Meet the extreme off-road Chevrolet fuel cell electric truck made for U.S. Army

[rangerrebew]

Meet the extreme off-road Chevrolet fuel cell electric truck made for U.S. Army

    July 10, 2017



By Nathan Bomey

The U.S. Army has begun testing an extreme off-road version of the Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck powered by a hydrogen fuel cell.

The military and General Motors collaborated to develop the Chevrolet Colorado ZH2 fuel cell electric truck, which could pave the way for a stealthy new mode of military transportation.

Although its tricked-out design is conceptual and would likely not grace the final product, the Colorado ZH2 boasts a silent hydrogen fuel cell powertrain that could give American soldiers an edge in war zones.

https://www.military1.com/military-weapons/article/1792335014-meet-the-extreme-off-road-chevrolet-fuel-cell-electric-truck-made-for-us-army/

[Fishrrman]

Looks like something out of one of the Road Warrior movies:

[Smokin Joe]

Considering the shift in oil rig drives from direct drive compounds to SCR setups with electric motors everywhere, anything under load makes noise. Maybe not the same noise as an ICE with straight pipes, but a very definite hum, and that can get quite loud.

[roamer_1]

Considering the shift in oil rig drives from direct drive compounds to SCR setups with electric motors everywhere, anything under load makes noise. Maybe not the same noise as an ICE with straight pipes, but a very definite hum, and that can get quite loud.

Just wait till it's thirty below... Then it won't be making any noise.

[Smokin Joe]

Just wait till it's thirty below... Then it won't be making any noise.

That depends on the fuel cell. I reckon that'll need a heater to keep it from becoming ice plugged. The electric motors can be lubricated with synthetics that'll work just fine at low temps, the traction motors on oil rigs do okay.  (Another problem with ethanol gas and a car left idling in the winter--exhaust systems that plug with ice.)

[thackney]

The logistics required for a hydrogen fuel supply make this a silly idea.

[Smokin Joe]

The logistics required for a hydrogen fuel supply make this a silly idea.

But all you need is one of these:


Seriously, after working with Flame Ionization Detectors in remote locations, it would be a real pain.
Liquid H2 requires unreal logistics (beyond anything that we did or wanted to).
Cylinders of compressed H2 have their problems:
It doesn't store well, the Hydrogen leaks through the cylinder wall under pressure.
Rapid decompression (like someone damaging a valve on a cylinder or a high pressure leak) will commonly cause the hydrogen to autoignite.
It burns with a clear flame (you can't see it, but it will do serious damage if you walk into it or get a limb in there).
Explosive range in air: from 4% to 74%. Yeah, Hindenburg and all that.
Even more fun things to know about Hydrogen are here (different from our application).
A fuel dump in the desert? Just send me to Thule...

[thackney]

But all you need is one of these:


Seriously, after working with Flame Ionization Detectors in remote locations, it would be a real pain.
Liquid H2 requires unreal logistics (beyond anything that we did or wanted to).
Cylinders of compressed H2 have their problems:
It doesn't store well, the Hydrogen leaks through the cylinder wall under pressure.
Rapid decompression (like someone damaging a valve on a cylinder or a high pressure leak) will commonly cause the hydrogen to autoignite.
It burns with a clear flame (you can't see it, but it will do serious damage if you walk into it or get a limb in there).
Explosive range in air: from 4% to 74%. Yeah, Hindenburg and all that.
Even more fun things to know about Hydrogen are here (different from our application).
A fuel dump in the desert? Just send me to Thule...

Compressing H2 after generated is an immense energy loss as well.

[Suppressed]

Seriously, after working with Flame Ionization Detectors in remote locations, it would be a real pain.

Foxboro (Thermo)?

Rapid decompression (like someone damaging a valve on a cylinder or a high pressure leak) will commonly cause the hydrogen to autoignite.

And those fittings are very prone to getting knocked a-kilter in a rough environment.

A fuel dump in the desert? Just send me to Thule...

Seriously!

[Smokin Joe]

Foxboro (Thermo)?

And those fittings are very prone to getting knocked a-kilter in a rough environment.
Seriously!

Baseline and EG&G Continental Labs (how's that for ancient?} Flammable (Total) Gas Detector and Gas Chromatographs for monitoring gas in the drilling mud on a drilling rig.