Hamburg airport tests innovative truck technology

STILL SUPPLIES TWO FUEL CELL TRACTORS

At the airport in Hamburg two fuel cell driven tractors from STILL GmbH are being tested in every day operation. Studies have shown that such tractors can take over the jobs of the currently used vehicles with internal combustion engines and by this make a contribution to the use of regenerative energy in the future. Basis for this development was the standard R 07-25 electric truck from STILL. The Hamburg airport wants to renew its fleet of baggage handling vehicles in the long run and in this process reduce the emission of pollutants. The study project "Hamburg Airport mit Wasserstoff (H₂) unterwegs" unterwegs" (Hamburg airport operating with hydrogen (H₂)) is scheduled for a duration of two years. These fuel cell tractors are the first step towards hydrogen technology which can be fitted in more vehicles later on.

Under the leadership of STILL, the leading supplier of intelligent control for intralogistics based in Hamburg as well, the vehicles are adapted to fuel cell operation and this innovative drive system is developed, tested and fitted in the vehicles. The tractors of the R 07-25 series are a very good starting point for the refitting. The fuel cell unit uses the space usually occupied by the battery. The requirements for STILL where high, because when fitting this future oriented drive no loss of performance or any functional setbacks by changing the dimensions or the floor clearance were allowed. Also the operation was to be identical to the standard tractors. Another requirement by Hamburg airport was that the tractors had to be suitable for outdoor and indoor operation alike. And, of course, the applicable safety regulations of the TÜV and the internal regulations of the airport had to be met.

To produce and deliver the fuel cell system, STILL started a partnership with Hydrogenics GmbH from Gladbeck. The fuel cell is a PEM type, i.e. it has a polymer membrane separating the anode from the cathode. PEM fuel cells use hydrogen as fuel. The required pressure gas filling station and the hydrogen itself are provided by the project partner Linde Gas Anwendungstechnik Hamburg.