Hydrogen

On the road to success – Hydro2Motion & Vögtlin Instruments

The Hydro2Motion team from Munich University of Applied Sciences is rocking the Shell Eco-marathon, a top competition for energy-efficient vehicles.

Using hydrogen as fuel, they rely on the high-precision mass flow meters from Vögtlin Instruments, which accurately measure consumption. These reliable devices help to optimize energy use and are key to the team’s success.

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H2 FLOW MEASUREMENT

As part of a sponsorship by the Munich University of Applied Sciences for the Shell Eco-marathon 2024, we were given the opportunity to use our red-y compact mass flow meter with its outstanding properties in real hydrogen operation. Due to mechanical problems, the Hydro2Motion team achieved a range of 477 km/nm³ hydrogen and thus took a very good third place. In the “Carbon Reduction Award” they achieved second place with their sustainability analysis. In 2023, the range was 802 km/nm³ hydrogen, which corresponds to a range of 2408 km/l of super gasoline SP95.

Application

The student Hydro2Motion team at the Munich University of Applied Sciences relies on the precise flow measurement of gaseous hydrogen. The efficient vehicle developed there is powered by a hydrogen fuel cell stack and an electric motor. The Vögtlin red-y compact is used to measure the flow of hydrogen consumption, which is characterized by its high accuracy and reliability. In addition to the cumulative total flow, the current consumption of the fuel cell stack is also recorded in order to monitor its behavior and optimize the operating strategy of the drive system in a practical manner. The high dynamics of the measuring range and the fast response time also enable the recording of rapid load changes and thus play a decisive role in increasing the efficiency of the drive system.

Challenge

The precise measurement of hydrogen consumption is a challenge due to the volatile nature of the gas and the high safety requirements. Unreliable measurements can lead to miscalculations and falsify results. In addition, the measuring equipment must be robust and stable enough to deliver consistent results even under varying conditions. The red-y compact is also constantly exposed to vibrations while driving.

Solution

The red-y compact flow meter offers the student team a reliable and precise way to measure hydrogen consumption. The MEMS technology of the Vögtlin mass flow meters offers fast response times of 350 ms and the plug & play functionality without warm-up phases improves user productivity.

Mass flow meters compensate for changes in the ambient or gas temperature through automatic temperature compensation, which significantly improves repeatability. The MEMS technology ensures long-term stability without deviations provided that a clean and dry gas supply is used.

Its compact design and the absence of external batteries make it easy to handle and integrate into this type of research project.

Key Features

High repeatability & reliability:
The flow meter ensures precise and consistent measurements
Safe & fast control:
The flow meter is easy and safe to use
Compact unit with high-quality components:
The device is lightweight and space-saving, ideal for student projects and mobile applications
No external power required for total consumption measurements:
The flow meter remains ready for use at all times