Burkert sponsors hydrogen electric race car

Fluid technology specialist Bürkert has provided a fluid control system for the fuel cell stack of the hydrogen electric race car ‘Forze VI’, built by students of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. The car will be competing against petrol-powered race cars to demonstrate how fast green technology can be.

The Forze team has been developing fuel-cell-powered race cars since 2007, with Bürkert initially supplying components for the Forze IV. But then the team learnt of Bürkert engineer Johann Gunnesch, who develops individual, highly specific system solutions for applications requested by Bürkert customers throughout the world. The team presented its flow plan for the fuel cell and explained the basic technical requirements.

Forze is a foundation that comprises about 70 students. Most of these students study at the Delft University of Technology.

“Coming from the tank, the hydrogen first passes a shut-off valve,” explained Gunnesch. “An integrated pressure relief valve has to release the hydrogen in the event of a malfunction. A Type 2875 solenoid control valve meters the hydrogen for the fuel cell by controlling the required pressure in the fuel cell.

“A Type 8701 flow meter measures the supplied quantity of hydrogen and sends this data to the vehicle’s electronic control system. The pressure and temperature are likewise monitored constantly by sensors that send their readings to the controller to enable the fuel cell to operate under optimal conditions at all times. Furthermore, there is a Type 6011 bleed valve, which can evacuate the entire system in case the vehicle is not driven.”

The Forze VI required the implementation of a 100 kW fuel cell and 190 kW boost power. The car also needs two 74 L hydrogen tanks at 350 bar to feed the stacks together with MassFlow meter up to 5000 L/min air to provide enough oxygen.

“We integrated a new developed laminar flow element design to achieve the Forze VI requirements while remaining lightweight and compact, but with at least four times as much capacity,” Gunnesch said.

Low-pressure box for anode gas control.

Bürkert’s solution for Forze VI enables the fuel cell to power the 880 kg car from 0-100 km/h in less than four seconds and reach over 210 km/h. The only ‘emission’ left behind in the environment is water.

The hydrogen electric race car will soon attempt to break the record for fuel cell-powered vehicles on the Nürburgring Nordschleife