Hybrid systems from Proton Motor: more than just fuel cells

With its PM Package and PM Turnkey product categories, PM offers its customers hybrid systems that are a combination of fuel cells and electrical energy storage devices. As all-in-one systems with all the required components, they can be integrated perfectly into the application.

Our hybrid systems are tailored to the customer application. The advantages of these hybrid systems compared to “simple” fuel cells are obvious. Users first and foremost benefit from the low total cost of ownership compared to single fuel cells with the same peak performance. Proton Motor achieves this through the optimum combination of fuel cells with energy storage devices such as batteries and ultracaps. Our hybrid propulsion system comprises a PM Basic fuel cell, the energy storage devices, power management, hydrogen tanks and cooling.

In a hybrid system, the fuel cell covers only the basic load. The electrical storage element provides additional energy for peak load operation: the storage device first stores the energy that is recovered during braking, for example, and makes it available as soon as particularly high performance is needed – for example when accelerating. This increases the available performance and reduces fuel consumption. As a result, only 50 per cent of the energy costs are typically required. Moreover, only 30 per cent approx. of the diesel engine power that would otherwise be required has to be installed. The more the vehicle is required to stop-start the greater the potential savings from a hybrid system.