Bosch Engineering develops control unit for fuel cell systems

These days, mobility at many airports is already clean and quiet and produces no emissions. More and more of the vehicles seen on airfields – baggage towing tractors and other ground support equipment – are electrically powered, by fuel cell systems too. Bosch Engineering GmbH is offering control units for zero-emission off-highway applications such as these, and the wholly-owned Bosch subsidiary will be presenting its new fuel cell control unit (FCCU) for the first time at the MobiliTec specialist trade show at the 2014 Hannover trade fair.

Robust hardware, flexible software

The FCCU is based on tried-and-tested Bosch automotive large-scale series production hardware. Together with newly developed software for controlling fuel cell systems, it has the flexibility to be used in various mobile and stationary applications and supports a wide variety of system configurations. The software features integrated hydrogen, air, and coolant control, so it can run a large number of operating strategies to further increase energy efficiency and keep consumption to a minimum. 

Zero-emission mobility already widespread in the off-highway segment

Electrification of off-highway applications – among them airport ground support vehicles, municipal vehicles, and industrial trucks – is being driven by the tightening of emissions legislation for internal-combustion engines with over 56 kilowatts of output (EU Stage IV and U.S. Tier 4 Final). This is one of the reasons why fuel cell systems are already widespread in these sectors and why hydrogen filling stations are already in place for many airports and vehicle fleets. Fuel cells generate electricity from the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, which emits nothing but pure water vapor. This makes them ideal for off-highway applications such as forklift trucks and mobile lift platforms, which must operate with zero emissions inside buildings and facilities. What’s more, vehicles with a fuel-cell powertrain are quieter and experience a much lower level of vibrations.

Bosch Engineering’s FCCU will first be applied in the “Innovative On-Board Energiewandler” (InnoROBE) project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The company is providing the project with the central control unit for a fuel cell system that will serve as an energy source for an electrically powered baggage towing truck to increase it’s zero-emission range.

Bosch Engineering GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH and is headquartered in Abstatt, Germany. Since 1999, Bosch Engineering has been offering engineering services for automotive, industrial and marine applications, railway and commercial vehicles, off-highway applications, as well as powersports – independent of the actual production numbers needed. Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch-engineering.com  The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. According to preliminary figures, its roughly 281,000 associates generated sales of 46.4 billion euros in 2013 (Note: due to a change in the legal rules governing consolidation, the 2013 figures can only be compared to a limited extent with the 2012 figures). Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 360 subsidiaries and regional companies in some 50 countries. If its sales and service partners are included, then Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2013, Bosch applied for some 5,000 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s products and services are designed to fascinate, and to improve the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. In this way, the company offers technology worldwide that is “Invented for life.” Further information is available online at www.bosch.com and www.bosch-press.com, http://twitter.com/BoschPresse.

PI8526 - April 07, 2014

/ Photo & Report provided by Bosch Press Release - sujung.jang@kr.bosch.com

/ MediaPaper.KR mediapaper@ymail.com  Sejin Oh

/ The News Article was written by receiving a Press Release.