IE 071 Class Retrofit Hydrogen Trail

Jamie2k9

Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail, operator of the national railway network of Ireland and provider passenger and freight rail services, and DIGAS, a global trailblazer in an instant decarbonisation solutions for the railway sector, have signed a contract to retrofit a freight diesel locomotive from diesel fuel to hydrogen as a proof of concept. The purpose of the €1.5m project is to help decarbonise the operations of Iarnród Éireann diesel locomotives, assist the company in meeting its goals as a Sustainable Development Goal champion, increase the competitiveness of the company and reduce carbon exhaust emissions.

Based on the agreement, Iarnród Éireann will provide the 071 Class Diesel Locomotive for the conversion as well as make the workshop available for the installation, testing and commissioning activities. DIGAS, will manufacture deliver and install a Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (H2 ICE) retrofit kit to convert the diesel locomotive to a hydrogen powered locomotive. The conversion will allow the locomotive to run on renewable, emissions free fuel instead of the diesel fuel. As part of the agreement, the two companies will share technical and commercial information necessary for DIGAS to design, manufacture, install, and support the commissioning of the Hydrogen conversion kit and allow Iarnród Éireann to properly test a retrofitted locomotive. 

Unlike other hydrogen projects in the rail sector where hydrogen is used in to run locomotives via fuel cells or through specially produced hydrogen engines, this project will showcase a unique approach where hydrogen will be used in the locomotive’s current internal combustion engine. 

This innovative technology requires minimal change to be done to the locomotive If successful, the project will showcase a more practical and cost-effective way to decarbonise and run the existing diesel locomotive fleet with hydrogen powered engines. 

The project is currently in the design process and scheduled for two testing phases across 2024 and 2025. Phase 1 will be focused on static testing of the locomotion to check power and emissions output. Phase 2 will follow in 2025 and focus on service trials of the locomotion out on the rails. All designs and testing standards are subject to approval from the Commission for Railway Regulation (CRR).  

Full Details:

https://www.irishrail.ie/en-ie/news/iarnrod-eireann-and-latvia-s-digas-to-trial-europe

loyatemu

if they replace the engines on these locos are we heading into "Trigger's broom"/Sugababes territory with them, where no part is still original?

Vic_08

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121113700#Comment_121113700

They aren't trialling an engine replacement. It is a system to fuel the existing power unit with hydrogen.

dowlingm

This has the feel of spending an EU grant in a short lived POC rather than something with legs. Even the German company which trialled FCMU is going with batteries to continue decarbonizing

https://www.hydrogeninsight.com/transport/no-more-hydrogen-trains-rail-company-that-launched-worlds-first-h2-line-last-year-opts-for-all-electric-future/2-1-1495801?twclid=2ek1xxq7nfwvxonltqr8xp7ml

Economics101

The potential benefirs from this could be big. The cost is relatively small, especially when IE can easily spare an 071 loco. Disappointed to see such negative comments.

Pete_Cavan

IÉ looking for Hydrogen for Trials, possibly related to the project highlighted here

https://www.etenders.gov.ie/epps/pmc/viewPmc.do?resourceId=2711420

Economics101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121397698#Comment_121397698

With regard to the supply of Hydrogen, what will ultimately matter is if Green Hydrogen can be supplied. While this irrelevant to the technical issue of assessing how an 071 can work using H2 as a fuel, it matters hugely in the long run. Can we be assured that there will be enough electricity generated by renewables to produce suffucuent H2?

Any thoughts on the storage problem? H2 has an extremely low energy density, so has to be stored under extremely high pressure (at least 300 Bar). Is there enough room on an 071 to accomodite the high-pressure tanks needed for a decent range?