UQM Technologies has announced that it has delivered a PowerPhase 100 motor to Vehicle Projects for use in a fuel cell powered switch locomotive under development by a consortium including Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Company, the U.S. Department of Defense, and led by Vehicle Projects of Denver, Colorado.
The UQM motor provides up to 55 kW of continuous power to drive the twin-screw compressor for the first stage of the two-stage air system of the fuel-cell powerplant. The switch locomotive is currently under development, with field testing scheduled to begin later this year.
The experimental switch locomotive has the potential to reduce air pollution, is not dependent on oil for fuel, and could serve as a mobile backup power source for military and civilian disaster relief efforts. At 127 tonne (280,000 lb), continuous power of 220-250 kilowatts from its proton exchange membrane fuel cell power plant, and transient power well in excess of one megawatt, the switch locomotive will be the heaviest and most powerful fuel cell land vehicle yet.
"As a nation, we face two significant issues, global climate change and energy insecurity, both of which have a common factor – oil," said Arnold Miller, President of Vehicle Projects.
"The world burns millions of barrels of oil for energy, and the waste carbon is then emitted to the atmosphere. Because fuel cells don't rely on oil as a fuel source, they solve these two issues. Along with our principal partners, we are developing proof-of-concept hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that are leading the way to this new technology."
"We are pleased that Vehicle Projects LLC has again selected one of our technologically advanced permanent magnet motors for a cutting-edge vehicle. Our systems excel in demanding applications such as this where power density and efficiency are required to achieve optimal system operating performance," said William G. Rankin, President and Chief Executive Officer of UQM Technologies, Inc.
