Energy Modeling and Simulation of a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Hybrid Switcher Locomotive: A Canadian Case Study

This article addresses the decarbonization of the rail system while studying the energy demand and management of hybrid sources for an electrified switcher locomotive. A hydrogen Fuel Cell system is a potential energy storage solution for electrified rail to meet the weight and energy density requirements for rail systems. A diesel switcher locomotive is decarbonized with a hybrid Energy Storage System (ESS), 50 kW Fuel Cell, and 100.4 kWh Lithium-ion battery. Managing this ESS to meet the energy demands of switcher locomotives is the main challenge. The locomotive prototype is being converted and integrated by the University of British Columbia, BC, Canada. A SIMULINK model is developed to simulate the switcher operation, including the Fuel Cell system, battery, and loads. The developed simulation model is verified against realistic data collected from the locomotive’s diesel operation. The electrified locomotive prototype retrofit is being developed by students from the University of British Columbia for the Southern Railway of British Columbia. The developed model estimates the hydrogen fuel consumption and required refueling to meet the locomotive duty cycle and auxiliary loads. The simulation model estimates the maximum allowable operation duty under different initial battery charging levels. The proposed model is verified using data from a realistic switcher operation, and the simulation results promise a saving of 6.2 tons of carbon emission and 75% of operational cost on average, over a 12-hour operational shift. Detailed simulation scenarios with hybrid power sharing are reported.