Recommending hydrogen fuel cell retrofits for forklifts in energy audit reports by Industrial Assessment Centers

Abstract

Industrial Assessment Centers (IAC) are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and are located in 24 universities throughout the country. They provide small and medium sized manufacturers no cost energy assessments performed by university graduate students and advanced undergraduate students. This is a win-win situation; the manufacturing plants receive a (free) report detailing ways to save energy while the student receives valuable, hands-on training in energy efficiency. The IAC located at North Carolina State University performs approximately twenty audits per year and incorporates renewable energy recommendations whenever possible. As companies implement the recommendations made by the IAC, there is a continuous need to find new opportunities for energy savings. The inspiration for the hydrogen fuel cell retrofit recommendation came while touring Ballard, a hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer, during the 2011 ASEE Conference in Vancouver, Canada. The tour was arranged and sponsored by the Energy Conversion and Conservation division. To date, several hydrogen fuel cell retrofit recommendations have been attempted for various manufacturers. This paper will present the attempts at creating a feasible recommendation suggesting a hydrogen fuel cell retrofit for battery powered forklifts. These attempts will be presented as three case studies each representing a different manufacturer. The case studies will show the calculation of energy savings, cost savings and implementation costs associated with making a hydrogen fuel cell recommendation. Writing the recommendation is also an excellent learning opportunity for the student who matriculates in the Mechanical Engineering department. Writing a recommendation of this type challenges the student to learn about the chemical reaction associated with hydrogen fuel cells, the processes associated with the production of hydrogen gas, and the equations necessary to calculate the electrical usage associated with charging stations. © 2012 American Society for Engineering Education.