Performance of electric forklift with low-temperature polymer exchange membrane fuel cell power module and metal hydride hydrogen storage extension tank

• Electric forklift equipped with commercial fuel cell module and MH H storage tank.
• Heavy duty tests according to VDI2198 protocol and light duty tests were performed.
• Forklift refuelling time not longer than 15 min.
• Forklift energy consumption with fuel cell module and MH extension tank is 9.56 kWh/h.
• Energy consumption during typical light duty operation at customer side is 3.87 kWh/h.

We present test results of a commercial 3-tonne electric forklift (STILL) equipped with a commercial fuel cell power module (Plug Power) and a MH hydrogen storage tank (HySA Systems and TF Design). The tests included: (i) performance evaluation of “hybrid” hydrogen storage system during refuelling at low (<185 bar) dispensing pressures; (ii) comparison of the forklift performances during heavy-duty operation when changing the powering in the series: standard battery – fuel cell power module (alone) – power module with integrated MH tank; and (iii) performance tests of the forklift during its operation under working conditions. It was found that (a) the forklift with power module and MH tank can achieve 83% of maximum hydrogen storage capacity during 6 min refuelling (for full capacity 12–15 min); (b) heavy-duty operation of the forklift is characterised by 25% increase in energy consumption, and during system operation more uniform power distribution occurs when operating in the fuel cell powering mode with MH, in comparison to the battery powering mode; (c) use of the fully refuelled fuel cell power module with the MH extension tank allows for uninterrupted operation for 3 h 6 min and 7 h 15 min, for heavy- and light-duty operation, respectively.