been dismantled and changed with battery packs that energy an electrical motor coupled to the Allison transmission with hydrogen vitality. The 4 hydrogen tanks on the roof of the automobile have a capability of 20 kg, sufficient for a variety of round 200 km (round 124 miles). Refueling at 350 bar takes just below quarter-hour.
The 28 ton entrance loader, 6 x 2 with steered trailing axle, is operated by one particular person to gather industrial waste from corporations within the Ruhr Metropolis area. Along with the brand new hydrogen-powered refuse assortment automobile, 15 hydrogen automobiles are already in use at AGR. The procurement of additional climate-friendly vans with hydrogen engines is deliberate. AGR is at present planning to construct its personal hydrogen manufacturing facility and high-performance filling station, which will probably be appropriate for each municipal H2 refuse automobiles and personal H2 automobiles.
